Goal Setting

Growth is measured along the way

Ownership of progress

Awareness builds focus and engagement

Learning increases with check ins/feedback on goal

As certified staff work to set their own goals/SLOs this month, this is a good time to consider having students do some type of goal setting as well.  According to a 2019 article in Phi Delta Kappan, goal setting gets students involved in reviewing and understanding their assessment results, setting reasonable goals for improvement, and continuously building their learning with frequent check ins on those goals. 

Goals will look very different from student to student.  They can be academic or behavioral, from increasing math facts to reducing tardies. Robert Marzano's (2009) review of research finds that goal setting can produce student learning gains of between 18-41 percentile points.  Effective goal-setting pratices help students focus on specific outcomes, encourage them to seek academic challenges, and make clear the connection between immediate tasks and future accomplishment.  Goal setting provides opportunities to build competence, gives students control of their learning, builds interest, and alters their perceptions of their own abilities. 

Tips for student goal setting:

Start early.  Start with classwide goals for younger students, and then move on to setting simple individual goals.  Talk about the process - why we make goals, how it guides learning, and how proud you feel when you hit the goal.

Do it often.  Schedule check ins, no longer than 4-6 weeks in frequency.  Questions like What do you notice about your work from the beginning until now? and How do you feel like you grew? encourage student self-reflection.

Make it visual: Utilize multiple forms of data, including graphics and other visual representation.  As a class, these may include anchor charts referencing classroom goals, or graphs showinng progress toward goals or targets.  On an individual level, these can be data notebooks, plans/graphs and other goal setting worksheets.

Creating personal relevance. Identify what a student is struggling with, and invite a conversation around What could we do to fix that?  Not only do these conversations build relationships, but they also help students see that they have some control over their success.

Student choice. Teachers help break larger goals into smaller skill areas, suggesting goals based on skills students are missing and outlining the steps needed to get to the goal - but ultimately, leaving selection of the goal to the student.  With younger students, where self-reflection isn't as developed, provide 2-3 choices.

So as you are thinking about your own goals, think about what this might look like in your classroom.  Start small - choose one area (it can be the same for everyone), and/or a goal for the whole classroom (rather than individual) - both the goal and the conversation about the process are important for students to participate in.  Setting goals with students informs teacher practice, engages and motivates students during the learning process, and creates a partnership between the teacher, student, and family.  Through goal setting, students become owners of their learning.