You’ve heard the phrase “Just set it and forget it”, right? Is that what we really want for our students’ learning? Honestly, that is usually what happens with goal setting in middle school.
Our students need to constantly be reminded of their goals and what they are striving for. That’s why I’ve put together this Goal Setting bundle to help solve all of your goal-setting problems.
Before you scroll down, make sure to read this blog post about the 5 benefits to goal-setting in the classroom.
Then, download this FREE guide to teaching S.M.A.R.T goals.
1. Start with Quick Writes
Before your students set their goals, have them reflect on the importance of goal setting through quick writes.
Keeping prompts open-ended will allow your students to share whatever they want without feeling pressured to give you what they think you want to hear from them.
One of my favourite prompts to start with is to give them a word (like goal-setting) and ask them to write about any thoughts or images that come to mind when they think of that word,
Other prompts include:
– Reflecting on a quote about setting goals
– Critical thinking prompt about -whether or not younger people are more likely to achieve their goals
– Self-reflection that causes students to think about goals they did not achieve or goals they abandoned
– Narrative story starter
2. Make Goals Visible with Student Nametags
If you asked your class what their goals were for this month, how many would be able to answer? These editable and printable Student Name Tags are an excellent way to brighten up your students’ desks and keep their goals front and centre.
Each name tag has:
– a spot for you to enter your students’ names
– a motivational quote
– a definition of a SMART goal
– a spot for the students to record their very own SMART goal.
You can easily personalize these student name tags by selecting from the 36 motivational quotes provided or you can insert your own quotes.
3. Make Goal-Setting in Middle School a Dialogue with Weekly Reflections
In order to make goal setting in middle school a meaningful experience you need to know how your students are feeling and what they might need to be successful. Since using weekly reflections this year, I have been able to connect with my students a lot more. They’ll reveal more to you in their writing than face-to-face and it’s oh, so helpful to see where they are at!
With prompts like, “If you could go back in time and change one thing about this week, what would you change?” and “Did you achieve your goal this week? Why or why not?” you will be able to see where your students’ strengths lie and areas where they need your assistance to improve on reaching their goals.
4. Celebrate Success with Monthly Reflections
If there’s one thing I’ve learned this year, it’s that some middle schoolers have trouble identifying their successes. They are so focused and driven that they can’t take a minute to reflect on what they have accomplished.
These monthly reflection sheets are the pause button at the end of a busy month. Your students will be able to keep track of their goals and you will be able to see if they are able to explain how they know they have met them or not.
You can even use these monthly reflection sheets to guide student-teacher conferencing and to help communicate with parents. The Learning Skills section is designed to make report writing a breeze!
Goal setting in middle school can be one of the most rewarding things for you and your students. All of these resources are designed to support you and your students in setting and achieving goals while also building community and relationships along the way. Click here to find out more about this no-fail Goal Setting bundle.
