One of the things I am going to be more intentional about with my students this year is helping them be goal-oriented.
I know that this is probably why I have usually been successful at the things I’ve attempted in my own life.
I’ve always derived much satisfaction from accomplishing tasks. This has included such things as learning to knit, obtaining my college degree, and becoming a teacher.
Although, in past years, my students and I have talked about goals, and I’ve even had them write a couple of them down on note cards that I’ve given back at the end of the school year, I can’t say that I’ve stressed the importance of creating an action plan and then self-monitoring periodically, reflecting on what’s working or not working. That’s going to change.
Children need to be taught, explicitly, how to be metacognitive. They need to learn how to evaluate their actions and the thinking process behind their decisions.
To help my students understand my revamped plan, I’m going to use myself as an example by listing my own personal and professional goals, which will probably look something like the following…
Personal Goal
Run my first 5k
Plan of Action
- ✔️ Sign up for Color Run
- Train three days a week using the Zombies Run app to track my progress
- ✔️ Sign up for Hogwarts Running Club Platform 9 3/4 virtual race to stay motivated (who doesn’t like bling?)
- Check in, via Instagram, with the HRC on September 1 when I’ve finished my training run that will double the 9 3/4 race
Professional Goal
Improve classroom culture
Plan of Action
- Incorporate more Kagan Team and Class Building activities into my lesson plans (I didn’t do as good of a job with this last year)
- Work with students to create affirmations and killer statements and gestures that will serve as reminders of how to respect themselves as individuals and each another as a learning community
Along with big goals, I’m going to have students create specific reading goals. I read Penny Kittle’s book, Book Love. She gives instructions for helping students determine how many pages they should be reading per week. Her students write down their goals, and they assess their progress weekly and reflect on the numbers. I just love, love, love this!
If you haven’t read her book and you are a teacher (home school, online, or brick and mortar), buy it. You’ll love it too!
Back to my post…
After creating goals and action plans, I’ll have students place them into data folders. We’ll revisit these goals and write reflections at least once every nine weeks.
It is my hope that as students see themselves taking steps toward reaching their goals…or even acknowledging backward steps, that they’ll take ownership of their learning, holding themselves accountable in the process.
Filed under: fitness, Teaching | Tagged: fitness, goals, teaching | 1 Comment »
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