With school in full swing it is almost time for the first progress reports to be making their way home. Even if you started the year off making goals with your child, this is the perfect time to make some new ones or start the goal setting process with them.<\/p>\n
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According to sources ranging the spectrum from academic to business, goal setting is a vital component of our lives and a key to long-term success.<\/p>\n
Teaching children the art of goal setting is a gradual practice and tends to start on the small scale, but these tips and tricks can apply to long beyond just school-age children\u2019s goals.<\/p>\n
If your child is new to the goal-setting process, you will want to explain what a goal is. This might also be a good conversation for older kids who\u2019ve been part of classroom goal-setting in the past or even set their own personal goals. Reminders and refreshers can always help clarify things.<\/p>\n
The Oxford Dictionary<\/em> defines a goal as: \u201cThe object of a person\u2019s ambition or effort; and aim or desired result; the destination of a journey; a point marking the end of a race.\u201d While a goal can also be a sport scoring method, that\u2019s not really the definition of the word that we\u2019re going to focus on, so let\u2019s ignore that one, for our purposes here.<\/p>\n A goal is not just some intangible thing\u2014it is a result, a destination, the endpoint of a journey or an effort. A goal takes work to achieve; it takes action.<\/p>\n \u201cA goal without a plan is just a wish.\u201d ~Anonymous<\/em><\/p>\n Most of us already unconsciously set goals of varying degrees and importance. At the heart of it, even a grocery list is a goal. All goals go through a process.<\/p>\n These are the same steps that people, groups of people, organizations and even businesses use to set and accomplish their own goals. They are the same ways to walk children through goal-making. With children you might want to gradually introduce them into this process. Many educational resources suggest setting smaller, very short term goals with children early on. When you set longer-term goals with them, parents should help them make an action plan for achieving that goal. Then use reminders in order to hold them accountable and keep them on track.<\/p>\n Many schools use the SMART guidelines when teaching children to set goals, which are a great tool for setting effective goals at home as well, be they academic or personal.<\/p>\n Set goals that are specific and clear. Write them in positive terms; write what your child wants to accomplish rather than what they don\u2019t want.<\/p>\n For example, instead of \u201cdon\u2019t get in trouble\u201d setting a goal of \u201cearning a good conduct grade weekly\u201d is more specific. It also meets the other four criteria below.<\/p>\n This guideline reminds us that you need to establish criteria for how the goal is to be achieved. This is vital; there has to be a way to show both how to accomplish a goal and when the result has been met.<\/p>\n Goals should be attainable, meaning within the student\u2019s grasp. They should also be action-oriented, requiring the student can take action to achieve the desired result. This guideline can necessitate an action plan or a map showing how to achieve a particular goal. Typically these are made up of steps which will lead to the completion of a given goal, and they can be as simple as a to-do list or more involved for longer term goals.<\/p>\n Goals are more achievable when the expectations are clearly laid out and everyone knows what is expected in order to achieve them.<\/p>\n When setting goals, you should keep in mind the resources and constraints of your and your child\u2019s particular situations. A goal should require your child to stretch a bit, while allowing for the likelihood of success.<\/p>\n A goal should have a concrete endpoint; a timeframe in which it should be accomplished. It should also allow a child adequate time to complete the actions needed to meet the goal, but by the same token the trick can be not to allow so much time that he or she might lose focus or motivation.<\/p>\n Probably the most important key in this process is the action plan. It is essentially your child\u2019s roadmap to achieving their goal. It is the steps that are necessary to reach their destination. Your child might need your or another adult\u2019s assistance defining the steps and prioritizing them to increase their chances of success chance. Action plans can also show a child that large goals can be met with much smaller steps, which will help them feel like they can achieve all of their goals.<\/p>\n Of course, accountability is a close second in the goal-setting process. Sharing their goals with someone, who will remind them and inquire about their progress, as well as encourage them when the process might not be going so well. In the event that their action plan might not be working out as well as hoped, you can help them redefine their approach.<\/p>\n Another key to accountability is posting their goals where they will see them. Reading their list regularly will help keep the goals and action plan fresh in your child\u2019s mind. It can also help motivate them to get results. Another way to motivate them is to find some way to chart the progress to their goal, be it a sticker chart, reading journal, or other applicable method.<\/p>\n Don\u2019t forget to celebrate their goals when they reach them. This doesn\u2019t need to be a gift or a night out, though it certainly can be. Having their achievement recognized is what is important. With longer-term goals, knowing something is waiting for them at the end of the journey can help motivate your child to accomplish their goal, but not everyone needs an incentive in order to reach their destination. Celebrating your child\u2019s goal doesn\u2019t have to cost anything. It could just be taking a few moments to bask in their success with them. Plus, focusing on their successes makes a child more likely to set and achieve future goals.<\/p>\n Remember that the goal list and the action plans are not set in stone. They can be reviewed and revised as needed. Encourage your children to try different ways of wording their goals (but keep the approach positive\u2014what they want to do). Goal-setting, like so many things improves with time and practice. So keep working on it with your child. Repeat the process regularly. Try new things. Keep it fresh and fun.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Starting Block<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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Be SMART About Goal-Setting<\/strong><\/h3>\n
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Making it Happen<\/strong><\/h3>\n