Goal setting not only helps children achieve personal goals and milestones, it can be an effective tool in encouraging and securing academic success for your child.<\/p>\n
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Why Set Goals?<\/strong><\/p>\n 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 gradual. Practicing and starting on a smaller scale works best with kids. These tips and tricks can apply long beyond just school-age children\u2019s goals.<\/p>\n What is a Goal?<\/strong><\/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 have been part of classroom goal setting in the past or even set their own personal goals. Reminders and refreshers can always help clarify the point and the process for goal-setting pros.<\/p>\n The Oxford Dictionary<\/em> defines a goal as: \u201cThe object of a person\u2019s ambition or effort; an aim or desired result; the destination of a journey; a point marking the end of a race.\u201d<\/p>\n A goal is not some intangible element\u2014it is a defined 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 Starting Block<\/strong><\/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 similar 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. You can also use them to walk children through setting their own goals.<\/p>\n With children, though, you might want to gradually introduce them to this process. Many educational resources suggest setting smaller, very short-term goals with children early on. When setting longer-term goals with them, you should help them make an action plan for achieving those goals. Then use reminders in order to hold them accountable and keep them on track.<\/p>\n Be SMART About Goal Setting<\/strong><\/p>\n Many schools use the SMART guidelines when teaching children to set goals. This method is a useful tool for setting effective goals at home as well, be they academic or personal.<\/p>\n Set goals that are specific and clear. Write each 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, and positive. It also meets the other four criteria below.<\/p>\n This guideline directs you 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 your\/your child\u2019s grasp. They should also be action-oriented, requiring you\/your child to take action to reach the desired result. This guideline might require 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 something 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 what resources and constraints apply to your and your child\u2019s particular situations. A goal should require your child to stretch a bit, while still 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 plan should not allow so much time that he\/she might lose focus or motivation.<\/p>\n Making it Happen<\/strong><\/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 outlines 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. 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, is crucial. 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 the goals where your child will see them. Reading the list regularly will help keep the goals and action plan fresh in their mind. It can also help motivate them to get results. Another way to encourage 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 once reached. This doesn\u2019t need to be a gift or a night out, though it certainly can be. Having their achievement recognized is more important than how it is recognized. With longer-term goals, knowing something pleasant is waiting at the end of the journey can help motivate your child to accomplish his\/her 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. The goals and steps can be reviewed and revised as needed. Encourage your children to try different ways of wording their goals (but keep the approach positive\u2014focusing on what they want<\/em> to do).<\/p>\n Setting goals, like so many activities, improves with time and practice. So keep working on it with your child. Repeat the process regularly. Try new methods. Keep it fresh and fun.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Goal setting not only helps children achieve personal goals and milestones, it can be an effective tool in encouraging and securing academic success for your child.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":4349,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3135","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n\n
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