OTAN News

Helping Students Set Goals in 5 Easy Steps

Posted on 09/19/2024

For many of us, the beginning of the new school year translates to goal setting with our students and staff. Have you ever been expected to write goals and never been asked to revisit them? This article spells out how to incorporate goals which are used daily with the start of a lesson. These “micro-goals” connect with the learning objective, make learning more relevant, deep and engaging.

Whether or not micro-goals will work in your setting is up to you, the professional. Still, do not give up the overall idea. Setting goals helps with a “growth mindset” especially when they are “specific, challenging, and compared to” a person’s own baseline or past performance. Goals encourage ownership, increase motivation and engagement in the process.

Summarized here are the 5 easy steps for micro-goal setting. Additionally listed at the bottom of the page are technology infused OTAN resources for goal setting in general.

Step 1: Establish a Firm Goal

Step 2: Create Success Criteria

Step 3: Share the “Why?”

Step 4: Create and Align Student Goals

How will I grow?

What do I want to know?

How will I show what I’ve learned?

Step 5: Self-reflect.