Give the gift of goal-setting: Part 2

By: Lisa Johnson

Earlier this month, I  posted a blog on tools for adults to “support goal-setting and desired outcomes by providing avenues to produce visible, publicized goals that allow for accountability and a support system to share your progress.”

While goal-setting is obviously a integral part of an adult’s life, teaching and modeling proper and appropriate goal-setting skills is also a formative and valuable part of successful character-building for children and students of all ages.

Here are a few ways students can set and achieve their goals (e.g. academic, personal, behavioral, or extracurricular) in 2012:

• Create a Goal Behavior Chart with Goal for It citing specific behaviors that need improvement. (Also check out Printable Charts for Kids: free but must login with Facebook or create an account.)

Behavior Goal Chart created with Goal for it (free account requires a login)

• Create a Reading List with Shelfari or Reading Rewards and even publish your own book reviews using Scholastic or Edmodo. (OR even consider using an app like K-12 Timed Reading Practice Lite to improve your reading speed or fluency)

Tools like Scholastic provide a forum for your sharing your reading goals & progress

• Create a Vision Board or Goal Road Map: take a picture of something that represents one or all of the goals that you would like to achieve (e.g. get an A in Math, Read 12 Chapter Books, Make the Volleyball or Cheerleading team, or Build a Community Garden) and then outline the steps needed to reach that goal. (Also Check out Goal-Reasons Graphic Organizer.)

My Personal Goal Road Map created with Popplet Lite App (also a web app)

• Motivate with To Me By Me: Write reminders to yourself of things you would like to achieve or send yourself  little motivations (great for older children – or parents could compose the notes to send to their little ones).

Motivational Letter Created with To Me By Me app

• Track your Progress using PicCal Lite: record a goal or mini-goal pictorially as you achieve them. Take a picture of a clean room at the end of the week, a picture of an A on a Math assignment, or a snapshot of each book or chapter that you read each day/week/month.

Track Your Progress Pictorially with PicCal Lite App