Last month I wrote about the importance of students knowing their learning target. There is research that supports the power of students knowing where they stand today and where they are expected to end up. Last week in the Wall Street Journal Online there was an article on the power of kids working on goals. The article cited research that found that a student’s ability to set realistic goals was linked to higher grades, lower college dropout rates and greater well being in adulthood. Unfortunately, a Gallup Survey found that only 42% of children ages 10-18 were “energetically pursuing their goals.”
Goal setting should be included in classroom work. Goal setting has been shown to have short-term value in terms of improving student achievement, but also has clear long-term value for improving college and life outcomes. Goal setting should include:
- Students knowing where they stand today. Not just in terms of a number, but what that number means. If they are performing below grade-level in math or music, what are the areas of the content that need to be addressed. Is it fractions? Is it the ability to play at the appropriate time?
- Students need to be able to chunk the goal into reasonable parts. If the goal is lofty make sure there are check-ins along the way. In addition, ensure that the student has opportunities to overcome challenges along the way. If the student misses a benchmark along the way are they prepared to overcome that challenge?
- Students need to make their goals public. This does not mean they need to be posted on the wall in the classroom, but they should be shared with their teacher and parents. Goals that are made public are more likely to be achieved.
- Students need to receive feedback along the way. The feedback needs to be specific to goal and the task performance of the student. “Good job” feedback tends not to support greater learning.
- Students and teachers should follow a format. A couple of goal setting examples were included in the WSJ Online article. Another source for achievement goals is the Poway Unified School District student goal setting page for using NWEA.
Completing a lesson on goal setting and working with students to set goals will take time. However, the potential gains for the students are significant.