# data[].attributes.body
I've loved these for upper elementary! I think it could be helpful for middle school as well.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Preview Student Data Folder Teacher Guide

# data[].attributes.body
Using for the first time this year

# data[].attributes.body
https://www.teachingexpertise.com/classroom-ideas/goal-setting-activities-for-high-school-students/

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
It is important for high school students to set realistic goals. Effective goal setting can help lead students down the path they want to follow in their future. They must not only look at the short-term goals but also larger goals related to higher education and/or career path.

There are numerous benefits of goal setting such as increased motivation, active involvement in their own schooling, and time management. Look below to find a variety of our favorite resources for goal-setting activities that are appropriate for high school students.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
20 Goal-Setting Activities for High School Students - Teaching Expertise

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
It is important for high school students to set realistic goals. Effective goal setting can help lead students down the path they want to follow in their future. They must not only look at the short-term goals but also larger goals related to higher education and/or career path.

# data[].attributes.body
https://choices.scholastic.com/pages/content-hubs/goal-setting-for-students.html

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Teacher-approved stories, resources, and worksheets for teaching about goal-setting in your classroom, courtesy of Choices, the health and social-emotional learning magazine for grades 7-12

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Free goal-setting worksheets, templates, and activities to motivate your students and help them succeed.

# data[].attributes.body
https://www.lovetoknow.com/parenting/teens/goal-setting-activities-middle-school

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Even as an adult, goal setting can be challenging. Now try to imagine how hard it is for pre- and early teens with all their raging hormones. Make learning goal setting and seeing the big picture fun by breaking it down into fun activities and games that will keep them engaged.

Goal Treasure Map Activity

Goal treasure maps can be a fun way to get your artistically minded student engaged. It is also a good visual representation of the process from start to finish.

Supplies

Large paper or poster board

Art supplies (markers, crayons, glitter, paint, etc.)

Magazines

Paper

Directions

To get started, ask your middle schooler a big goal that they plan to achieve by 90. This could be a career goal, family goal, or even a travel or hobby goal.

1. Using the paper, allow them to brainstorm ways to achieve their goal. They should also think of roadblocks or problems that might come with meeting their goal and list them as well.

2. Once they've listed their path and roadblocks, give them the poster board.

3. On the top, they should write, draw, or create a collage of their overall goal.

4. Using the art supplies, they should create a treasure map to their goal, making sure to put in the roadblocks that might happen along the way and how to overcome them.

5. When completed, kids will have a treasure map vision board that they can follow to achieve a big goal.

Basket Toss Goal Game

This is a fun game that you can easily do at home with materials already in your house.

Supplies

To get started, you'll need:

Laundry basket

Beanbags, plastic balls or something to toss

Tape or some other measuring tool

Directions

1. Set the basket on the ground in a large area. Outside works perfectly but you can do this in a large room as well.

2. Ask your child how far they think they can go from the basket and still throw the beanbag in the basket. This is going to be their overarching goal. You want them to set this so it's hard to achieve.

3. Using the tape or other measuring tool, they should set up smaller, easier goals that will help them achieve their large goal. For example, they think they can throw it 30 feet into the basket. Place the markers at 5 feet increments.

4. Let them start throwing the bean bag at the first marker. Once they make it into the basket twice in a row, they should move to the next goal.

5. Keep playing until they reach their overarching goal of 30 feet.

6. Make this a game by setting a time limit.

I Bet I Can ____ in 5 Minutes

You won't need any materials for this activity, unless you want to use some or the kids want to use some. Pose the phrase, "I bet I can [activity] in 5 minutes" to the middle schoolers and come up with a plan to accomplish that phrase.

Come Up With the Bet

Your student(s) will need to think of something they can do in 5 minutes. This isn't something they can already do but something they are going to work for. For example, they can run a quarter mile in 5 minutes so they say, "I bet I can run a half mile in 5 minutes." If they can do 20 jumping jacks in a minute, they should try for 125 in 5 minutes, etc.

Make sure this is something fun that they like to do. They will be more engaged if they are excited about the goal. For example, kids that love baseball might challenge themselves with hitting a certain amount of balls in 5 minutes or kids that like writing might challenge themselves to finishing a poem in 5 minutes.

Brainstorm Ways to Achieve Goal

Now that they know what they are going to do, they need to brainstorm how they can achieve their goal. In the running example, to go from a quarter mile to a half mile they need to take twice as many steps. How many steps is that in 1 minute, 2 minutes, etc.

Create a Plan

Based on their brainstorming, have them create a plan for achieving their goal. This should be broken down into smaller goals. For example, "I will run _____ steps in 1 minute" by a certain date, "I will run _____ steps in 2 minutes," and so on, until they reach the end of their plan.

Put Their Plan Into Action

Now that they have their plan, they can put it into action until they reach their goal in 5 minutes. Make this really fun for middle schoolers by having them bet against someone else, making it into a game. This way they are trying to compete against someone else, adding a new level of competition.

Obstacle Course Challenge With Goals

This goal setting game is a race. You are going to need at least two middle schoolers and hopefully more for them to play the game. To play, you need to gather:

Cones

Kickball

Nerf guns with darts

Large balls

Jump ropes

Balls

Laundry baskets

Timer

Paper

Pens/pencils

Before you can play, you're going to need to set up your obstacle course. There should be a station for targets (Nerf guns and large balls), jumping rope, shooting baskets and kicking a ball around cones. Once the stations are set up:

1. Set a specific number of activities that students must complete. For example, hit the ball three times with the Nerf gun, jump rope six times, make three baskets from 20 feet and kick the ball around three cones.

2. Tell your students the activities.

3. Have them run through the obstacle one time.

4. Time each one.

5. Now, each student should set a goal for how much faster they can do it. They should think big, like 20 or 30 seconds faster.

6. Give them a time to brainstorm how they can get faster. They need to think about each individual task and ways they could get quicker.

7. Hand paper and pens, allowing them to create a plan of action.

8. Give them time to try out their plan and revise until they are confident about meeting their goal.

9. Allow them to race. The one to meet or exceed their goal the most wins.

If you have access, creating an obstacle course with inflatables can be loads of fun for young teens.

Why Is Goal Setting Important?

Not only can it be challenging to get a pre-teen to think about their future, but it can be a challenge to get them to think about how to complete their next assignment. Turning goal setting into an activity or game will provide the fundamentals for thinking about the future, but also show them how big goals can be broken down into small steps. It also helps them to visualize the process for goal achieving and planning.

Small Steps to Big Change

Goal setting is an important skill for kids to learn but especially young teens. Not only will middle school activities help them see how to achieve their future goals, it makes goal setting fun.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
Goal-Setting Activities for Middle School | LoveToKnow

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Even as an adult, goal setting can be challenging. Now try to imagine how hard it is for pre- and early teens with all their raging hormones. Make learning ...

# data[].attributes.body
https://www.teachingexpertise.com/classroom-ideas/fun-goal-setting-activities-for-middle-school/

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
In the classroom, most teachers try to set goals or objectives for their students. We tell the students, "This is what we want to accomplish today" and the students become familiar with the term "objective". How often do we talk to the students about goals outside of the objective? We should be talking to our students about academic goals as well as personal goals. Let's look at twenty ways we can address effective goal setting and action steps with our middle school students.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
20 Fun Goal Setting Activities for Middle School Students - Teaching Expertise

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
In the classroom, most teachers try to set goals or objectives for their students. We tell the students, "This is what we want to accomplish today" and the

# data[].attributes.body
https://biglifejournal.com/blogs/blog/goal-setting-for-kids

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Science says 92 percent of people don't achieve their goals. Perhaps, most of them have never learned how to effectively set their goals.

You can help your child learn the skill of goal-setting, which is critical for developing grit and just simply getting what you want out of life.

Other reasons WHY your child should learn goal-setting include:

it teaches them to take responsibility for their own behaviors and learning

it promotes a "can-do" attitude

it forms a powerful lifelong habit

So how do you teach your kids to set their own goals?

Before you continue, be sure to check out our popular 2023 Goal-Setting Kits to help your child or teen learn how to set goals while having fun!

Below, are four research-based steps for helping your child set effective goals, track progress, and stay motivated in the process.

Step 1: Let Your Child Choose Their "Big Goal"

If your child has a genuine desire to reach their goal, they are far more likely to be intrinsically motivated, driven, and ultimately successful.

Instead of pushing your child to set a goal that you want them to reach, help them consider what theytruly want to accomplish or achieve this year.

Ask questions like:

What's something you wish you could achieve?

What's a challenge you would feel very proud to overcome?

What would you do if you knew you couldn't fail?

Help your child brainstorm ONEmajor goal that they would like to achieve this year.

Make sure the goal is specific, measurable, and trackable.

For instance, avoid vague goals like, "I'll pay more attention in class this year." There's no clear way to know when or if this goal has been achieved.

Here are examples of measurable goals which are much more effective:

"I'll take daily notes this year and review them each week."

"I'll score ten points higher in math this year."

Your child needs to be able to recognize her progress toward their goal, so be sure it's something specific and measurable.

Step 2: Discuss the Purpose of Your Child's Goal

In order for your child to be truly motivated to reach their goal, they must understand their "WHY."

Why do they want to achieve this goal? Why does it matter? What is their purpose?

In education, it's long been clear that when students see a purpose for what they're learning, they tend to perform better.

Four 2014 studies found that this is especially true when students have a self-transcendent purpose for learning. This means that students are more successful when they understand that their learning can also benefit others.

This same rule can apply to your child's goal-setting. For instance, if your child's goal is to earn an "A" in Science, a purpose like, "I want to have better grades," or, "I want a career in science," can be helpful to some extent.

But it will be even more helpful if your child can find a self-transcendent purpose like:

"I want to do better in Science so I can make discoveries or inventions that help people."

Help your child find their purpose by asking questions like, "What do you think is the greatest benefit to you doing well in this class? How can that help others?"

In the above example, you can also discuss:

Advances made by other scientists

How science has helped or does help people

Future needs science can address

If your child can find a greater purpose behind their academic goals, you're likely to see greater results. Plus, you're encouraging critical thinking and kindness.

Don't forget to download our FREE Affirmation Bracelets. The affirmation bracelets are great for boosting a child's confidence!

Step 3: Break the Big Goal into Smaller Steps

An effective goal must be reasonably within reach. It should be neither too challenging nor too easy. And your child must be able to sustain their motivation for an extended period of time.

One way to achieve this is to help your child break her big, long-term goal into more manageable short-term steps.

Harvard psychologist Amy Cuddy explains that people often fail to reach their goals because the goals they have set are too massive and unrealistic. These people focus too much on the outcome and not enough on the process.

Instead, it can be helpful to set a string of small, incrementally more challenging goals.

Incremental goals can help your child stay motivated, continue improving and practicing the skills needed to reach their "big goal," and give them more opportunities to celebrate success along the way.

To help your child visualize this step-by-step process, offer to fill out a "goal ladder." At the top of the ladder, write down the big goal, then work your way through the steps it would take to achieve it.

Let's say your child's big goal is to learn to ride a bike over the summer. The first step on the goal ladder might be watching Mom or Dad ride a bike. The second step might be learning to ride a bike with training wheels. A step up from that could be pedaling the bike while Mom or Dad holds on. And finally, practice riding on your own.

It's important for your child to understand that they may not reach their long-term goal right away. As long as they are making progress and completing short-term goals, they are still climbing the "ladder" to success and shouldn't get discouraged.

Step 4: Brainstorm Potential Obstacles

If you don't plan in advance for potential obstacles, an unforeseen challenge or difficulty could derail your child's motivation.

Psychologist Gabriele Oettingen set out to study the success rates of people who had optimistic beliefs about their future goals vs. the success rates of people who had pessimistic beliefs.

The surprising results?

Neither group of people was particularly successful at achieving their goals. Optimists ignored or glossed over obstacles, while self-defeating pessimists didn't believe in their own capabilities.

Oettingen found that theKEYto successfully reaching goals lies in two cognitive strategies:

(1) Mental Contrasting (visualizing achieving a goal and understanding what obstacles currently stand in the way) and

(2) Implementation Intentions (planning a method for overcoming these obstacles beforehand).

From this research, the acronym WOOP was born:

Wish - Think about something you want to achieve.

Outcome - Visualize how it would look and feel to achieve this goal.

Obstacles - Picture the things that have held, do hold, or could hold you back from reaching this goal.

Plan - If and when these obstacles occur, how can you respond? If [insert obstacle] occurs, then I will [insert behavior or action] .

As you plan for potential obstacles, talk to your child about bad habits or negative thoughts, including a desire to give up.

You can ask, "If you feel like giving up, what will you do instead?"

(Below you will find plenty of suggestions on how to respond to your child wanting to give up.)

Planning for potential obstacles in advance can help your child stay motivated and succeed even in the face of challenges.

Bonus Tip
Write them down.
Here's a very simple way to help your child follow through with their goals:

(you can use our fun and colorful printable 2023 Goal-Setting Kits)

Psychology professor Dr. Gail Matthews found that by simply writing down your goals, you're 42% more likely to achieve them. (Telling a friend-or perhaps a parent-increases this rate to 72%.)

This can help your child clarify their goals and feel more motivated to reach them. If you post her goals somewhere prominent, it'll be easier for your child to see and celebrate their progress.

What if My Child Wants to Give Up on Her Goal?

We've all seen it before: Our child begs for a new toy and is over the moon excited when they finally get it. They are going to play with it every day and love it forever. Less than a week later, we find the neglected toy in a corner of the room, gathering dust.

How can you keep your child's shiny new goal from this same fate?

Here are a few ideas:

Remind your child of their purpose.

Remind your child of the plan they developed for confronting this particular obstacle, and help them follow it.

Recognize and celebrate small steps toward achieving your child's goal, including climbing the steps on their "goal ladder."

Instead of focusing on the perceived failure, focus on how they can continue improving. Why do you think it didn't go so well this time? What could you try next time to keep getting better?

Celebrate your child's effort, determination, and persistence. For example, even if they don't do well on a test, acknowledge the amount of time they spent studying.

Teach your child to have positive self-talk by talking positively about both yourself and your child. Teach statements like, "I can do this," or, "I'm working hard to reach my goals."

If they do experience setbacks or failures, help them put them inperspective. Give examples of your own struggles at their age, or turn to examples of famous people like Thomas Edison, who reportedly tested10,000 different materials for his electric lightbulb before finding the one that worked. What if Edison had given up on the9,999thattempt?

Looking for more goal-setting resources for your family? Grab one of our popular Goal-Setting Kits and start practicing setting goals with your children today!

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
4 Steps for Helping Your Child Set Effective Goals

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
You can help your child learn the skill of goal-setting, which is critical for developing grit and just simply getting what you want out of life. Here are four research-based steps for helping your child set effective goals, track progress, and stay motivated in the process.

# data[].attributes.body
https://www.teachingexpertise.com/classroom-ideas/goal-setting-activity-for-elementary-students/

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Allow us to help you inspire your elementary students to set and achieve their goals! Goal setting is an essential skill that helps students develop self-motivation, perseverance, and a growth mindset. We've sourced 31 unique goal-setting activities that are interactive, fun, and specifically tailored to elementary students. These activities will empower your students to dream big, take ownership of their learning, and celebrate their accomplishments.

1. Goal Collage

Tackle this project at the beginning of a new year to prompt your students to dream big! Have them create collages using both images and words that represent their goals and aspirations. Display the collages in the classroom to inspire and remind students of their dreams.

Learn More: Kiddie Matters

2. My Superpower

Ask your students to identify their strengths and talents, and then encourage them to set goals that align with their unique abilities. If they struggle, remind them of the SMART framework; where goals should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound!

Learn More: Twinkl

3. Goal Board Game

Create a board game where learners can only move forward by setting and achieving goals. The game provides a fun way to reinforce the importance of setting and working toward one's objectives.

Learn More: Go Goals!

4. Bucket List

Have your students create a bucket list of things they want to achieve during the school year. They can share their lists with classmates and find common goals to work toward together.

Learn More: Emilie Maynor

5. Goal Journals

Provide each of your students with a journal to write down their goals. They can also use it to record their progress and reflections. Encourage them to regularly review and update their goals.

Learn More: Big Life Journal

6. Future Career Showcase

Invite professionals from various fields to share their career journeys with your class. This is sure to inspire your students to set long-term goals based on their interests and passions.

Learn More: Sign Up, Genius

7. Goal Tracker Bracelets

Time to get crafting! Have your learners create bracelets with beads or charms that represent specific goals. Students can wear these as a reminder of their objectives and track their progress.

Learn More: Pinterest

8. Goal-Sharing Circle

Organize a goal-sharing circle where students can express their goals, receive encouragement from their peers, and share strategies for success in a safe and non-judgmental space.

9. Positive Affirmation Cards

Provide your learners with cards where they can write positive affirmations that are related to their goals. Encourage them to keep these cards in their pockets or desks as reminders of their capabilities.

Learn More: Pinterest

10. Dream Catchers

Have your students create dream catchers with strings and decorative materials. As they weave, encourage them to think about their goals and how the dream catchers will help them capture their hopes and wishes.

Learn More: The Craftaholic Witch

11. Goal Timeline

Achieving our goals requires concrete action. Have your students create timelines that illustrate the steps they need to take to achieve their goals. The visual representation will help them understand how they need to progress to meet their objectives.

Learn More: Inspire First

12. Morning Meeting Goals

Start the day in an affirmative way! During morning meetings, allow your students to share their daily or weekly goals with the class. This promotes accountability and fosters a supportive classroom community.

Learn More: Teach Create Motivate

13. Goal Buddies

Pair your students up as goal buddies who can support each other in setting and achieving their goals. Pairs can check in regularly and offer encouragement and advice.

Learn More: HubPages

14. Class Goal Tracker

Create a large visual tracker in your classroom where students can record their progress toward individual and class-wide goals. Be sure to celebrate milestones together in order to keep motivation levels high!

Learn More: Square Head Teachers

15. Goal Auction

Hold a goal auction where students can "bid" on goals they want to work towards. This activity will encourage your students to take ownership of their aspirations and make a public commitment to achieving what they want.

Learn More: Teachers Pay Teachers

16. Reflection Walks

Take your learners on outdoor walks and encourage them to reflect on their goals as well as brainstorm new strategies that will propel their achievement rate.

Learn More: Very Well Fit

17. Goal Bingo

Add a playful element to goal setting with a fun game of Bingo! Create a goal-themed Bingo game where your students can mark off squares as they achieve different objectives.

Learn More: Bingo Baker

18. Goal Puzzles

Provide students with puzzles that they can complete as they reach milestones in their goal journey. As they assemble the puzzles, they reinforce their accomplishments and are likely to be motivated to continue working towards achieving their goals.

Learn More: Pinterest

19. Goal Slam Dunk

This is another approach to motivating your learners to achieve their goals. Set up a mini basketball hoop in your classroom and attach goals to it. Students can "slam dunk" their goals as they achieve them.

20. Goal Detective

Have your learners play the role of goal detectives; investigating and gathering evidence to accomplish their goals. They can document their findings in a goal detective journal and solve mysteries by achieving their aims.

21. Goal Reflection Letters

Reflection is helpful for getting your students to consider how far they've come since setting their goals, and better identify ways that they can improve. Have them write letters to their future selves; reflecting on their current goals and envisioning their accomplishments.

Learn More: We Are Teachers

22. Goal Treasure Hunt

Combine critical thinking with goal setting in this fun activity! Create a goal-themed treasure hunt where students must solve clues and complete tasks that are related to their goals.

Learn More: On Sunset Lane

23. Growth Mindset Gallery

Organize a growth mindset gallery where students can showcase their growth mindset journey and how it has influenced their goal setting. Have your learners develop helpful mindset tips to include on the gallery wall as well!

Learn More: Love Grows Learning

24. Goal Countdown

Create a countdown chart or calendar to mark the days leading up to achieving a specific goal. Students can track their progress and look forward to the celebration that will ensure as a result of reaching their achievements.

Learn More: Pinterest

25. Goal Action Plan

Guide your learners in creating action plans to outline the specific steps they will need to take in order to achieve their goals. This helps them break down their objectives into manageable tasks and makes the path toward achievement less daunting.

Learn More: Twinkl

26. Goal Reflection Interviews

Arrange for students to interview successful individuals who have achieved their goals. Through this, they'll likely discover insights into effective goal-setting strategies and be inspired to work on their own aspirations.

Learn More: BuzzFeedVideo

27. Goal Reflection Celebrations

It's important to take time to recognize efforts and celebrate achievements! This activity focuses on just that! Organize periodic goal reflection celebrations where students can share their progress, reflect on challenges, and celebrate achievements together.

Learn More: Number Works N Words

28. Goal Olympics

Plan a Goal Olympics event where students will participate in various goal-related challenges. They'll earn medals for their achievements and have fun working with others to achieve set goals.

Learn More: Pinterest

29. Classroom Goal Wall

Designate a "Goal Wall" where students can display their goals and give their classmates updates on their progress. This will serve as a constant reminder and source of motivation.

Learn More: The Bender Bunch

30. Goal Race

Set up a friendly competition where students must work towards achieving their goals. They can earn points or badges for each goal they accomplish, and the student with the most points at the end of the term can win a small prize.

Learn More: Pinterest

31. Goal Mentorship Program

Pair older students or volunteers with younger students to serve as mentors. The mentors can help the younger students set and work towards their goals; providing guidance and support along the way.

Learn More: Together Platform

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
31 Fun Goal-Setting Activities For Elementary Students - Teaching Expertise

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Allow us to help you inspire your elementary students to set and achieve their goals! Goal setting is an essential skill that helps students develop

# data[].attributes.body
https://www.edutopia.org/article/guiding-students-set-academic-goals/

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Encouraging students to set goals for themselves-the first phase of self-regulated learning-helps them develop a growth mindset.

"Setting goals is the first step in turning the invisible into the visible." -Tony Robbins

Many students may not necessarily have the tools to set academic goals and lack strategies to enact change and work toward those goals. Teachers can provide structure to help students set academic goals that are realistic and appropriate as well as achievable. It is important to note that goal setting is not just an activity for the beginning of the school year, but an ongoing process.

It personalizes the learning process based on their needs.

It creates intention and motivation that empowers students.

It establishes accountability to shift responsibility to students.

It provides a foundation for students to advocate for their needs.

Setting academic goals is the first phase of self-regulated learning. Irrespective of the model proposed by leading researchers such as Barry Zimmerman, self-regulated learning always begins with a goal-planning phase. Goal setting is an essential component for growth and development in our students for several reasons:

Goal setting can be done at any age-as long as it is age appropriate. Teaching the skill of goal setting coupled with reflecting and revising goals can give students the self-regulated learning tools for a growth mindset toward academic development.

With students as young as kindergarten, more scaffolding is needed. At the beginning of each day, students can select an emoji or picture that represents some action from a predetermined list of possible options. If teaching virtually, students can do this at the beginning of the session. If teaching in person, students can perhaps tape their goal to their desk or table area or perhaps a chart displayed in the classroom. The class can spend a few moments discussing goals and what actions they can do to achieve those goals. Teachers can invite other students to make suggestions for their peers. At the end of the day, allow students to rate themselves with stars and to think about how they could do things differently for the next day.

Upper Elementary and Middle School

For students who are slightly older and able to write, an excellent way to develop the habit of creating, planning, and reflecting on goals can be done through the use of short-term daily goals using sticky notes. At the beginning of the day, students take a few minutes to imagine some task, behavior, or skill they want to focus their intentions on for that specific day. Let the students keep the notes somewhere visible, so they can refer back to the goal throughout the day. Include class conversations with either a partner, a small group, or the whole class at the beginning and end of the day. Focus on the achievement of the goal, but suggest growth mindset strategies to focus on the wins as well as necessary changes for further improvement.

What do you think about the choices in goals for the week? (Were they realistic and appropriate? Were they the most needed for growth at this time?)

How did you progress toward your goals? (Did you have clear, actionable steps?)

What were some of the wins for the week?

What are some ways you can continue to improve on your development of these goals?

Once students have more advanced writing skills, it may be useful for them to keep a chart or table of their goals in a logbook. Students record in the morning, not only the goals but an action plan, and then reflect on strategies for improvement at the end of the day. At the end of each week, allow students time to reflect on their goals for the next week with structured prompts such as the following:

While a logbook is functional, it can be a more motivating experience to allow students to engage in creativity and personalization. Allow them to have fun with the process and create a goal journey map. They identify a goal, which is the end of the map. They also identify different benchmarks or steps to complete along the path or journey toward that goal. Students then have a visual representation of the progress of their journey.

High School

For high school students, l use a reflection sheet after each unit or chapter to create a regular habit of revisiting goals. Ask students the following questions:

What are some areas that you can improve upon? What are some areas that need more attention or focus? What could you do differently?

What specific and concrete actions can you do?

How can you advocate for yourself? In other words, how can your teacher, your peers, or others guide you toward your goal?

What were the wins for this chapter or unit? In other words, what things did you do well or what areas did you improve?

I always begin new units with an independent work day or two. During this time, the students are working on their reading skills, while I conference with their classmates independently.

Goal setting can help with classroom management and academic performance. It allows students to become more aware of expectations and concrete methods to achieve an outcome. It scaffolds the process, making it more manageable. With goal setting that is reflective and iterative, students establish a growth mindset as they engage in monitoring of their progress and reflecting on it as outlined by Zimmerman and Dale Schunk.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Encouraging students to set goals for themselves-the first phase of self-regulated learning-helps them develop a growth mindset.

# data[].attributes.body
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1YwVJrgytq5ikz1ZVT6eP4arhWOnWJfQ018ZlZmGaieE/copy

# data[].attributes.body
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1OHLEFKAYc648EbT3AcZDdQyiif8wDLxbZb9UVb3g5hY/copy

# data[].attributes.body
https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1QgLXn8RRzC_HPzCYFGqfYLlZSdC3uwqj1FXbuKn3urQ/copy

# data[].attributes.body
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1wNGDgk83NgaR0CcCSIyHC7RadiOM_XccyKiafNVDzcU/copy

# data[].attributes.body
https://docs.google.com/document/d/107KFsh1zfZQYPAykXrlSpmuarTU-MwJc9j2A27x62Ds/copy

# data[].attributes.body
https://knowledgeworks.org/resources/student-centered-learning-goals-advance-equity/

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
How were we able to implement student-centered learning?

In 2015, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education labeled our school as performing in the bottom 10% of schools in the state of Massachusetts. As the new principal, I knew that it would be crucial to conduct a needs-based assessment of the learning environment in order to identify what staff and students required to be successful. It was through this analysis that our team shifted our efforts to more intentionally meeting the academic, social, emotional and physical needs of all students.

We knew we needed to support teachers to adjust their instructional approaches using district-provided curriculum as the core content base and to implement embedded project-based learning opportunities in each classroom that were aligned with standards. Teachers were empowered to make instructional decisions with the best interest of students as the guide. This meant completely transforming the way learning took place. We did this by making sure to foreground equity and provide professional development opportunities that enhanced faculty capacity to deliver culturally-responsive forms of instruction. This meant all teachers had to know their students and their needs, and then meet those needs.

To do so, Winship's staff relied on Zaretta Hammond's book Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain to build their understanding of brain-based, equity-prioritizing teaching approaches that lead to deeper rigor and more active student engagement. Every staff member received a copy of the text and worked to apply student-centered learning in their environments. Sessions around Hammond's book were led by members of the Instructional Leadership Team. Teachers in this role had developed expertise in leading grade level and content-based teams. The professional development sessions they supplied dived deeply into the key concepts of Hammond's text that centered race and equity.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
How We Implemented Six Student-Centered Learning Goals to Advance Equity

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Principal Mona Ford Walker describes how their school implemented six student-centered learning goals to advance equity in her community.

# data[].attributes.body
https://learnercentered.org/drive-student-agency-with-goal-setting/

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
At Learner-Centered Collaborative, our goal is to put students at the center of their own learning by equipping them with the knowledge, skills, and awareness to advocate for themselves. When students takes purposeful initiative in their learning experiences, they become more engaged in and dedicated to learning. We want to help our partners practice whole-child development, competency-based assessment, appropriate interventions, and project-based learning-all of which all aid in the development of student agency.

Utilizing goal-setting and allowing learners to determine the path to achieving their goals nurtures a high level of agency. This powerful combination also shifts the focus from linear "ladder" learning to robust "knot" learning. Ladder learning sets standardized objectives and a pace but limits learners' control over their pathways. In contrast, knot learning more accurately reflects the thinking we do as adults-offering multiple solutions, different angles of approach, and necessitating more critical thinking, which in turn teaches students more about themselves as problem-solvers.

Read more about ladder and knot learning in What Is Personalized Learning? or download our Ladder v. Knot Learning handout.

As educators, we continue to assign value to fostering student agency and shifting the locus of control from the educator to the student. Effective goal-setting plays a major role in creating this shift and giving students a voice. Here are five goal-setting strategies that we have utilized to effectively drive agency in students.

1. Establish a foundation by focusing on learning over performance.

Foundational work is essential to creating learning environments that enable effective goal-setting. Conference with your students and give them the opportunity to identify and explain where they are now, determine where they want to be, and begin thinking about how they want to get there. Establish an environment of safety, reflection, and support early on to enable students to take risks, think critically, and know that failures are valuable learning experiences.

Prompt students to feel more in control of their learning by encouraging them to set learning or competency goals rather than performance goals. The difference between learning goals versus performance goals can be illustrated by a math problem: A child who can show his or her work and display an understanding of the process to arrive at the solution (even if the solution happens to be incorrect) shows more aptitude than one who simply writes the correct answer.

2. Provide goal-setting structures that enable students to set their own goals.

Once students have a sense of where they are and understand that you'll provide guidance and support, they can begin setting goals. For students to develop agency, they need to be able to internalize their current status and drive the learning process forward themselves by setting their own goals.

Utilize SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time bound) or WOOP (Wish, Outcome, Obstacle, Plan) frameworks to structure the goal and facilitate student ownership. One effective way to structure and visualize goals with students: Allow them to choose a goal and its competency-based objectives, articulate what the goal is and means to them, identify some ways they can achieve it, and set a timeline for achieving the milestone.

3. Capture learning moments as they happen.

Capturing evidence of progress and learning is essential to monitoring progress around goals. It's important to identify successes, roadblocks, and learning opportunities, and help students default to being proactive instead of reactive. Utilizing a tool that allows students to add artifacts from their learning journey will make it easy to pinpoint strengths, ah-ha moments, and places where they need additional support and guidance.

Getting in the habit of recognizing learning moments also teaches students to be mindful of their process and reflect on important milestones. Meanwhile, you will be able to see examples of their thought process and moments that show they are actively working towards meeting their goals.

4. Cultivate a self-reflection mindset.

Capturing progress is the first step in having students reflect on their learning journey. But collecting evidence is ineffectual without creating space for students to take a meaningful look at every stage (not just when the learning arc is completed), taking stock and identifying opportunities to look at the problem from a different lens, and finding opportunities to pivot if necessary.

Although dedicating time to checking in, allowing self-reflection time, and scheduling feedback opportunities from you and peers (daily or weekly) are important, the ultimate goal is to nurture a self-reflection mindset. Teach students the process of reflection and let it pervade every aspect of their progress. Self-reflection is a continual process that empowers constant awareness, action, and iteration.

5. Create a growth portrait of the learner.

At Learner-Centered Collaborative, we help educators holistically define what student success looks like and track learners' progress towards competencies over time. In whole-child learning, it's important to see not just learning moments and evidence of progress and setbacks, but also how learners handle challenges, identify and execute on strategies, and apply their learning beyond achieving a singular goal.

Children are complicated, inquisitive, and thoughtful, and understanding how their minds work requires a multi-dimensional picture. Pulling it all together in one place is essential to understanding whole-child development and assessing how learners are growing, how they'll carry these lessons with them, and gauge how they will tackle future goals independently. Creating this portrait is the perfect bookend to the first step of building a foundation.

Learn more about how Learner-Centered Collaborative partners with schools and districts to support the shift to learner-centered education.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
5 Ways to Drive Student Agency with Goal-Setting

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
At Learner-Centered Collaborative, our goal is to put students at the center of their own learning by equipping them with the knowledge, skills, and awareness to advocate for themselves. When students takes purposeful initiative in their learning experiences, they become more engaged in and