Life Goal Setting

Setting life goals can help students see a bigger picture.

English Language Arts (ELA) teacher, Casey Kelly, used the presentation below to guide students through selecting a personal life goal. The goal can be educational or personal. After students create their goal cards, they are displayed on the walls. Throughout the year the teacher references these student goals whenever possible (Ex: journal writing, self reflection time, etc).

This was used in Middle School & High School English classes but can be adapted for any classroom.

Definite connections to SEL!

Teacher Reflection

How has this impacted student learning?

• It reinforces the importance of goal setting and that goals don't have to be academic. Personal life goals are just as important.

• Referencing these goals throughout the year reinforces the importance of making purposeful progress toward these goals.

Would you change anything?

• Every year this assignment changes just a bit to better fit the needs of students.

• This year, I plan on purposefully integrating it more in the class than I have in the past. Adding regular student reflections will be more impactful.

Do you do anything to differentiate the goal setting?

• Students select their own goal, reasoning, and way of decorating their goal card. Students can be as involved and invested as they choose to be.

Which future ready skills does this practice best bolster?

• Embrace Challenges - Reaching for personal goals is always a challenge!

• Contribute - Working toward whatever they selected as their goal will also contribute to our society.