Embedded Files
Overview
Overview
Setting goals involves clearly articulating what students are expected to learn, achieve, or demonstrate. Effective goal-setting ensures students understand the purpose of their learning and empowers them to take ownership of their progress.
🎯 Why It Matters
🎯 Why It Matters
Improves clarity and motivation for students
Supports self-regulation and metacognition
Aligns learning intentions with success criteria
Promotes growth mindset and accountability
Increases achievement through focused effort
Students are more likely to succeed when they know what they’re learning, why they’re learning it, and how they’ll know when they’ve succeeded.
🧠 Strategy Checklist
🧠 Strategy Checklist
🔹 BEFORE THE LESSON
☐ Identify the specific learning intention (What will students learn?)
☐ Define clear success criteria (What does success look like?)
☐ Write goals in student-friendly language
☐ Connect today’s goal to prior learning or a real-world skill
☐ Display the learning goal somewhere visible
🔹 DURING THE LESSON
☐ Introduce and explain the learning goal(s) at the beginning
☐ Reference the goal during key points of instruction
☐ Use formative checks linked to the success criteria
☐ Clarify the goal if students show confusion or drift
🔹 END OF LESSON / REFLECTION
☐ Revisit the goal and have students reflect: “Did I meet it?”
☐ Use exit tickets, rubrics, or self-assessment tied to the goal
☐ Encourage students to set personal goals or next steps
☐ Use reflections to adjust instruction or regroup as needed
👀 Look-Fors
👀 Look-Fors
Learning goals are visible and referenced during instruction
Students can explain the learning goal in their own words
Success criteria are co-created or reviewed with students
Evidence of goal-linked reflection or formative assessment
📈Continuum of Practice
📈Continuum of Practice
FOUNDATIONAL
Teacher:
Learning goals are posted but not referenced during the lesson.
Success criteria are unclear.
EMERGING
Teacher:
Teacher refers to the goal occasionally during the lesson.
Success criteria are unclear.
PROFICIENT
Teacher:
Teacher explicitly introduces, connects, and revisits the goal with students.
Success criteria are visible.
TRANSFORMING
Teacher:
Students co-construct goals, set personal learning targets, and reflect on them regularly.
Student:
Students are unaware of the learning goal or how to achieve it.
Student:
Students can restate the goal but are unsure how to succeed.
Student:
Students can explain what they’re learning and monitor their progress.
Student:
Students are goal-directed, confident, and demonstrate ownership of learning.
🗃️ Structures
🗃️ Structures
GOAL SETTING LAUNCH
Make the learning goal transparent and measurable.
“I Can” & “We Will” Statements: Posted and referenced throughout the lesson
Success Criteria Anchors: What it looks like to meet the goal — with student-friendly examples
Pre-Assessment Quick Check: Activate prior knowledge to show where students are starting
Connection to Real-World or POG Skills: Briefly explain why this skill matters
PROGRESS MONITORING
Help students track, revise, and stay accountable to their goals over time.
Goal Tracking Charts: Simple checklists, bar graphs, or progress thermometers
Weekly Goal Reflections: “How did I do this week? What’s next?”
Peer Goal Partners: Students share goals with a partner and check in weekly
Color-Coded Reflection Journals: Highlight evidence of progress in student work (e.g., green for progress, yellow for revise, red for stuck)
FEEDBACK & ADJUSTMENT
Guide students in evaluating and adjusting goals based on learning data and reflection.
Mid-Goal Checkpoints: Mini-conferences or rubrics to reflect and adjust as needed
Traffic Light Self-Assessment: Green = I’m on track, Yellow = I need to adjust, Red = I need help
Sticky Note Exit Slips: Quick prompts like “Today I made progress on…” or “I need to focus more on…”
Goal-Achievement Rubrics: Evaluate the process, not just the outcome — effort, strategies used, reflection
CULTURE & VISIBILITY
Make goal-setting part of the classroom rhythm and student identity.
Weekly Goal-Setting Ritual: Dedicated 5–10 minutes at the start of the week
Celebration Structures: Shout-outs, “goal met” walls, or reflection spotlights
Teacher Modeling: Share your own goals as a learner and how you track them
Student-Led Goal Talks: Use student conferences or presentations to reflect on growth and next steps
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