To help make this year great, have students set a specific goal they will continue to build on throughout the year. Unless goal setting is intentional and students spend some time really thinking about what they want, it can become busy work. I think that's the real key to student goal setting; students must have the opportunity and encouragement to really think about what they want out of the course, class, subject, etc. This is the chance for them to put aside what others (teachers, parents, friends, coaches, etc.) want for them and really take some time to discern what it is that they ultimately want for themselves.
Setting SMART goals takes some time and must be well thought out, but is definitely worth the class time to get students thinking and planning for the rest of the year. What makes a SMART goal? It must be Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Timely. Edutopia presents a great way to teach this to students, allowing them to begin setting SMART goals with a character education slant. This lesson will get them started setting SMART goals for their learning and will have a positive impact on classroom management.
Follow the link below to read the Edutopia article:
http://www.edutopia.org/blog/smart-goal-setting-with-students-maurice-elias
