Mentor: Lainey Dorris - Cramer CPLS - Room 108’s Goal Setting Journey

Although our class got off to a late start, we were able to enjoy a couple of goal setting lessons. We started with a definition of the word goal and discussed the types of goals. Lainey’s video was really helpful as she provided examples of long-term versus short-term goals. We also covered the fact that we need to be able to measure our achievement and our class will revisit this element of goal setting frequently. We also will continue to clarify the goals set during the course of this lesson.
 
Prior to the start of the lesson, students were asked to think about something they really wanted to do or have. This process enabled them to use personal experience as a gateway to our discussion on goal setting (LA.1.CCSS.ELA-Literacy.W.1.8). The desired outcome for this lesson was for each student to set a goal that benefited his or her academic and/or social development.
 
For this lesson we revisited a previously read text, Salt in His Shoes by Deloris Jordan, the mother of professional ball player, Michael Jordan. Students were able to verbalize Michael’s goal of winning at basketball, but also recognized the fact that he worked hard to achieve his goal.  After we reread portions of the text, students were able to ask and answer questions about the text that helped them to clarify the meaning of the word goal as well as the steps needed to achieve a goal (LA.1.CCSS.ELA-Literacy.RI.1.1). This activity along with Lainey’s video provided a basis for the students to verbally communicate their goals and prepared them for the next segment of the lesson.
 
At this point in the lesson the students had to create a goal and write down a couple of the steps needed to achieve the goal. This is where the students initially struggled, but they ultimately recognized the steps needed to realize their goal.  Again, Lainey’s video helped them to understand studying as a step to achieve their academic goals. Although Lainey discussed goals as individual I did give the students one condition prior to writing their goal. The goal had to relate to their progress at school.
 
Later in the week the students had to come up with 2 to 3 words to identify their goal.  The students then wrote these words in the middle of a sheet of construction paper and drew pictures related to their chosen goal.  
 
Lastly each child held up the pictures with their goals in the center and I took a short video as they stated their goals (some of which were modified due to nervousness once I started the video).