Nurturing Well-Being in the Classroom: The Power of Goal-Setting

Kia ora koutou, hello, and welcome, 

Today, we embark on a journey to explore goal setting and how we can empower our students to flourish through setting goals and working towards them. Thank you for joining me here today.

Educators, you are the architects of change, standing against rising rates of depression and anxiety. My goal is to help you to discover scientifically proven well-being techniques for your classrooms that can be used by each and every student. Not just one size fits all but tools for each and every individual you work with. By exploring and uncovering techniques that work for your students before they really need them you are empowering them to cope with the inevitable tough times we know they are going to face in life.

For this, I just want to take a moment to express my heartfelt gratitude to each and every one of you. Your dedication and hard work in nurturing the next generation truly makes a difference, and I'm honored that you’ve taken the time to read through this post today.

So, let's talk about goal-setting. It's more than just jotting down a few wishes – it's about creating a roadmap to success. By instilling this invaluable skill in our students, we empower them to take charge of their futures and pave the way for resilience, happiness, and success.

Imagine a classroom where every student is equipped with the skills to identify their goals, map out the steps to achieve them, and ultimately turn their dreams into reality. That's the kind of impact we can make as educators.

But you might be wondering, why is goal-setting so important for kids? Well, let me tell you. When students learn how to set and achieve their own goals, it's like giving them a superpower. Not only does it boost their motivation and self-confidence, but it also improves their academic performance and decision-making skills. Plus, it builds resilience, helping them bounce back stronger in the face of setbacks.

There is a common misconception that some students are too young to be learning about goal-setting. Actually, research suggests that learning to set goals early in life embeds these skills into a person's way of doing things. It's like planting seeds of self-belief and self-confidence that will continue to grow throughout their lives.

Of course if you teach very young children, you will need to take this into account and help them to set goals that are age appropriate. You may even set whole class goals as an introduction to goal setting, but do not underestimate the ability of even our youngest children to set goals and begin working towards them.

And here's the thing – goal-setting isn't just about achieving a distant dream. It's about celebrating small victories along the way. By identifying steps toward their goals with immediate rewards, students are more likely to stay motivated and persist toward their long-term aspirations.

So, how can we help our students set effective goals? Well, one approach is to introduce them to the SMART acronym: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Timely. By guiding them through this process, we can ensure that their goals are clear, achievable, and aligned with their aspirations.

An example of how this could look in the classroom:

• Choose a goal - something that the student actually cares about and is prepared to work towards. 

• Identify the specific steps the student will need to take - what do they want to achieve and by when? Whose help will they need? Is this goal actually achievable? What resources do they need? Do they care enough about the outcome to stick with this goal? What obstacles might they come across along the way? This will help them prepare so that they are not derailed by setbacks. 

• Reevaluate - as students work towards their goals, elements will change. By reevaluating, they may need to make tweaks to their steps or even their entire goal. As they learn and grow, they may find that their desire for this goal changes. It is imperative that students learn that it is okay to modify or even change their goals as they grow and change themselves. After all, life is full of unexpected twists and turns, and it's okay, in fact it’s necessary for goals to evolve along with us.

• Set a new goal.

Before we wrap up, I want to briefly touch on the power of visualization. It's a powerful tool for training the mind and body for success.

Visualisation helps us to develop the ability to tap into our inner knowledge or voices and prepare ourselves for achieving goals. Visualisation has been researched and applied with excellent results in many areas such as sports, business, and schooling. Many top athletes, musicians, and business people worldwide use visualisation to aid their achievements. It has been proven to be such a powerful tool, as, through imagery, we can create the outcome we want to accomplish in our outer world.

There's a module on Visualization in The Classroom Connections Project that I highly recommend exploring. Visualizing achieving goals can be a game-changer for students as they work toward their dreams.

And finally, let's talk about some fun goal-setting activities you can try in the classroom.

Goal Setting Activities for the Classroom:

• Exploring storybooks such as "Dreams Come True... All They Need Is You!" by Mike Dooley, "Salt in His Shoes: Michael Jordan in Pursuit of a Dream" by Deloris Jordan, "The Little Engine That Could" by Watty Piper and "Giraffes Can't Dance" by Giles Andreae can be a great way to introduce goal setting. Explore the problems the characters encounter in these books then unpack the steps they take to overcome them. What kind of an attitude did they show? What character strengths did they use? Did they have help?

• Character Hot Seat - Tamariki pretend they have already achieved their goal and answer questions from their peers about what they did to get to where they are. Focus on the steps they took and achievements along the way. This activity is powerful for putting the students in the mindset that they have already achieved their goals.

• Student Journalists - Children write a futuristic newspaper article outlining their success in their chosen field or something in which they would like to do well. As above this is a fantastic activity for helping students to envision that they have already achieved their goals, the steps they need to take and how goal attainment will feel.

Thank you for being champions of well-being for the children in your care. Flourishing through Positive Education is an ongoing journey, and I encourage you to continue exploring, learning, and implementing these strategies in your classrooms. Until next time, let's continue building a future where every child realizes their unlimited potential.

Take care, and ka kite!