John Bishop, the executive director of Accent on Success and author of "Goal Setting for Students," reports that setting goals is an important skill for children, as it encourages responsibility, self-motivation, organization and decision making. He notes that goal setting is an activity that helps build life skills for future success. Goals can include academic learning such as improving reading skills. It can also include getting something new (like a pet or a toy), or a behavior change, such as getting along with a sibling. Goal setting can help a child keep track of his progress in obtaining his goal.
What Is It?
Goal setting for children is the process in which children learn to set an objective for what they want to achieve and to develop a plan of action for how to achieve it. Goals should be specific and achievable in order for children to feel successful. Often, you may have to break down a large goal into smaller ones to help children reach their objective. For children, the process of dreaming what they want to do and setting out to do it can be more important than the goal itself, as goal setting creates a positive self-image.
When Should You Do It?
Parents, teachers and caregivers can help children learn to set goals. A monthly goal sheet may be helpful for younger children, while yearly ones may be appropriate for older ones. Goal setting can be done prior to the school year, before spring break, summer break, fall break or even before a family vacation. Goal setting can take place in any time prior to an event or school activity and can be revisited on a weekly, monthly, quarterly or yearly basis.
Where Should You Do It?
For children, setting goals can happen either at home with a parent or in the school with a teacher. Both parent and teacher can impact a child's learning, self-esteem and general life skills to be successful through goal setting.
Why Should You Do It?
Helping children to set goals for themselves fosters an attitude of self-directed learning and responsibility. Children can take ownership of their own learning through goal setting, and they can articulate areas in which they need help, which in turn will help them to achieve their goals. This is important for helping children feel successful and developing their own confidence in their abilities.
How Should You Do It?
Goals can be created and written on charts or ladders as useful visual aids for children. As each goal is completed, a star or sticker can mark the achievement. To help with goal setting, children can answer questions about their goal: What do I need to learn to achieve this goal? What do I need to do to achieve this goal? And who can help me with this goal? A date or time line for when the goal should be achieved should also be included in any goal setting activity. It is important to set time to review and revisit goals with children; this helps them to stay on track and also provides opportunity for revision and problem solving if there are obstacles to achieving the goal.
