Teachers looking to start the new year off on the right foot should take to heart the acronym SMART when setting goals. We have even created a handy video (below) on the subject that will be perfect to share or show during a teacher development meeting!
Goal-setting is an important tool for teachers. Short-term and long-term goals can provide a sense of accomplishment, and avoid the all-too-common feeling of being overwhelmed.
SMART stands or these five characteristics necessary for goal-setting:
Specific
Measurable
Achievable
Realistic
Timely
Here’s how this breaks down.
Specific. Teachers should clearly state a goal. Know exactly what you want to accomplish and why.
Measurable. Ensure that any goal you set can have its success measured. Ask yourself: “How will I know I met my goal?” “What is my intended outcome?”
Achievable. Don’t be unrealistic. Set goals you know you can achieve. Ask yourself what actions you can set in place to met that goal. Don’t be afraid to challenge yourself in goal-setting.
Realistic. Be sure to set relevant goals. Ask yourself how the goal you are setting aligns with your role as an educator. Set goals that can inspire you once accomplished.
Timely. Don’t leave a goal’s completion time open-ended. Set a firm deadline and stick to it.
If you are an upper elementary teacher, some common examples of classroom goals could include providing students with a list of classroom procedures and expectations. You could set certain academic goals, like having your students able to write a paragraph by the end of the first quarter, read a chapter book of your choosing by the end of the second quarter, and be at or above their grade level by the end of the third quarter.
You could also set personal professional goals. Take a training course over the summer, or join an online group to network with other educators. Make a goal of taking 15 minutes during each lunch period to relax or attend to personal needs, to avoid burnout. Make the time during the first semester to read a book that will improve you professionally. The start of school is always hectic, even for veteran teachers, which is why it’s important that the REALISTIC characteristic is applied here, in particular.
George Doran created the SMART goal concept in a 1981 issue of Management Review.
Here’s a YouTube video breaking down the SMART goal concept for teachers.
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