Simple Goal Setting Activity for Teachers to Start 2022 Right

I can’t believe that it’s 2022! Exactly where did 2021 go? It’s a new calendar year for teachers and that means… it’s time for new goals! As a coach or administrator, you and your teachers have been through so much together since 2020. Going back and forth from in-person to virtual learning, dealing with students, family, and co-workers all being quarantined, diagnosed and even some not making it… It has been a rough 2 years, to say the least. It’s time to start fresh with a fresh outlook. While the goals you had at the start of the school year may have been focused on “getting back to normal,” it’s time for your teachers’ goals to evolve with the school year. How can you get your teachers focused on big goals for 2022 that will stick? By creating hosting a goals-setting activity at your first staff meeting.

Why Goals Matter

After the two years, we have just had, setting goals might just seem like one more thing to do for some. However, setting goals right now is one of the most important things we can do. Our students need as much “normal” as they can get and rigor should be a part of that. In order to push students to strong learning goals, we need to set goals to make sure a classroom is a place where learning can happen. Using a goal-setting activity that zooms in is vital for that.

To Start, Celebrate Your Gains

This goal-setting activity wants to focus on the bigger picture by making small steps. To do this, first, you want to celebrate some big gains. Your teachers will do this by creating a highlight reel of what they did in 2021 that was awesome! This is important to start with because you want to make sure you are encouraging teachers from the start.

Start with the Big Picture

Whenever we set a goal, we all know what we want. For example, many people make it their goal or resolution to lose so many pounds. This is where you want your teachers to start. What do they want the future of their classroom to look like in the next year? This goal-setting activity will help your teachers see the bigger picture. Once your teachers have a vision, you can start narrowing down your ideas into goals.

S.M.A.R.T Goal Technology

Once teachers know their overall vision, what comes next? Setting goals! When teachers are setting goals, remind them you want them to be S.M.A.R.T. goals. By using this formula, you are making sure the goals your teachers are setting are specific, measurable, attainable, relative, and time-sound. If your teachers are struggling to set goals or see the bigger picture, you can always brainstorm ideas as a group or just one-on-one. I have my teachers set S.M.A.R.T. goals for school and personal. I think it’s important for teachers to have a vision and a goal for more than just school and this is the perfect opportunity to connect with your teachers on a topic outside of school.

One Small Step…

Now, with most goal-setting activities, you would have stopped with making a S.M.A.R.T. goal. This is where we separate the truly motivated from those just going through the motions! Instead of just setting a goal and letting it sit on paper, your teachers will come up with ideas as to how these goals are obtained by creating habits and measuring how often they use them. Once teachers have a goal, they need to decide what they are going to do to make those goals into a reality. Teachers can measure how often they reached their goal using the habit tracker that is a part of this great package!

Setting goals is the best thing a teacher or anyone can do in order to push themselves and become reflective teachers as well. With this goal-setting activity, you get every step your teachers will ever need to celebrate their wins, make effective goals, and reflect along the way. Plus, you can use their goals to help make your instructional coaching plans!