On Fridays, I would check my students’ usage on the online reading program MindPlay. Students were expected to complete two hours per week on the program. I quickly saw that students were not completing the mandatory hours per week. Every day, I used a timer, walked around the classroom, and watched students on GoGuardian (an online tool that manages students’ devices). Students earned five participation points every day they worked for thirty minutes, but students were not meeting the two hours per week. How could I motivate my students? What would motivate them, besides grades? How can I motivate them, using a game or a class competition?
I used goal setting to assist students to reach their two-hour weekly goal. Goal setting is supported by Marzano’s strategies, and it is listed under the high-yielding “setting objectives and providing feedback.” In the book, Classroom Instruction that Works: Research-Based Strategies for Increasing Student Achievement, Marzano states, “goal setting is the process of establishing a direction for learning” (93). He continues that there are three generalizations for goal setting: goals are narrowed to focus on student learning, goals should not be too specific, and students should be encouraged to personalize their goals. I use goal setting within my career exploration classes, and it works well because students feel accountable. However, my reading lab students needed goal setting strategies to improve their reading by two grade levels. My principal was looking at my scores, and he wanted to see an increase in program usage.
How I Presented the Lesson
1. I had S.M.A.R.T. Goals worksheets with a completed task list on the back. I distributed the worksheet and placed one under the digital camera.
2. I guided the students through each SMART goal. First, we identified “my goals”, and I helped students with creating one. I suggested, “I will complete thirty minutes of MindPlay daily, and I will do MindPlay over the weekend to earn extra credit.” Second, we discussed “steps,” “my plan,” and “timely” action of the goal.
3. On the back of the S.M.A.R.T. goals sheet is a worksheet titled “Keeping Track of Your Goal: How Are You Doing?” We identified the goal from the front side and identified the “Date,” “What’s going well?” “What needs work?” and “Am I on Track?” I modeled and guided students to complete the first row of the worksheet.
4. After we finished identifying and tracking our goals, I told students the due date of the worksheet and that they are responsible for conquering their goals. I witnessed many kids smiling and participating in this lesson. They were taking ownership of their learning, and they had an end goal in mind.
5. One week later, we revisited the goals and tracked our progress. Several students proudly announced they met their goal of two hours for one week.
Did I Witness Any Growth?
I was pleasantly surprised to see that my students worked hard to accomplish the two-hour timeframe for MindPlay. To date, half of my students have completed two hours of work. My three classes’ breakdown is: 4th period 7/13, 5th period 8/13, and 6th period 5/14. The amount does not include students that were close to 120 minutes, only students that obtained 120 minutes for the week. I also noticed that all the students completed over 75 minutes of MindPlay. Because the goal-setting involves a sweet treat and class competition, I believe it provided more extrinsic motivation to win. The students aren’t even aware they are learning how to set a goal, having stamina and grit to work towards completing the goal, and the accomplishment of it.
Is It Worth Teaching Goal Setting?
Yes, teaching goal setting can be appropriate for any grade or subject. Many years ago, I had created differentiated goal sheets where students (10th graders) had conferences with me to identify how they would pass the course. Students appeared engaged and accepting of tracking their progress. This year, students also seemed excited about conquering their weekly and monthly goals. Today, I gave a candy bar to one student from each class that reached the 2-hour requirement. The students that did not meet the requirement were trying their best to persuade me to change the requirements. They even suggested that I give a treat on Mondays and Fridays. Although treats are nice, the lesson is to learn to be accountable for their own learning and to accomplish their personal goals.
After seeing the positive results from this goal-setting lesson, I will continue to use it with my reading lab students. Students have their goals written down, and we review them as a class every Friday. I have witnessed an increase in productivity and a positive attitude from the students. Students are announcing that they have worked on MindPlay for thirty minutes during a class period. Goal setting has moved the responsibility from me to the students being completely accountable to accomplish their goal.
Work Cited
Marzano, Robert J, Debra Pickering, and Jane E. Pollock. Classroom Instruction That Works: Research-based Strategies for Increasing Student Achievement. Alexandria, Va: Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development, 2001.
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