Introduction

Goal-setting is a crucial skill for students to develop as they navigate the challenges of middle school and beyond. By setting goals, students can maintain focus on their personal growth, despite various distractions. Outward distractions, such as screens, obligations, and time constraints, along with inward distractions like self-doubt and procrastination, can hinder progress. This blog post will explore an easy-to-implement activity to help students set goals, followed by discussion questions, related skills, and next steps for educators.

No-Prep Activity

This activity will guide students through the process of setting a goal, breaking it down into smaller steps, and devising a plan to overcome distractions. No preparation or materials are needed from the educator, aside from ensuring students have something to write with.

1. Ask students to think of a goal they would like to achieve. This can be related to school or their personal life. Have them write down their goal.
2. Next, instruct students to create a To-Do list. They should identify tasks they need to complete before they can work on their goal. This may include organizing a workspace, gathering materials, or purchasing necessary items. Students should write down their To-Do list.
3. Guide students to break their goal into smaller, manageable steps. This will make the goal less daunting and more achievable. Have them write down each step.

Encourage students to find a partner to hold each other accountable, set up rewards at each level, pair their goal with an enjoyable activity, choose a start date, and track their progress if it motivates them.

Discussion Questions

1. Why is setting goals important for personal growth and happiness?
2. What are some common outward and inward distractions that can prevent us from achieving our goals? How can we overcome them?
3. How can breaking a goal into smaller steps make it more achievable?
4. Why might having an accountability partner be helpful in reaching our goals?
5. How can rewards and pairing goals with enjoyable activities make the process more enjoyable and motivating?

Related Skills

In addition to goal-setting, students can benefit from developing other related skills, such as:

• Time management: Prioritizing tasks and allocating time effectively.
• Self-motivation: Cultivating the drive to persevere and stay committed to goals.
• Resilience: Bouncing back from setbacks and learning from failure.
• Decision-making: Evaluating options and making informed choices.
• Problem-solving: Identifying challenges and finding solutions.

Next Steps

To further support your students in developing goal-setting skills and other essential social-emotional learning competencies, consider signing up for free sample materials at Everyday Speech. These resources will provide you with additional activities, lessons, and strategies to promote personal growth and happiness in your middle school students.