Student SMART Goal Setting | Template | Worksheet | Graphic Organizer | SEL

Everyone says "work smarter, not harder."

Use the SEOT Wheel of Success so students can independently reflect on whether they are working "harder" (effort alone) or working "smarter" (learning from mistakes.)

Student SMART Goal Setting Lesson

• Slideshow (100 slides) explains to students how to set goals and fill out the Student Goal Setting worksheets.

Student Goal Setting Graphic Organizer

• Students can visually see if they're working harder or working smarter.

Student Goal Setting Template

• Students think about the "why" behind their goals because that provides a reason to stick to their goals.
• The worksheet package helps them to imagine how they will feel if they accomplish their goals.

Student Goal Setting "Check-In" Worksheet

• Setting goals is NOT enough. (Otherwise, they're like new year's resolutions. Set a resolution in January, and then don't check in until next January.)
• The Student Goal Setting Check-In Worksheet asks students to reflect on how they've been working on their goals.
• Students map out a score for Strategy, Effort, Optimization, and Tinkering on the SEOT Wheel of Success to see if they are working "smarter" or just working harder.
• Includes Student Goal Setting Rubric

Social Emotional Learning (SEL) Skills:

Self-Awareness Boost:

• The SEOT Wheel of Success helps students gain insight into their own learning process.
• Students identify if they're leaning more on sheer effort or smart strategies.
• This reflection fosters a deeper understanding of their strengths and areas for growth.

Self-Management Mastery:

• The SMART Goal Setting Lesson and Check-In Worksheet empower students to set, pursue, and adjust their goals effectively.
• This process not only enhances their ability to manage their emotions and behaviors towards achieving these goals but also encourages perseverance and self-motivation.

Social Awareness Expansion:

• By reflecting on the "why" behind their goals, students develop empathy for their own journeys and learn the value of their actions within a larger community context.
• This understanding encourages a sense of responsibility and contribution.

Relationship Skills Reinforcement:

• Goal setting and reflection exercises offer opportunities for peer interaction and feedback.
• Sharing goals and progress can build communication skills, foster mutual support, and strengthen relationships among students.

Responsible Decision-Making Development:

• The comprehensive approach—setting goals, regular check-ins, and visual mapping on the SEOT Wheel—guides students in making informed, constructive choices about their personal and academic lives.
• It encourages them to weigh the consequences of different strategies and to learn from their outcomes.

WORK SMARTER, NOT HARDER Student Example

Some students have a goal to study more.

They might be putting in the effort to "study" by spending more hours reading their math textbook while watching TV and texting with friends.

Just because they work harder, doesn't mean their grades will improve.

On the other hand, if your students

• use specific study strategies (i.e. practice questions, going in for extra help, asking questions in class),

• optimize what they do (i.e. look at quiz scores, or count the number of practice questions they got correct)

• tinker (maybe getting a tutor might help, maybe asking ChatGPT to explain it to you like you were five might help)

• and put in the effort...

Then they're more like to achieve their goals.

The Wheel of Success SMART Goal Setting Graphic Organizer shows students how they are doing in terms of Strategies, Effort, Optimization, and Tinkering.

• Use this goal setting lesson and activity after you use this free New Years Resolution lesson.

• Or, use this goal setting lesson anytime during the year. It's a lifelong tool you can use with your students over and over again.

The generic SMART goal handout can be used in any subject:

• Setting New Years Resolutions 2024

• Homeroom / Advisory

• Social-Emotional Learning Skills

• Life Skills

• Guidance

• Critical Thinking and Creativity

• Any subject-based class

• English Language Arts
  - Students write personal reflections on a regular basis using knowledge and criteria gained from an informational text (media text slideshow lesson) to support their analysis and reflection.

EASY PREP social-emotional learning lesson, handouts, and activity.

Help students develop SELF-AWARENESS and SELF-MANAGEMENT through goal setting.

What do I mean by EASY PREP?

• 1. Print handouts.

• 2. Show slideshow.
  (The slideshow walks your students through the process.)

The Wheel of Success slideshow lesson takes around 210 minutes (3.5 hours)

• Brainstorming Goals (40 min) slides 1-11

• Making a SMART goal (50 min) slides 12-24

• SEOT explained (60 min) slides 25-55

• Check-in / The Wheel of Success (60 min) slides 56-100

⭐ If you want a detailed lesson plan that tells you which slides go with which handouts (plus more resources), then check out the Goal Setting Bundle.

• PRO TIP: the preview PDF file in the Goal Setting Bundle has the complete lesson plan.

• Why upgrade to the bundle?

• You get Growth Mindset Posters and handouts for videos 1 to 6.

• Check out the bundle here.

..... Wednesday, April 24, 2024 UPDATE: Wait. It's almost May. Where does the time go?

You need marks but the closer we get to the end of the year, the more students start to check out.

Can you relate to any of these classroom problems?

Problem #1: Students don't try, especially when things don't work right away. They give up.

• ➡️ Check out this CHARACTER unit

Problem #2: Students don't do the right thing or stand up for each other. Being part of a classroom means being an active citizen. We don't always agree, but it's important to speak up.

• ➡️ Check out this CITIZENSHIP unit

Problem #3: Students don't know how to work in groups. Collaboration is not the same as teamwork. One person doing all of the work is not collaboration.

• ➡️ Check out this COLLABORATION unit

Problem #4: Students are mean, especially when they're upset. Good communication isn't just about presentations. It's also about getting your point across when both sides are upset, and things matter!

• ➡️ Check out this COMMUNICATION unit

Problem #5: Students wait for someone else to solve their problems. Creativity is about connecting ideas in new ways. When you are faced with a tricky problem, we use creativity to create a solution. Creativity is a skill we can learn.

• ➡️ Check out this CREATIVITY unit

Problem #6: Students believe rumors, gossip, and viral posts. They don't think for themselves.

• ➡️ Check out this CRITICAL THINKING unit

Problem #7: ALL OF THE ABOVE 

• ➡️ Check out this CHALLENGE TASK. Can your class learn about a growth mindset while trying to stay in a growth mindset at the same time?

My name is Mike Fuchigami. I'm the Grade 8 teacher behind Educircles. 

• I taught middle school English Language Arts for 13+ years in Ottawa, Ontario.

• I had a mental health crisis because of something that happened at school.

• Social Emotional Learning skills (6Cs) literally saved my life. That's why I'm so passionate about this stuff.

• I want to help your students develop Growth Mindset and Social Emotional Learning skills.

• ➡️ Read the article: Former Teacher Michael Fuchigami puts spotlight on lack of student mental health protection

Teachers around the world have DOWNLOADED 111,121 Educircles resources in over 59 countries!

• I donate 10% of everything I earn to STUDENT MENTAL HEALTH organizations. It's a promise I made to get through some dark times.

• Together, we've donated $15,520.51 (Check out the donation log.)

✅ SAVE HOURS OF PREP (and money) with a bundle!

• Reading Strategies

• Social-Emotional Learning (6Cs Growth Mindset)

• Get all of my resources for less than $1 each!!!

⭐ This is the TED talk that I will give one day. If you like this, then you will love my resources.

⭐ What's the difference between the FREE version and the PAID VERSION?

FREE Version

• Link to the view-only slideshow. (Complete lesson with 100 slides.)

PAID VERSION has everything in the FREE version plus...

• Edit the slideshow. (Microsoft Powerpoint and Google Slides)

• No-Prep, Just Print PDF handouts.

• Edit the handouts. (Microsoft Word and Google Docs)

• Online learning version of the handouts. (Easel by TpT)

⭐ JANUARY 14, 2022 update: I use a comic book font (Bangers) in this resource.

The font will work 100% of the time in Google Docs and Google Slides.

The font should work fine in the Powerpoint / Word documents but...

• One teacher let me know the font didn't work for them.
  
  Thank you Suhail S for bringing this to my attention in the Question & Answers below! I've sent you some emails to help you troubleshoot. Please email me at Mike@educircles.org if you still need help.

• If the font looks messed up, please watch this support video:
  https://educircles.org/help/missing-font/

• If you purchased this product and also had a problem with the fonts in Microsoft Powerpoint and Microsoft Word, please email me at Mike@educircles.org

• The fonts are embedded in the Powerpoint / Word files. They worked for me when I tested it on a computer without the font, but if they're not loading for one teacher, there's clearly a problem that I need to look into for everyone!

• Thanks for your patience!

Show students HOW to improve in your class and achieve their goals.

SEOT helps people take advantage of opportunities and overcome obstacles by focusing on four elements of success:

• Using strategies,

• putting in the effort,

• optimizing what we do, and

• tinkering.

The wheel of success is a metaphor to show students how working harder may not always help us achieve our goals.

• Sometimes, we need to try new things.

• Not everything works for everyone, all of the time.

The File Table of Contents PDF (in the ZIP file) contains the links you need! 

• Print the NO PREP handout (PDF) and use the link to view the slideshow.

• Edit the Google Docs, Microsoft Word, Google Slides, Microsoft Powerpoint files. 

• The online version (Easel by TpT) allows students to draw on the digital handout and type in text boxes without changing the layout of the page.

Build a GROWTH MINDSET in your students by providing a process to work SMARTER (and not harder).

You can use this slideshow lesson at key times throughout the school year:

• January 2023 is a great time to reboot our classrooms!

• At the beginning of the school year, semester, or term

• After students get back a test or assignment

• Before an exam or project

• Before student-led conferences or parent / teacher conferences

• After report cards

NOTE: This lesson is generic and can be used at ANY time!

• SAVE HOURS OF PREP WORK. The paid version includes the handouts and you can edit the slideshow.

• SAVE MONEY! Get the GOAL SETTING BUNDLE!

• Here are 20 BONUS Goal Setting videos that go well with this resource.

There's more to SMART goal setting than simply saying Specific, Measurable, Actionable, Realistic, Time-bound goals. That's just the beginning of the goal-setting PROCESS.

If students use Strategies, apply Effort, Optimize results, and Tinker with new ideas, they will have a better chance of achieving their academic and life goals.

SMART Goal Setting Lesson: Teach HOW to achieve goals (GROWTH MINDSET)

Why do we need to teach our students and children goal setting?

• Because life doesn’t always go our way.

• Because nothing worth having comes easy.

• Because at some point in life, we’re going to trip and fall. We need to learn how to pick ourselves back up.

• Because if we keep on doing everything for our students and children to protect them from the world… how will they learn to navigate these struggles for themselves?

TRY. FAIL. LEARN. REPEAT.

WORK SMARTER, NOT HARDER.

What does that even mean? It means that sometimes, effort alone doesn't cut it.

HOW TO WORK SMARTER…

Imagine a fly stuck inside a house, and desperately trying to get through a closed window to freedom.

The fly can try as hard as it wants, but it just can’t break through the glass.

If only, the fly could take a step back and find the open door a few feet away.

Seems obvious, but sometimes it’s not so obvious when you’re stuck in the thick of things.

Here's what "WORKING SMARTER" really means...

1. TRY DIFFERENT STRATEGIES

• Think about how you could reach your goal,

• Figure out what the actual obstacle is,

• Try different tricks and ways,

• Figure out why these strategies might work…

2. PUT IN THE EFFORT

• Actually try…

• It’ll be hard work, but find a reason to keep going...

• Or, find a way to make the process fun…

3. OPTIMIZE WHAT YOU DO

• Keep track of how things are going,

• Focus your energies on strategies that produce results...

4. TINKER MORE

• Try little experiments that probably won't work…

• Learn from your successes and mistakes

• Wonder.

• Play and explore with the problem…

SO WHY WOULD I WANT TO BUY THIS LESSON PACKAGE?

Great question.

If you're okay with the online version of the slideshow (as is), then...

• Save your money. You already have to spend too much on your classroom program.

• (If you still feel strongly about spending money, but you're okay with the free online version of the slideshow, you should check out the 21st CENTURY SKILLS SEL mega bundle to help you achieve work-life balance zen by helping you to save time and money.)

If you don't have time to make your own versions of the handouts or if you want to be able to edit and modify the slideshow to fit your specific needs.. then buy this lesson package.

When you purchase this product, you get a pretty zipped file that includes:

A File Table of Contents PDF with one-click links to the files as you need them.

The handouts used in the Goal Setting slideshow 

• PDF file for easy printing.

• Microsoft Word (DOCX) file and Google Docs versions so you can edit the handouts.

Your own copy of the Goal Setting for Students Slideshow that you can modify and customize for your own classroom needs.

• Microsoft Powerpoint (PPTX) file and Google Slides versions so you can modify the lesson for your classroom needs.

If you have any questions, please ask in the Q&A section of this TpT product page or email me at Mike@educircles.org