Setting SMART goals help students succeed

Filed Under Goals, Graphic Organizers, Special Education, underachieving students

When I talk to my students about goals, many of them tell me that they don’t have any goals. I tell them they actually do, but they don’t realize it. They call their goals plans. The plans that they make for later in the day , later in week or later in the year are really goals. Then we discuss the characteristics of good goals. I try to lead the discussion so that we conclude that good goals are SMART goals and show the slide show below to illustrate the idea of SMART goals. If you’d like a copy, I’d be delighted to send you one. Just leave a request in the comment box.

Setting Goals The Smart Way

View more presentations from Elona Hartjes.

After we watch the slide show, I have my students set their own short term, medium term and long term goals using the graphic organizer below.

Smart Goal Setting Organizer

Goals

Specific

(What/Why/How)

Measurable

(Time/Amount)

Attainable

(Strengths to use)

Realistic

(Why you can do it)

Timely

(Target date)

Short Term

Medium Term

Long Term

If you’d like this as well, just ask and I’ll send it to you as an attachment.

I’ve always had good results with this activity. We will revisit their goals during the semester to see how things are going and to set more goals.

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Comments

51 Responses to “Setting SMART goals help students succeed”

Teresa Brown on February 5th, 2010 7:14 am

Yes please! I’d love to use this presentation with my kids! They really struggle with the idea of “attainable” and want to choose things that they think *I* want for them…
Malia on February 5th, 2010 1:29 pm

Yes Please! I am already looking forward to using this presentation with my students. Thank you!
teachermom on February 9th, 2010 7:58 am

You are full of practical ideas! If you could mail me the graphic organizer, I would really appreciate it!
Tricia Smith on April 8th, 2010 5:37 pm

I would LOVE to have a copy of your SMART goal slide show and the organizer. Thanks so much!!
Tami Bolton on April 15th, 2010 11:48 am

PLEASE send me a copy of your SMART goal slide show and the organizer. Could you also send it to my home email address. I’m not sure if it’ll go through to my school email. Thanks so much! tamibolton@msn.com
Gabriella Jarrett on May 10th, 2010 10:20 am

Hi! I love the slide show and organizer – would love to use this with my kids! Please send me a copy of both! Thanks so much for sharing your great work!
Cindy Bravaco on May 25th, 2010 9:56 am

Would love the slide show and organizer…thank you so much…very excited to show my kids
abby dagley on September 17th, 2010 10:29 pm

Yes please I would love to receive the slide and organizer. Thank you very much.
abby
Ernema Boettner on September 24th, 2010 8:06 pm

Please send mea copy of your slide show and organizer. I have senior high school students who need to do some goal setting. Thanks much!
Omara on October 17th, 2010 7:47 pm

Would love the slide show and organizer…thank you so much…very excited to show my colleagues.
Marri Clarke on December 1st, 2010 10:39 pm

I currently work with teen juvenile offenders and would love to share this slide show with them. Thanks in advance!
Dawnisha Barnes on January 27th, 2011 9:57 am

Yes please would you send me a copy of the slideshow we will be discussing goals today in class and this would be very helpful. THanks
Audrey Lee on February 6th, 2011 11:56 am

Hi
Please could you send me a copy of the slide show and organiser, I am discussing goal setting with my class, and think it would be very useful, thank you
Susan on March 6th, 2011 5:24 pm

I’m currently doing an action research piece on SMART goals, and I would like to see your slide
Thank you
Jessica Sierra on April 1st, 2011 8:46 am

Hello,
I’m a graduate student that has a HUGE project on Lesson Plans for student success skills. Would it be okay for me to use the slides and table that you have? I just found this webpage and it would be great to use your information as one of my lesson plans. Thank you so much

Jessica
Barbara Baxter on April 10th, 2011 7:14 pm

Please send me your power point on goal setting and a copy ofthe planning form.
Your information is written at a level students will understand. Your power point and form is very good and very usable.
Thank you.
Barbara
Tawana Mattox on May 24th, 2011 11:30 am

I would like to have a copy of the presentation Thanks

Tawana Mattox
tmattox@athenstech.edu
Deearne Ahmed on August 13th, 2011 9:22 pm

I would also love a copy.

Cheers

Dee
Sue on August 22nd, 2011 6:55 am

Please send me your SMART goal power point and a copy of the planning form you use with your students. Any other information/copies to help me assist my students in setting their own goals will be appreciated. Thank you.

Sue
Brandy Clevenger on August 24th, 2011 11:06 am

I would love a copy of your SMART goal presentation to use with my at-risk students

Thank you!
Kathy on October 2nd, 2011 12:06 pm

Please send me a copy of your slide show and graphic organizer to use with my students.

Thank you!
a.loveless on October 2nd, 2011 9:10 pm

Please send me a copy of your slide show and graphic organizer. My students are struggling with certain state standards and I would like to help them learn the importance of setting goals and help them set goals to improve their performance of the standards. Thank you very much!
Julie T on October 2nd, 2011 9:36 pm

Yes please! I am excited to find this website – will be teaching this concept soon. Please send the slide show and graphic organizer. Thanks so much!
Javier Melendez on October 3rd, 2011 1:11 am

Yes, I would like the presentation as well as the graphic organizer. Looks great, thanks!
Debbie Chamberlin on October 8th, 2011 11:20 pm

I would like to have a copy of this powerpoint to use with my student and fellow staff.
Nancy Camburn on October 10th, 2011 11:37 am

I would like a copy of the Power Point and graphic organizer. Thank-you!
Tracy Whitlock on October 12th, 2011 7:51 pm

I would love to share this with my at risk and special education students.
Petrine Hughes on October 25th, 2011 8:49 pm

Please send the powerpoint and a copy of the form.

Thank you
Denise Dayson-Bristol on October 26th, 2011 8:02 am

Would love to have a copy. This would help begin the freshman year transition goals.
Melissa Garza on November 10th, 2011 8:50 pm

I would love a copy of the SMART goal setting presentation and organizer.

Thank you,
Melissa
JO-ANNE on November 13th, 2011 1:42 pm

I would also love a copy of the Smart goal presentation and organizer.
Cory McKenzie on December 4th, 2011 10:54 am

I would love a copy of your slideshow and template. SMART goals are excellent for teachers, as I have used them for my own development. Now I’d like my students to use them.
Audrey Nay on December 18th, 2011 4:14 am

Hi there! I would love to work with my school community from Yr 2-Yr6 and staff, on setting goals. I would appreciate a copy of the graphic organisers that you consider suit this process. I would also love a copy of any other resources that you have that enhance the learning process. Thanks for sharing.
Aimee Schaefer on December 29th, 2011 10:08 pm

I would greatly appreciate a copy of your SMART goal setting power point. God bless you!
bsturgeon on January 18th, 2012 8:46 am

I would love a copy of your presentation.
Kathleen Hanson on January 25th, 2012 11:12 am

Hi-

I’d love a copy of your presentation to use in my Academic Prep 7 class to start our new semester next week. Thank you so much!
Jill Bozzy on January 28th, 2012 9:47 am

Hi could you please send me a copy of your presentation!
Joyce Gray on February 9th, 2012 10:40 am

Elona,
Thank you so much for this power point on goal setting for students. It is wonderful! I am a retired educator who continues to work with students at all levels. I am currently working with a group of 6th through 8th grade girls and would appreciate your power point to use with them as they set their goals for the year.
Im additon to sending me the power point, please also send the graphic organizer.
Thanks again for your help.
chanta on March 30th, 2012 10:10 am

This is a great way to present to students, and a great way for students to “own” their learning. Please provide me a copy of the powerpoint and any other documents associated with SMART goals. Thank you.
Chanta
Linda Brown on May 6th, 2012 7:54 am

I would like a copy of your SMART goals powerpoint. Thanks,
Linda
Peter Martella on May 8th, 2012 6:49 pm

I would like a copy of the SMART goals powerpoint and graphic organizer.

Thanks,
Peter
sham on May 17th, 2012 5:08 am

I also would like a copy of the SMART goals powerpoint and graphic organizer.
Thanks,
sam
Gwen Schultz on May 28th, 2012 3:34 pm

Hello Elona Hartjes, MEd (Candidate), Ontario Certified Teacher,
I would love a copy of your powerpoint on SMART Goals. I would also love a copy of your Smart Goal Setting Organizer.
I will receive my Bachelor’s Degree in two years and then I will begin my long term goal of becoming a Kindergarten Teacher. Your ideas will be very beneficial to me as I start my new journey in teaching Kindergarten Students on their way to becoming our future adults. My students will need these guidlines to reach a productive future.
Thank you,
Gwen
Gwen Schultz´s last [type] .. Are Credit Rescue and Credit Recovery programs avenues for socially promoting high school students so they don’t drop out of school
Dan Meyer on May 31st, 2012 9:07 am

Elona-

You have a great resource here. I am finally getting through my mail and professional reading and found you through ASCD. I would love to have you send me your graphic organizer on creating SMART Goals. I want to use it with my staff at Urbandale MS in Iowa.

Thanks.

Dan
Sevim on August 30th, 2012 12:24 pm

Yes would you send me a copy of the slideshow and smart Goal Setting Organizer. We will be discussing goals today in class and I think it is very hepful.
Thanks.

Sevim
Pamelyn on October 1st, 2012 8:59 pm

Hi Elona:

Yes, please send me a copy of the SMART goals slideshow along with the goal setting graphic organizer.
Thanks,
Pamelyn
Mark on October 13th, 2012 3:24 pm

YES, I would love a copy of your powerpoint on SMART Goals. I would also love a copy of your Smart Goal Setting Organizer.
Kathy Abate on October 20th, 2012 9:50 am

Please send me a copy of your SMART goals presentation and organizer.

Thank you
Joan on October 23rd, 2012 7:59 am

Thank you for sharing a great way to present students to “own” their learning. Please provide me a copy of the powerpoint and any other documents associated with SMART goals.
Thank you very much.
joan
Vivian Gutsell on October 24th, 2012 2:47 pm

Could you semd me the power point if not too much touble.

Thanks Vivian (Durham UK)
Deb on November 15th, 2012 8:52 am

Great Activity. I teach personal finance to HS students and I believe this is one of the most important lessons of success!

I would love if you could send me the material!
Thank you!