New Year, New Start

Often during the first few weeks of a New Year, we take some time to write resolutions for ourselves.  We think about what we would like to do differently in the new year.  In my religion class today, we wrote goals, but I challenged the students to think about more than just the end result.  I asked them to think about how they will reach the goal and what the steps to that goal might be.  Then I had them draw a picture visualizing what it will look like once they have reached the goal. 

This could be a good activity to do at home as well, especially with students who struggle in school.  Take time with your kids to talk about what they accomplished in the last year and praise their hard work.  Then ask them what they would like to accomplish in the upcoming weeks (until the end of the trimester), months (until the end of the school year) or year.  As they make these goals, talk about what it will take to reach the goal, not just the end result.

You might even create some family goals like more time together, nightly walks, or less arguing between siblings.

If you need some ideas for how to start, click on this link to find different formats for goal setting.

Goal Setting Worksheets