Goal setting 1

1. Relevant Courses

This course stresses the value of goal setting and gives students a model for constructing effective and realistic goals. This is a skill that would be applicable to most courses but especially the following:

• Business
• Career Studies
• Health and Physical Education
• Entrepreneurship
• Any personal development course

2. Specific Learning Objectives

• recall and restate accomplishments
• recognize the components of effective goal setting
• analyze the specifics of goal setting
• construct a SMART goal
• analyze comments about the value of goal setting
• display effective writing skills

3. Skills Targeted for Development

• planning skills
• organizational skills
• analytical skills
• writing skills

4. Estimated Time for Implementation

• One class period plus homework follow-up.

5. General Overview of the Lesson

Goal setting is an important skill necessary to give our actions direction and meaning. By setting goals, we are able to acknowledge growth and accomplishment. The lesson stresses the value of goal setting and uses sports figures from Canada's Sports Hall of Fame to reinforce the significance of goals. The lesson also provides students with direction to establish SMART goals and an opportunity to practice.

6. Resources Required

Classroom Internet access to the Canada's Sports Hall of Fame website to view the following video clips:

Paul Henderson (Goal Setting) http://www.sportshall.ca/tpl_honoured_members_video2.php?id=65

Lucile Wheeler (Goal Setting) http://www.sportshall.ca/tpl_honoured_members_video2.php?id=67

Anne Ottenbrite (Goal Setting) http://www.sportshall.ca/tpl_honoured_members_video2.php?id=66

Hans Fogh (Goal Setting) http://www.sportshall.ca/tpl_honoured_members_video2.php?id=64

Petra Burka (Goal Setting) http://www.sportshall.ca/tpl_honoured_members_video2.php?id=63

Supplementary Honoured Member Information

Paul Henderson http://www.sportshall.ca/hm_profile.php?i=291

Lucile Wheeler http://www.sportshall.ca/hm_profile.php?i=287

Annie Ottenbrite http://www.sportshall.ca/hm_profile.php?i=93

Hans Fogh http://www.sportshall.ca/hm_profile.php?i=284

Petra Burka http://www.sportshall.ca/hm_profile.php?i=200

Supplementary Collection Links

Artefacts

Terry Fox, t-shirt http://www.sportshall.ca/collection_detail.php?i=1491&t=a

Library

Marilyn Bell: The Heart Stopping Tale of Marilyn's Record-Breaking Swim
http://www.sportshall.ca/collection_detail.php?i=1008&t=l

7. Suggested Implementation Strategy

Start the lesson by asking students to take a moment and write down an accomplishment of which they are very proud. Stress that they must cite an accomplishment not a person. The students should then write why they are so proud of this accomplishment.

Using this as a base, have students who are willing, share their answers with the class. Visually record the accomplishments either on a flip chart or board. Ask students to explain what these accomplishments have in common. The point of this is to have the students recognize that:

• accomplishments involve overcoming challenges, persevering, and dedicating oneself to the goal.
• the accomplishment is the end of a journey that required many steps. In other words, there must be a destination and a direction.
• destination gives actions focus and direction.
• destination or accomplishment is actually a goal that has been set and achieved.
• goal setting is a powerful tool for focusing and giving meaning to actions.

With this recognition of the value and power of setting goals, ask students if they have ever experienced disappointment in striving for accomplishment. Ask them how it made them feel. With this brief discussion, have the students understand that poorly set goals can:

• identify failure.
• identify shortcomings and lead to disappointment and reinforce a sense of failure.
• be enervating instead of inspiring.

With this recognition that goal setting, if poorly done, can have negative consequences, tell the students that they have to be SMART in setting goals that is, goals must be Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Timely. Distribute the student handout below explaining how goals can be set to lead to success.

Give students the remaining time in class to read the handout and assign the following for homework:

Consult the Canada's Sports Hall of Fame website and view the videos of the following Honoured Members: Paul Henderson (Goal Setting), Lucile Wheeler (Goal Setting), Anne Ottenbrite (Goal Setting), Hans Fogh (Goal Setting), and Petra Burka (Goal Setting). Record the significant insights that they share about the importance of goal setting. In addition, using the handout, complete one smart goal.

8. Suggested Follow-up Activities

Take up the homework assignment and have student present examples of SMART goals.

9. Suggested Evaluation Activities

Each student could submit the SMART goal for review.

10. Links to other Relevant Resources

• http://www.mindtools.com/pggoalef.html
• http://www.topachievement.com/goalsetting.html
• http://www.timethoughts.com/goalsettingguide.htm
• http://www.mtsu.edu/~studskl/goals.html

11. Appendix:

Link to Relevant Video Clips

Canada's Sports Hall of Fame http://www.sportshall.ca/tpl_honoured_members.php

Student Handouts

SMART Goal Setting

• S = Specific
• M = Measurable
• A = Attainable
• R = Realistic
• T = Timely

Specific

Goals should be straightforward and emphasize what you want to happen. Specifics help us to focus our efforts and clearly define what we are going to do.

Specific is the What, Why, and How of the SMART model.

WHAT are you going to do? Use action words such as direct, organize, coordinate, lead, develop, plan, build, etc.

WHY is this important to do at this time? What do you want to ultimately accomplish?

HOW are you going to do it? (By...)

Ensure the goals you set are very specific, clear, and easy. Instead of setting a goal to lose weight or be healthier, set a specific goal to lose 2cm off your waistline or to walk 5 miles at an aerobically challenging pace.

Measurable

If you can't measure it, you can't manage it. In the broadest sense, the whole goal statement is a measure for the project; if the goal is accomplished, this is a success. However, there are usually several short-term or small measurements that can be built into the goal.

Choose a goal with measurable progress, so you can see the change occur. How will you see when you reach your goal? Be specific! "I want to read three chapter books of 100 pages on my own before my birthday" shows the specific target to be measured. "I want to be a good reader" is not as measurable.

Establish concrete criteria for measuring progress toward the attainment of each goal you set. When you measure your progress, you stay on track, reach your target dates, and experience the exhilaration of achievement that spurs you on to continued effort required to reach your goals.

Attainable

When you identify goals that are most important to you, you begin to figure out ways you can make them come true. You develop the attitudes, abilities, skills, and financial capacity to reach them. You begin seeing previously overlooked opportunities to bring yourself closer to the achievement of your goals. Goals you set that are too far out of your reach, you probably won't commit to doing. Although you may start with the best of intentions, the knowledge that it's too much for you means your subconscious will keep reminding you of this fact and will stop you from even giving it your best.

A goal needs to stretch you slightly so you feel you can do it, and it will need a real commitment from you. For instance, if you aim to lose 20 lbs in one week, we all know that isn't achievable. But setting a goal to lose 1lb and, when you've achieved that, aiming to lose a further 1lb, will keep it achievable for you.

The feeling of success that this brings helps you to remain motivated.

Realistic

This is not a synonym for "easy." Realistic, in this case, means "doable." It means that the learning curve is not a vertical slope, that the skills needed to do the work are available, that the project fits with the overall strategy and goals of the organization. A realistic project may push the skills and knowledge of the people working on it, but it shouldn't break them.

Devise a plan or a way of getting there that makes the goal realistic. The goal needs to be realistic for you and where you are at the moment. A goal of never again eating sweets, cakes, chips, and chocolate may not be realistic for someone who really enjoys these foods. For instance, it may be more realistic to set a goal of eating a piece of fruit each day instead of one sweet item. You can then choose to work towards reducing the amount of sweet products gradually and when this feels realistic for you. Be sure to set goals that you can attain with some effort! Too difficult and you set the stage for failure, but too low sends the message that you aren't very capable. Set the bar high enough for a satisfying achievement!

Timely

Set a timeframe for the goal: for next week, in three months, by fifth grade. Putting an end point on your goal gives you a clear target to work towards. If you don't set a time, the commitment is too vague. It tends not to happen because you feel you can start at any time. Without a time limit, there's no urgency to start taking action now.

Time must be measurable, attainable, and realistic.

Everyone will benefit from goals and objectives if they are SMART. SMART is the instrument to apply in setting your goals and objectives.