I recently created a new reflection/goal-setting sheet that I asked my ninth-grade students to complete, and it went pretty well. In fact, some of my colleagues are also using it. A few students rolled their eyes, but it’s created a fair amount of “grist” for follow-up conversations and continued refinement (After initially completing it, I’m having students make revisions now and then).
You can download the sheet here, and, just for ease of viewing, here are the list of questions (please please suggestions on how you think I can improve it):
1. What do you like about yourself? Name as many things as you like, but please list at least three:
2. What things about yourself would you like to change/improve? Name as many as you would like, but please list at least three. Please also say why you would like to improve them:
3. What can you do between now and the end of the school year to make those changes/improvements happen? Please be as specific as possible, and list at least three actions you can take:
4. What can your teachers, including Mr. Ferlazzo, do to help you make those changes? Please be as specific as possible, and list at least three actions they can take:
5. If you make those changes, can you think of some ways you can reward yourself for those accomplishments? List them:
I’m adding this info to The Best Posts On Students Setting Goals.
I really like your goal setting sheet and how it touches on what they already like about themselves and what they want to work on! I also like how it is very general and can refer to both academic and personal goals. I read your book Helping Students Motivate themselves and I share your philosophy to a great extent. One point where I differ slightly is the “reward yourself” part. Achieving the goal is it’s own reward, but rewarding along the way as they reach benchmarks as they move forward could serve to help motivate students during the journey.
Thank you this is a great tool
I love this goal setting sheet! Is there a student reflection sheet that you have students reflect on along with this?
I have some forms I have students use each week to reflect on the progress they are making towards achieving their goals, but I’m not sure if I’ve uploaded them to this blog or if they are only found in my books. Check out my Best list on Goal-Setting.
Thank you so much for sharing this. It is exactly what I was thinking of but did not have the brain space, time, or energy to create before tomorrow’s class.
Hi Larry,
I like the sentiments behind your reflection questions, and I think that self-reflection is a great tool for taking responsibility in learning. However, I would change the wording in the first two questions. I work with gifted students, who often strive for perfection or feel like a failure because they are not “perfect.” However, it’s not only gifted students that feel this way as many of us feel burdened by outside expectations. Students may perceive your first two questions as having to look at what is wrong with them and may internalize the questions negatively. Just a consideration…. 😉
1. What do you like about yourself? Name as many things as you like, but please list at least three:
Revision suggestion – What are some of your strengths? Then add your follow-up question. Maybe define some of the possibilities?? (growth mindset, leadership skill, articulate with communication like a debate or presentation, mediator, task master, grammar, good time management, organized, etc.)
2. What things about yourself would you like to change/improve? Name as many as you would like, but please list at least three. Please also say why you would like to improve them:
Revision Suggestion – To maximize growth/learning, what areas would you like to improve upon? Then again, add your follow-up questions and also possibly add some ideas to help them brainstorm or help with phrasing.
Thank you for sharing your work! 🙂
Beth
Thank you!