On the QT Newsletter, Get SMART

August 25, 2009

 

Attachment: Smart Goal Course Planner

 

Did you know? The most important day of the entire semester is the first day of class, because it sets the tone for the semester. Most students will enter your classroom motivated and enthusiastic about a new beginning, yet feeling a bit overwhelmed. This is a great time to introduce them to the SMART goal setting strategy. This simple but powerful tool helps students identify their goals and make them specific, measurable, actionable, realistic, and timely. In studies where  students write their own personal goals for a course at the beginning of the term, reflect on those goals as the course progresses, and review the goals at the end of the course, both student and faculty satisfaction improves. Goal setting is a critical component of success, and one you can quickly introduce using the activity outlined here.

 

Try this:

 

Ask students what they “want” from this course.

 

Share your goals and expectations for the class.

 

Explain that one of the best ways to turn wants and expectations into reality is to make them into SMART goals.

 

Distribute this SMART Goal Course Planner and review the SMART goal acronym. Then, give students time to complete the worksheet.

 

Review their responses and provide contact information on college support services that could help them reach their goal. (Tutoring center, study groups, test prep sessions, career counseling, financial aid, job center ...)

 

Add an Experience: Assign students the online student activity, Get SMART. When they return to class with their Get SMART guides, give them a few minutes to share their goals and the strategies they are using to make those SMART goals a reality. Continue to give students feedback on how they are doing in class, and encourage them to overcome the obstacles that get in their way. (You may want to encourage students to look at this new vision board app, 99 cents, to help them stay focused on their goals.)

 

New "Hire Me" Series: As economic times and conditions continue to shift, this year’s On the QT series will provide you with the latest information about what employers are looking for as they make “new hire” decisions and ideas, resources, and activities to help students develop job search skills and strategies to land the jobs they seek. Look for your biweekly editions of On the QT!