Lesson 3: Goal Setting


Attention


Learning Outcomes

Upon completion of this lesson's material, students will be able

  • Explain the importance of goal setting
  • Create S.M.A.R.T. goals related to professionalism and early childhood educator skills

Teaching

Before starting any new adventure it is important to ask yourself what the purpose is of what you are doing.  This course obviously has objectives laid out for you and I would hope you are here because you possibly want to work with children. But in looking further than that, what do you want to get out of this class?

For this lesson, you will be creating goals for yourself and later on in the class you will be doing reflection on how they are going.  This is an important process because goal setting gives you something to plan and work for.  By writing them down it is a reminder of what it is you want to accomplish and keep you accountable to achieve them.  Goal setting also makes things appear more realistic.  What seems like a far-away dream can now be more realistic and reachable. Lastly, by creating goals for yourself, you get more out of this class.  I can only “teach” so much of this course.  The rest is up to you.  It is your responsibility to look for ways in which the content of this course will be useful to you.

When creating your goals, make them a S.M.A.R.T. goal.  This will assure that your process is meaningful and you will be set up for success. A smart goal is:

Specific – A specific goal answers all of the W questions.  It is the Who, What, Where, When, Which and Why of the goal.  You have a much better chance of achieving this goal if it is more specific than broad.  For example, a general goal would be, “I want to learn more about free play for babies.”  A more specific goal would be, “For this semester I will spend two days a week at my practicum site participating in activities that will help me to better understand what babies do during free play time”

Measurable – This part of the goal is establishing criteria for measuring your progress toward the goal.  Your goal is measurable if you can answer questions such as, “how much, how many or how will I know when my goal is accomplished?

Attainable (agreed, achievable) – To be an attainable goal, it must be achievable.  Is this something that you think you can accomplish or you know you can accomplish? How important is the goal to you?  Of course you can attain any goal you set when you create a plan that follows the other steps of this goal setting process, but make sure it is one that you want and are driven to do.

Realistic – Is this goal something you are willing and able to do?  Are you hoping you can change the world for the infants during free play time or are you simply trying to understand what goes on before taking the next step?

Timely – can you reach your goal in the amount of time you have set for yourself?  This can go two ways – you can either A – set an easy goal with WAY to much time thus making things easier but not meaningful.  OR you can do B – set a really difficult goal with not enough time to do it, thus making it unattainable and unrealistic.  Assure your goal is attainable and realistic for the amount of time you give yourself.

To help you in creating S.M.A.R.T. and appropriate goals for this course, read and complete the following:

Read chapter 4 (pg 58-73) in Professionalism in Early Childhood Education: Doing Our Best for Young Children

  • After reading this chapter go to page 115 and use the self-assessment tool to rate yourself on
    • Communication and relationships
    • Work ethic
    • Moral and ethical behavior

Read Step Two (pg 27-66) in Powerful Interactions


Assessment

Lesson 3 Assignment

Write two S.M.A.R.T goals using the template provided.  The goals will be submitted as a draft to your instructor and finalized before sharing with your cooperating teacher.  Every week when you write an email update to the instructor and cooperating teacher, you will include how your goal is progressing.  Also keep in mind that in Lesson 7 you will be providing a mid-semester reflection using the self-assessment at the bottom of the goal page.  This will offer a time to adjust your goals if need be or switch goal gears completely.

  • You will be using the Writing Goals Examples and Writing Goals Format forms for this assignment.
  • Click HERE to download the Lesson 3 Goals Grading Rubric - PDF

Possible Class Discussion

Explain why you believe goal setting is important for your practicum experience.

Possible Class Discussion

Read Chapter 20 in Swinging Pendulums. Do you agree with ALL of your placement sites policies and rules?  When you think about the professionalism discussed in chapter 4 of the Feeney text, how should you, would you, or could you, handle the difference of opinion?