Goal Setting and Self- regulation

Goal Setting and Self- regulation Susan Helldorfer Leonardtown Elementary SMCPS

Can a student with poor work habits and study habits set personal achievement goals and be successful?Under what conditions is this most likely to happen?

Can an underachieving student raise his report card grade through goal setting and self monitoring?

The Literature Says… • Goals provide a form of motivation to perform well on given tasks • Providing rewards for successful completion of goals is also and effective motivational approach

It’s all about desire Linskie (1977) "Motivation is generally described as the desire to achieve a goal that has value for the individual."

The perceived ability of the learner to achieve the goal is necessary for successful goal setting. Consequently, individual goals are more effective than on goal for all students. Punnett (1986) One Critical Piece

Because Unreasonable Goals • Prevent students from becoming what they can be • Establishing reasonable goals provide children with feelings of happiness and completeness and allows children to be themselves. (Hart 1989)

Students are interested • In the things they plan themselves. They work much harder on self-made goals than they ever would on the expectations of someone else. • "Successful teachers seem to have a special ability to involve students in goal setting, in identifying with the learning problem, and in generating a kind of sense of personal excitement for new ideas." linskie 97

It’s what we all want... • Students who feel they have self efficacy (competence or power) to attain a goal show greater effort and persistence that those who lack it. (Cauley, Linder & McMillian 1989) • The school should assist children in developing goals for themselves; we should reinforce these same goals. The school may be the only source for goal development for some children.

Goal Setting Properties Include • Specificity • Difficulty level • Proximity

One last reminder Goalsetting yields positive results in motivating pupils' learning. (Madden 1997)

"What is an effective way to motivate students to learn?" The use of individual goal setting accompanied with appropriate feedback and teacher support tend to be very effective approaches to motivate students to learn.

Goal Setting Write your goal. _________________________________________________________ List the Activities List your Strengths ________________________ _______________________ ________________________ _______________________ ________________________ _______________________ ________________________ _______________________ What obstacles might you face? How will you overcome your obstacles? ________________________ _______________________ ________________________ _______________________ ________________________ _______________________ ________________________ _______________________

Sample Journal Entries from 4th & 5th Grade Intervention Students • I have been studying my notes for 20 minutes everyday. I have turned in all my classwork. • I keep all my homework in one place • I did all of my homework and I listen in class to what my teacher says about tall tales and to take it out of my folder • My goal is doing good. When I was leaving to go home, Mrs. Hall said my reading grade has improved. • I am doing good. I pay more attention. When I make eye contact I know what to do. When I look over my work, I get better grades. Now I’m doing better.

For my hows, I’m doing really good by doing all of my homework and if I didn’t get the homework I would take it to the teacher for help. I don’t really have to do that any more because I pay attention in class. • Last week I did most of my homework. I listened to the teacher and she said she was impressed by my grades. Now I will also stay in my chair. • I’m reading harder books about snakes and reptiles about 30 minutes each night • I’m doing good with my goal of improving grades because if I make honor roll my mom said she would get me a PSP aka play station Portable. Now I’ve been working even harder to improve my grades. Just last week, I got 100% on my vocabulary quiz.

Goal Setting and Self- regulation