Thursday, October 12, 2017

Goal Setting with Young Children

This week students are working on their showcase portfolios. The portfolios include a number of reflections, study samples, and stats.

Yesterday I reviewed ed stats with students. The ed stats included reading words per minute, reading accuracy, reading comprehension test scores, math test scores, and math facts scores. We used the stats, in part, to choose goals for learning. The main goals included the following:

  • Better reading fluency by reading and using fluency tools like One Minute Reader (OMR)
  • Better reading comprehension by reading and then talking about or writing about that reading regularly.
  • Better writing by writing every day.
  • Better math facts by studying.
  • Learn math standards knowledge by attending to daily lessons and learning options.
  • Enrich math knowledge by completing one or more of a large list of enrichment options.
  • Better social-emotional learning by following directions.
  • Better social-emotional learning by collaborating with others.
  • Better social-emotional learning by developing character (a lifelong challenge)
When students and I sit down with family members we'll look over the showcase portfolios and revisit the goals. We may make goals more specific or add another goal that's a better fit. I'll likely make a chart of all the goals and hang it up in the classroom so we can keep the goals front and center while teaching and learning. 

We'll deepen, broaden, and better personalize goals in the days to come. In the meantime, if you have ideas for me, let me know.