Set Goals That Stick: How to Start the School Year with Purpose

The first few weeks of school are a whirlwind—supplies, rosters, classroom setup, and schedules. But once the dust settles, one of the most powerful ways to anchor your classroom community is through goal setting—for both you and your students.

This week, I’m sharing 3 practical strategies that will help you build a strong foundation for academic success and classroom engagement.

1. Review Last Year’s Data With Students

Instead of keeping test scores locked away, bring them into the conversation.

Ask:

• “What’s one thing you did well last year?”

• “What’s one thing we’ll focus on together this year/quarter?”

Even reluctant learners benefit from seeing their progress and talking about it in a growth-focused way. Plan to revisit their goals each quarter and celebrate their progress.

📌 Try this: Create a simple tracking sheet or progress graph where students can document their growth throughout the quarter or semester.

2. Teach Goal Setting—Don’t Just Assign It

Middle schoolers need explicit instruction in how to set goals they can actually reach.

Try this framework:

• Write a specific goal: “I will revise my writing using the feedback checklist.”

• Break it down into daily or weekly tasks.

• Track progress visually—use stickers, checklists, tracking sheets, or reflection slips.

📓 For you: Set a parallel goal for yourself (e.g., “Hold 2 positive student or parent contacts per week”) to model consistency and celebrate progress alongside your students.

3. Teach Students How to Study and Engage

Even strong students forget how to study—or never learned. Use this time to:

• Model study behaviors (chunking, note-taking, self-quizzing)

• Practice classroom engagement skills (asking questions, peer collaboration)

• Model the 3-2-1 "Engagement Strategy" (3 key takeaways, 2 questions, 1 action step)

These micro-lessons early in the year save weeks of reteaching later.

📌 Have you registered for next week's FREE webinar?

We'll be tying this all together to help you plan instruction that will make a big impact NOW!

CLICK HERE to register.