January 2012

The Importance of Goal Setting

Dear EC and LS Parents,

As I get older, time seems to slip away more quickly every year.  For example, this week I realized that today (Friday) marks the end of the second quarter and the first semester — and that means half of the school year is already complete!  It is at times like this when I begin to worry about whether I can complete both the tasks I have been assigned and those I have set for myself.  To accomplish these tasks, I find myself having to assess what I have accomplished, reassess what I have to complete, and then set or reset my goals.

It probably won’t surprise you that I also came to the realization that, whether blindsided by the advance of time or not, I should plan on reassessing my goals on a more regular basis.  Measuring accomplishments and goal setting are great tools used by successful people, and it only stands to reason that in addition to using them both more in my life, I should recommend the practice to you for use with your child.

The end of the first semester is a logical time both to assess accomplishments and to set appropriate goals.  Progress reports will be posted in next week, and both you and your child can compare progress in the first quarter with progress in the second quarter.  You can then decide together on the areas in which your child might want or need to focus his or her efforts for the third and fourth quarters.  As you work on establishing goals with your child, remember to look at progress in the academic, social, organizational, and life skills areas.  Here are a few suggestions for goal setting. 

• If your child is having difficulty in a given academic subject, you could look at setting a goal of focusing on that subject last when completing homework so that he or she can devote sufficient time to the subject without interfering in the completion of other assignments. 
• If your child is having difficulty getting along with others, you could work with your child on setting goals related to spending time with a variety of friends, arranging play dates with those he or she needs to improve relations, or even practicing simple skills such as eye contact, how to enter and exit a conversation or simply using appropriate salutations. 
• If your child is having difficulty getting ready for school on time, you could look at goal setting involving establishing evening and morning routines to increase efficiency. 
• If your child is having difficulty getting dressed, you could look at setting goals around planning tomorrow’s outfit in the evening and working to develop skills such skills as zippering, buttoning, lacing or tying, as needed. 
• If your child is having issues with tardiness or frequent absences, this is also a good time of the year to review the problem and establish plans or goals to break the pattern.

Teaching your child assessment and goal setting early can be very beneficial for development and success later in life.  I highly encourage you to begin establishing goals with your child, even at a young age.  Hopefully, as your child grows, goal setting will become natural and regular. 

So, your first goal is… to look at goal setting with your child! 

Sincerely,
Kevin J. Muirhead
Head of Early Childhood / Lower School

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