As your child enters middle school, they’re likely to feel at least a little bit overwhelmed with everything that’s being thrown at them. For the first time, they are confronted with the future, with teachers discussing jobs, college, and life after school. How do you help your child take their first steps into the unknown? The answer is encouraging goal setting for middle schoolers.
In this article, we’ll discuss why goal setting is important, which goals your child should tackle, and how to get started. By the time you’ve finished reading, you’ll have the tools necessary to help your child while building up their confidence and independence.
Why Setting Goals Is Important
This statement may seem obvious at first glance, but take a moment to consider how good goal setting skills can help your child. There are three benefits you may not have considered.
Encourages Confidence
Many middle school students struggle with confidence, and as a parent, you want to provide them with every boost possible. Setting and reaching a goal can increase young people’s confidence tremendously. If they achieve one goal, they feel confident that they can achieve others.
Increases Motivation
Motivation to learn can dip in middle school, as students face harder classes, increased social pressure, and the effects of puberty. Lower motivation can lead to a negative spiral, as lower grades can reduce confidence, further lowering motivation to participate in class and in extracurriculars.
Provides Focus
We at Crimson Education don’t have to tell you that a million things are vying for your child’s attention, or that children’s attention spans are much shorter than in generations past. That said, goal setting (i.e., and developing a plan of action) can help improve focus on the task at hand and other parts of middle school life.
List of Goals for Middle School Students
Goal setting for middle schools starts with choosing a goal. If this is your child’s first attempt at goal setting, focus on only one goal at a time. The following are some suggestions that benefit middle school students. Keep in mind that your child may thrive with a modified or entirely different goal.
Improve Organization
Does your child have a backpack that looks like a bomb went off inside? If so, it’s time for them to improve their organization. This is a great first goal, as good organization can help improve grades and reduce stress.
Improve Grades
If your child struggles in one or more classes, it’s time to improve their grades. Consider starting with the class where they struggle the least or have the greatest interest.
Develop a New Friendship
Middle school is a time of transition and uncertainty for many students. Encouraging your child to grow their circle of friends can have many academic, social, and psychological benefits.
Develop Communication Skills
Good communication skills are essential in school, work, and day-to-day life. Avenues outside the classroom, such as school clubs, can encourage your child to interact with their peers and become a more confident communicator.
Starting Goal Setting for Middle Schoolers
No matter the goal your child has in mind, there is a tried and true path to successful goal setting for middle schoolers. Let me introduce you to SMART. In this section, we’ll discuss START basics and review a successful example of SMART in action.
For our example, we’ll focus on a fictional student named Danny. Danny current grade in Algebra I is 67, just 3 points below the passing grade. It’s currently March, meaning there are only two months left in school.
Specific
Your child’s goal should be specific, meaning well-defined. In other words, your child should be able to clearly and succinctly explain what they hope to achieve.
Specific in Action
Danny’s first goal statement is “I want to earn a better grade in math.” However, this statement is very vague. What is ‘good’?
Here’s a better example: “I want to improve my math grade by 5 points and pass Algebra I with a 72.” With just a little tweaking, Danny knows exactly what he’s shooting for.
Measurable
Work with your child to create ‘mini goals’ to track their progress. Each mini goal should be a piece (i.e., think of a puzzle piece) that fits into the overall goal. It should also be something that, even at one glance, you can tell whether or not your child has achieved it.
Measurable in Action
What mini goals can help Danny improve his grade by five points? One great option would be to complete an additional 10 math problems each day. Danny’s parents can easily confirm whether Danny has put in the work and offer remediation if he’s still having trouble.
Achievable
It’s good for your child to challenge themselves. That said, you want to make sure they’re capable of achieving their goal. An honest, open discussion can help your children refine their goal to something achievable.
Achievable in Action
Danny is having trouble passing math, but as we saw at the beginning of this section, he’s really close. That’s why a five-point improvement is an achievable goal. An unachievable goal would be earning an A. Failing to reach this goal might dissuade Danny from setting any future academic goals.
Relevant
Your child’s goal needs to be relevant to them. Without relevance, their motivation won’t be there. Make sure your child is enthusiastic about their goal and what they hope to achieve.
Relevant in Action
A lot of Danny’s success in improving his math score depends on his motivation. This is where his parents can play a significant role. Danny’s parents encourage him by saying that passing math will ensure his summer is free (i.e., the alternative being summer school). Using positive language and avoiding discussion of negative consequences can keep Danny’s goal relevant to him.
Time-bound
Steps to complete each part of the goal should have a deadline attached. This keeps your child accountable throughout the process.
Time-bound in Action
Danny knows that he has to get his grade up by the end of the year. However, he wants to steadily improve throughout the two months he has left in school. Working with his parents, he sets deadlines every two weeks to improve his grade by at least one point. If he doesn’t reach his goals on his own (e.g., the extra studying), he can turn to his teacher for help.
Need Extra Help?
If your child needs a little extra help with goal setting, try out the Crimson Education “My Goal Setting & Time Management Plan” worksheet. It further breaks down the SMART system and encourages accountability.
FAQ
What if my child can’t choose a goal on their own?
There’s a lot you can do to encourage your child to choose a goal. Honest discussions about their interests and concerns can help your child consider new options and make an informed decision. At the end of the day, you don’t want your child to feel that you forced a goal upon them or that they didn’t have a say in the matter. If they don’t feel that they’re in the driver’s seat, so to speak, they’ll have less motivation to accomplish their goal.
Does the SMART system really work?
Yes, the SMART system has been shown to work with people of all ages, not just middle schoolers. You likely know a few adults who would benefit from it. Consider discussing the SMART system with your child during the goal-setting process. Understanding SMART can help them see that goal setting isn’t scary or all that difficult. In time, they’ll consider it a valuable roadmap applicable to different academic, extracurricular, and life goals.
How can I make goal setting for middle schoolers more engaging for my child?
Bringing creativity into the mix is a great idea. One way to do so is by letting your child visualize their goals in a drawing, collage, or other artistic form. This expression can act as the S(pecific) part of the SMART system, and discussions based on it can help your child refine their goal, if necessary. Teachers applying SMART in the classroom have found great success with this technique.
Should I reward my child when they meet their first goal?
Beyond praising your child for reaching their first goal, whether you want to reward them with anything tangible is completely up to you. There are different viewpoints arguing both sides, but as each family is unique, the final decision is up to you. That said, it’s best not to incentivize your child to reach their goal because they will receive a reward. Rather, let it be a surprise, one you tell them may not happen again because reaching their first goal was a special occasion.
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