Activity Goal-Setting SMARTs

SEL Competency Self-Awareness

Duration 25-30 minutes

• Student composition notebooks or e-journals

Materials Needed
• Goal-Setting SMARTs guidelines/Writing Prompts

Educator Note
Goal-setting and long-term planning can be helpful vehicles for students to begin understanding their
aspirations and ambitions. This process can also help students envision how they can start leveraging
their strengths and skills in ways that support them in achieving their dreams.

Activity Structure
To begin this activity, ask students to share their thoughts about why setting goals is important and
allow for a few minutes of discussion. Then, explain to students that goal-setting is a process we can
practice so we can be more effective in identifying and achieving the goals that are important to us.
One process, called SMART, provides an easy way to remember the steps involved in setting Specific,
Measurable, Attainable, Realistic and Relevant, Time-limited and Trackable goals.

Print and hand out, project on a screen or whiteboard, or share electronically the Goal-Setting SMARTs
guidelines/Writing Prompts document. Review each SMART element. Then, ask students to respond to
the writing prompts in their notebooks or e-journals.

Extension/Assessment
Tell students that they will be revisiting their identified goals at a later, pre-determined time. Students
will then conduct a self-assessment on how successful they were in achieving progress toward their
goal. Use these questions to guide students’ self-assessments:
• Did you succeed in meeting or achieving your goal or, if yours is a long-term goal, did you make
progress toward it? If not, what do you think got in the way or prevented you from realizing
your goal or making progress toward it?
• What supports or resources have you accessed to help you along the way? Were you able to
identify other resources you needed or will need that were not included in your original plan?

©Changing Perspectives 2021

 • Are there any steps you might have done differently? Why or why not?
• If you were not able to fully achieve your goal or make significant progress toward it, will you
continue working to achieve it? Why or why not?

Virtual Modifications
Provide an overview of the goal-setting process via a brief teacher-led video lesson, via screen sharing
during a virtual advisory/class meeting, and/or by sharing an electronic copy of the Goal-Setting
SMARTs guidelines/Writing Prompts. Then, instruct students to answer the writing prompts in their e-
journal or a shared document you can access. Debrief each student’s learning process in breakout
rooms, guided by the following prompts:
• Was it easy for you to identify a specific goal or dream that you aspire to? Why or why not?
• How did you use the SMART goals guidelines to help you shape your goal?
• Does your goal involve working with others and seeking resources outside of your control? How
might that affect your ability to achieve your goal?

©Changing Perspectives 2021

 Goal-Setting SMARTs
Goal-setting is a process we can practice goal-setting is a process we can practice so we can be more
effective in identifying and achieving the goals that are important to us.

• Specific: Be specific and detailed when setting a goal. For example, instead of saying, “I want
to improve my grades in school,” say, “I will get all Bs or higher on my report card.”

• Measurable: Make sure your goal can be measured. In the example, a goal of improving
grades can be measured by looking at a progress report or report card.

• Attainable: Create goals that are achievable. Rather than setting the goal, “I will get As in all
of my classes on my next report card,” try setting the goal, “I will raise all my grades by one
letter by my next report card.”

• Realistic and Relevant: Ask yourself if your goals are realistic and relevant to you
individually. If you are not motivated to improve your grades, you will likely not stick with
your plan to achieve this goal.

• Time-limited and Trackable: Set a realistic time frame to accomplish your goal. Do not set a
goal to raise your grades by next week or next school year; instead, set a goal to raise them
by your next progress report or the end of the semester.

SMART Goals Writing Prompts

• What is something that you aspire to achieve, be, or do? This could be a multi-year plan, such
as attending college or a vocational program, or something more task-oriented, such as
learning how to ski, bake cookies, or speak a different language.

• How can you break your goal into the steps you will you need to take in order to accomplish it?

• What resources might you need in order to attain your goal? These could be specific people
you need to coach or direct you, financial resources you will need, or related skills you will
need to improve or acquire as a part of your process.

• Are there obstacles that you may face in working toward your goal? What steps or strategies
can you use in order to overcome such challenges?

©Changing Perspectives 2021

 Fijar Metas “SMART” (metas “inteligentes” por sus siglas en inglés)
En inglés: Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic/Relevant, Time-bound
En español: Específico, Medible, Alcanzable, Realista/Relevante, Tiempo-limitado

• Específicas: Sé específico y detallado cuando te fijes una meta. Por ejemplo, en vez de decir:
“quiero mejorar mis calificaciones en la escuela,” di: “Sacaré notas B o notas más altas en mis
calificaciones.”

• Mensurables/Medibles: Asegúrate que tu meta sea mesurable/medible. En este ejemplo, la

meta de mejorar las notas puede ser medida mirando el progreso en cada boleta de
calificaciones.

• Alcanzable: Ponte metas que puedas lograr. En vez de fijarte una meta como por ejemplo
“voy a sacar A en todas mis clases en mi próxima boleta de calificaciones,” trata de ponerte la
meta: “Subiré mis notas un grado/punto/letra en mi próxima boleta de calificaciones.”

• Realista y Relevante: Pregúntate a ti mismo si tus metas son realistas y relevantes para ti
individualmente. Si no te sientes motivado para mejorar tus calificaciones, lo más Seguro es
que no te apegues al plan trazado para conseguir esta meta.

• Tiempo-limitado y Rastreable: Fíjate un límite de tiempo realista para lograr tu meta. No te

impongas una meta de mejorar tus calificaciones para la próxima semana o para el siguiente
período escolar. En cambio, imponte la meta de mejorarlas para tu próxima boleta de
calificaciones o el final del semestre.

Temas de Escritura con Metas “SMART”

• ¿Qué sería algo que tu aspiras ser, lograr o hacer? Esto podría ser un plan de varios años, algo
así como llegar a inscribirse a la universidad o a algún programa vocacional. Pero también tu
meta podría ser alguna cosa orientada a o enfocada en una tarea en particular, por ejemplo
aprender a esquiar, hacer galletas o aprender a hablar otro idioma.

• ¿Cómo podrías dividir tu meta en los pasos que necesitas para lograrla?

• ¿Cuáles serían los recursos que posiblemente necesitas para conseguir tu meta? Estos podrían
ser específicamente las personas que sean necesarias como mentores o guías, los recursos
económicos que necesites o las habilidades relacionadas necesarias a adquirir para mejorar
parte del proceso.

©Changing Perspectives 2021