Date: April 9, 2000

Grade Level(s): 9, 10, 11, 12

Subject(s):

• Language Arts/Writing (composition)

Description: Often, today's high school students struggle with daily school work because they have not clearly established short and long term goals. This lesson will help them to develop personal goals that will bring greater focus to their daily activities.

Goals: Students will:
1. Identify three relevant short term goals and one long term goal
2. Understand the importance of setting goals and establishing strategies to reach them
3. Enhance their writing and communication skills by sharing their personal goals

Objectives: Students will:
1. Will discuss the importance of setting goals and relate common problems in setting goals that are both realistic and challenging
2. Write approximately a 500-600 word essay on three short term goals and one long term goal that come from the following categories: academic(college or classes such as math)/sports/drama/fine arts/career or job related

Materials: Handout: On Being a Successful Individual/Learner

Procedure:
1. Share handout with class and allow the students 3-5 minutes to carefully read the handout
2. Discuss the handout with the class and relate the value of setting goals to their daily lives and encourage them to pursue their dreams
3. Share the writing assignment with students by outlining the basic requirements of the paper (see assessment section for grading rubric)
4. Begin writing the assignment and help students who are vague about their goals
5. Complete the writing assignment after two 45 minute work sessions

Assessment:
The writing assignment can be assessed by using a basic grading rubric. Student papers will evaluated in the following areas:

1. Paper includes introduction, body & conclusion & one reference
2. Writer uses complete sentences, proper English, varies sentence length and correct spelling of terms
3. Cites three major goals and one long term goal
4. Briefly describes how to reach each of their goals
5. Cites one principle, idea or quote from handout in their paper

Useful Internet Resource:
* Goal Setting for Athletes
http://www.geocities.com/Colosseum/Bench/6823/goals.html

The Seven Cs of Success (Morris, 1994)

1. We need a clear conception of what we want, a vivid vision, a goal or set of goals powerfully imagined.

2. We need a strong confidence that we can attain our goals. It is vital to cultivate a positive attitude by acquiring good mental habits (ex. our attitudes reflect personal choices). For instance, effective individuals who reach their potential focus their attention mainly on their strengths and not their weaknesses (Maxwell, 1999).

3. We need a focused concentration on what it takes to reach our goal.

4. We need a stubborn consistency in pursuing our vision, a determined persistence in thought and action.

5. We need emotional commitment to the importance of what we're doing, and to the people with whom we're doing it.
Michelangelo's painting the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel in four years on his back. He painted more than four hundred figures and nine scenes from the book of Genesis. It required tremendous dedication to complete the project. Michelangelo's work had a major impact on other painters (ex. Raphael) who changed their painting styles to follow his.

How can you improve your level of commitment?
    A. Measure your commitment by examining how much time & energy that you devote to something that you consider important in your life. Do your activities support your goals?
    B. Understand what goals are worthy of great personal sacrifices.
    C. Share your goals with others to help you become more dedicated to completing a project (ex. Thomas Edison used to call press conferences when he had a good idea for a new invention). (Maxwell, 1999)

6. We need a good character to guide us and keep us on a proper course.
It takes courage to be willing to take risks that challenge your abilities and personal academic experiences. It takes discernment to understand your strengths, build upon your previous successes and increase your educational and career opportunities. In fact, Maxwell (1999) relates that "one discernment-driven decision can change the entire course of your destiny (p. 50)."

7. We need a capacity to enjoy the process along the way.