As we head into a new year, we also enter the tricky and confusing land of New Year’s resolutions. If we’ve heard one new year’s resolution, we’ve heard them all. Whether it’s eating more celery, eating less chocolate (a resolution I would never be able to keep), traveling more, or learning a new skill like knitting or pilates, these goals often fall flat by February and can leave us feeling uninspired and unsuccessful (just ask the untouched yarn and half-finished scarf sitting in the corner of my living room). So how do we create goals that stick – especially for our students?
As writing teachers, we are consistently supporting our students to become more reflective about themselves as authors. We want them to celebrate their growth and notice the places in their writing where they might need to spend more time and effort. No matter what grade level you teach or what genre your students are currently investigating, our collective goal for all of our students is the same- to become effective writers! However, as we know, each writer in your classroom has different strengths, different needs, and different obstacles on their path to becoming a better, more effective writer.
Coming back to school after a break is the perfect opportunity to reflect and set writing goals with students. Rather than vague or random goals, like I will work on my spelling or I will write the whole time during Writing Workshop, we want to make sure that the goals we set with students are specific and strategic. This will help goals feel actionable, support students in taking ownership and responsibility over their goals, and make those goals stick!
Making Goals Specific
When setting goals with young students, get specific! To get as granular as possible in your goal-setting, think about all of the different areas that contribute to students becoming more successful writers. As I said earlier, our goal for all students is for them to become more effective writers, but what each student needs to specifically focus on to make their writing more effective may be very different!
- Content and Language-Focused Goals When creating specific goals, some students may need to focus on the genre-specific content or language of their writing. Rather than a vague goal like “make my story better,” a content-focused goal targets particular and specific aspects of writing that align with the assignment or purpose. These are often parts of the major writing standards for each grade level! Some examples could be:
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- I will use a beginning, middle, end structure for my narrative writing.
- I can use transition words like “however,” “therefore,” or “in addition” in my argument writing.
- I will use direct citations from my sources using the correct punctuation.
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- Writing Behavior Goals Often, students need to consider their habits and behaviors during Writing Workshop when creating and setting goals. Consider the resolutions you’ve made over the years- so many of the goals we set for ourselves revolve around our behavior and how we spend our time! We can help students set goals that help them manage themselves, use their time effectively, and build volume and stamina during the writing process.
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- I can use the writing center to add pages to my book independently.
- I will write all the way to the end of a page before taking a break.
- I can keep track of all of the pieces in my writing folder.
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- Collaborative Goals Sometimes, certain students can benefit from setting goals around the way that they collaborate and talk about their writing with their peers to help move their writing forward. As we move into the new year and consider ways that students engage in the writing process, encourage students to engage with peers for feedback, ideas, and support. This can help hold students accountable to their goal while also reinforcing that writing is meant to be shared! Some examples include:
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- I will share my writing with my partner, listening for new suggestions and adding them to my writing.
- I can communicate what is tricky about writing to my partner and ask them questions about my writing.
- I will give my partner specific feedback on their writing by focusing on one area, like word choice or sentence structure, and suggest ways to improve it.
Making Goals Strategic
When setting goals with students, it’s crucial to consider not only what their goal is but also HOW they will accomplish that goal. If I make a resolution to read more books this year, simply naming the goal is not enough! The pathway to achieving it needs to be intentional and clear. The strategy I attach to my goal could be to read 10 minutes before bed every night, read 5 pages of a book every day, or set aside time on a Sunday afternoon to read. This makes it so much more likely that I will accomplish my goal!
So let’s get strategic! Push students to actively identify the steps and strategies they will use to work toward their goal, rather than leaving their progress up to chance. As teachers, we can guide them in this process by helping them leverage specific classroom resources, tools, and checklists.
- Management Tools If a student’s goal is to manage their time more effectively, focus on writing during workshop time without distractions, or stay organized with their materials, some simple management tools can be a game-changer. Basic sand timers or or other visual cues can help students stay on track and stay accountable to their goal. Encourage students to use each side of their writing folders for different purposes, with one side holding writing that is still in progress and one that has completed drafts, or to organize their writing notebook with Post-it notes. For students who struggle with distractions, consider making writing spots around the room more flexible!
- Goal: I can stay focused during workshop time and complete a draft.
- Strategy: I will use a sand timer to break my writing time into 10-minute chunks, taking a quick stretch break in between to stay energized and focused.
- Checklists Checklists can help students break their goals into manageable steps and ensure they’re including all the elements they need in their writing. Use checklists for specific stages of the writing process, such as planning, drafting, revising, and editing. You can also provide genre-specific checklists that focus on the unique elements of each type of writing.
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- Goal: I will use direct citations from my sources using the correct punctuation.
- Strategy: I can use the citation checklist to make sure I have quotation marks and ending punctuation, and that I have correctly attributed the quote to the source it came from
- Writing Resources Make sure that your classroom writing center is available to students, and is stocked with simple resources like paper choices, staplers, and revision tools that students can use to help support their goals and build their independence. Have relevant anchor charts and mentor texts available in the classroom in reliable areas for students to consistently reference. If their goal is content-specific, like writing stronger conclusions, they might look to an anchor chart you created or a mentor text to analyze effective examples.
- Goal: I can use the writing center to add pages to my book independently.
- Strategy: At the beginning of workshop time, I will reread my book. If I need to say more, I will walk to the writing center independently, get the paper I need, and walk back to my writing spot.
By providing management tools, checklists, and accessible writing resources, you empower students to take ownership of their writing process, making their goals achievable and their progress measurable.
Making Goals STICK!
Once goals are set, the key to achieving them is ensuring they remain top of mind and integrated into daily routines. Making goals stick involves using visual reminders, fostering accountability, and aligning classroom instruction to support those goals.
- Have student goals visually represented somewhere in the classroom environment to serve as a constant reminder for students and keep their focus on the target. You can have students write their goals on the front of their writing folders, keep a goal tracker inside the folder using a transparent page-protector, or simply use post-its with their goals on their desks for quick reference.
- Leverage partnerships for accountability! Partners can meet weekly to discuss their progress, share strategies, and celebrate achievements related to their goals. You can also consider creating new writing partnerships or small groups with these goals in mind, so students have someone to motivate them and problem-solve challenges with that is working toward a similar goal.
- Use student goals as a way to reflect on your own teaching! Look for patterns across student goals that show a common need in your classroom. Plan for whole-group minilessons as well as small group instruction that can help support students with new strategies as they work to meet their individual goals!
Goal-setting with students is an essential practice that not only supports their growth as writers but also fosters self-awareness, accountability, and independence. By helping students set specific and strategic goals, and providing the tools, resources, and routines they need to achieve them, we set the stage for meaningful progress. We’d love to see the writing goals your students set for themselves in 2025! Tag us to share your goals and ideas on Instagram or Facebook so that we can feature you in an upcoming story.
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