The SMART Goal-Setting Method for Your Students

As parents, we all want to see our students succeed to the best of their ability while in school. Not only is it a good feeling for the parents, but it’s an even better feeling for the students to succeed at something. 

There’s a method out there known as SMART which is an acronym. The letter's meanings are as follows: 

(S) Specific 
(M) Measurable 
(A) Attainable 
(R) Relevant 
(T) Time-bound 

Below we will go into depth about the meaning of each letter and how implementing this method into your child's goal-setting can be very beneficial. 

S - Specific 
In order to make effective goals, it is important to define exactly what they are. Encourage your student to be as specific as possible while coming up with goals. The more specific, the better. 

Maybe they have a test coming up, encourage them to study hard enough that they ace it! In order to help them specify their goals clearly, ask them these questions: 

• What am I trying to accomplish? 
• Why is this goal important to me? 
• What do I need to do in order to meet my objective?

M - Measurable 
Setting goals that are measurable is crucial for your child's goal setting. By doing this they will be able to track their progress while also seeing what else they may need to do in order to reach their targeted goal. 

If your goal has data that you can measure while working to complete it, that makes it measurable. You need to help your student establish solid criteria for them to meet and track their progress. 

Here are a few questions to have them ask themselves to make their goals more measurable: 

• How much? 
• How many? 
• How will I know my goal is complete? 

A - Attainable 
Talk with your student, are the goals they are setting truly attainable in the time frame they are allowing themselves to complete them? 

For example, if they want to raise their grades from a C to an A, but the semester is almost over, they may have to settle for a B+ instead. That doesn’t mean the C to A goal has to be completely forgotten, however. 

R - Relevant 
Are your student's goals going to help them in the long run? No need to have them pour out tons of energy on a goal that won’t improve their academic success. 

You want their goals to be productive while also benefiting them in some way. A results-focused approach will help your students achieve their goals while also helping them stay productive. 

T - Time-bound 
When do your students plan on having their goals accomplished? Their goals should always have a defined deadline with clear steps in order to reach the deadline chosen. 

Without a clear time frame, there will be no sense of urgency which will give them very little motivation to complete their goals. 

In Conclusion 
​Encouraging your students to set clear goals for themselves at home is a great way to encourage academic success. The SMART method is an even better way for them to take goal-setting step by step. 

Foundations Christian School is still accepting new students for the 2022-2023 school year. If you are interested in enrolling your student contact Carrie Alo at 607-271-1116 or fill out the enrollment application on our website.