August 29, 2022 ~ Mary Pettit, NBCT, Ed.D
Cassandra just finished her 5th grade year in my class this past June. She agreed to help me explain the rewards of goal setting, the benefits of backwards planning, and the importance of tracking progress. Cassandra explains the thinking behind this process and follows up her explanation with an example from a past writer’s workshop unit of study.
Cassandra stated that as she prepares to enter the middle school this year, she will remember to use the strategies she learned including how to start with the end goal in mind and reverse plan while keeping track of each strategy and skill that she used along the way. Most importantly, she said that it is important to remember “your why” because “you have to know what you’re doing and why you’re doing it.”
After you watch Cassandra’s presentation, we invite you to think about how you can help your own students use these strategies to build confidence and self efficacy, facilitate ownership and autonomy, and foster independence. Enjoy!
- Start with the end goal in mind.
- Each day a new strategy is introduced and mastered, add an “I can” statement to a class and/or personal anchor chart.
- Refer to it each day.
- Celebrate progress and reflect often.
Goal setting is like charting an educational journey and navigating through the terrain of invisible barriers that prevent learning. Ultimately, starting with the end goal in mind will create a pathway to success and achievement.
~Mary Pettit, NBCT, Ed.D Universal Digital Literacy Solutions, LLC
The idea of using backwards planning in combination with the “I can” statement initiative was inspired by A.J. Juliani’s podcast.
Universal Digital Literacy Solutions, LLC 
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