Dreams are turned into goals when we can visualize them with specific dates and a deadline. What makes a successful person different from an unsuccessful one is the art of goal setting.
It is believed that goal setting should be taught to students at the school level. In this dynamic world, it not only helps them to achieve milestones in school but also helps them to achieve accolades outside the school environment. When they touch the floors of the corporate world, they know how to complete the given task beforehand. They are not alien to deadlines and handling pressure and this is a big plus.
Goal setting does not only help students to turn dreams into reality. But also helps them to acquire certain qualities like leadership skills, team building, teamwork, accountability, and overcoming challenges. These add-ons provide them with a suitable platform to emerge victorious in every sphere of life.
Now, it becomes of utmost importance for us to know how to inculcate such qualities in students. Here we have listed certain techniques that help teachers and parents in building these traits in the student.
Provide students with opportunities
It is a prime responsibility of schools that they provide students with a platform that helps them to showcase their inert skills. Every school should conduct extra-curricular activities like debates, declamations, dance competitions, singing concerts, skits, and dramas. By means of such events, apart from academics students can set goals to win in such activities as well.
Invite motivational or inspirational speakers
Schools must focus on inviting successful people who have achieved something exceptional in life. These people can motivate students by their success stories to achieve something worthy in their life. They can teach students how to set and meet their goals effectively.
Form certain committees and clubs in schools
Schools should make certain committees and clubs in schools like; Literary Club, Social Activities Committee, NSS, NCC, Sports Club, Creative Club, Photography Club, Student Council, and so on. Through these clubs, students engage in certain co-curricular activities. They start taking initiatives and conduct various programs. To make such activities successful it’s of key importance that they make certain goals for their clubs and then start working on them. This also helps in teaching students the importance of leadership and team spirit.
Student Exchange Programs
As the Japanese proverb states, “A frog in the well doesn’t know the ocean”. If we keep our students preserved inside four walls of the school, it will do no good to them. We must promote student exchange programs in our schools and collaborate with universities and schools abroad. Through this, our students develop critical thinking and this provides them with an edge over their counterparts. They can set goals for themselves and decide the career that suits them the best.
Don’t limit classroom teaching only to academics
Rightly stated by Margaret Mead, “Children must be taught how to think, not what to think.” Today we have transformed our classrooms into factories where we produce robots by feeding them with mere bookish knowledge. This is insane as it does not help them in living a fruitful life. They should know how to apply that knowledge in an efficient manner. For this they should be taught skills like time management, how they can balance their activities in school and home, and spend time wisely. They should be taught how to be flexible by different methods. In this dynamic era, it is mandatory for students to change with time. In this constantly changing world, they require a new approach as every innovation turns obsolete with the advent of a new challenge. We all know that goal setting is a process and it is always good to be flexible.
Parents and teachers must work mutually towards students
It’s very important teachers and parents follow the goals set by students. As sometimes they can set unrealistic goals. Instead of helping them, these goals lower their morale. A teacher should teach students work planning and goal setting. Parents should share their stories with children about how through travail they achieved something. Through this, they look up to their parents and work hard towards achieving their goals.
We are sure that through these methods students will learn how to set goals for themselves and achieve them beforehand. We request all education stakeholders to use these methods in your education institution and let us know how they helped you and your students.
