Goal Setting and Feedback: How to Help Students Succeed
Setting goals and getting feedback are often seen as great ways to help students do better in school. However, using these tools can be tricky.
Too Big Goals: Sometimes, students aim too high. They might think, “I want all A's,” just because their friends are doing the same. This can leave them feeling disappointed when school gets tough.
Not Specific Enough: Goals that are unclear, like “I want to do better in math,” can be confusing. Without clear steps to follow, students can feel lost and uninspired.
Changing Motivation: At first, students might feel excited about their goals. But that excitement can fade quickly. If they hit a bump in the road, they might just give up on their goals.
Hurtful Feedback: If feedback isn’t given in a helpful way, it can actually make students feel worse. Being criticized too harshly can lower their confidence and make them less interested in learning.
Too Much Information: Getting too much feedback can be overwhelming. When students receive lots of comments, they may not know what to change or feel stuck because there’s so much to fix.
Slow Feedback: In school, feedback often takes time. If students don't get responses quickly, they might continue making mistakes, which can make learning harder instead of easier.
When we mix goal setting and feedback together, it can create even more challenges. If a student wants to improve their math skills but gets feedback mainly about other subjects, this can lead to more confusion and frustration.
SMART Goals: To avoid setting unrealistic goals, teachers can help students create SMART goals. This means goals should be Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. This way, students can set realistic goals that match their abilities, increasing the chances of success.
Helpful Feedback: Teachers should focus on giving feedback that helps students improve. Feedback should be clear, detailed, and aimed at guiding students, not just pointing out what's wrong. This approach keeps students motivated and helps them understand what they need to do.
Regular Check-ins: Giving feedback more often lets students adjust their efforts along the way. Timely feedback helps them stay on track with their goals and can prevent big mistakes later on.
Even though goal setting and feedback can boost students' performance, they come with challenges. By understanding problems like unclear goals, unhelpful feedback, and the tricky mix of these two, teachers can create better strategies. Using structured approaches like SMART goals and focused feedback can help overcome some of these issues, leading to better success for students in school.
Goal Setting and Feedback: How to Help Students Succeed
Setting goals and getting feedback are often seen as great ways to help students do better in school. However, using these tools can be tricky.
Too Big Goals: Sometimes, students aim too high. They might think, “I want all A's,” just because their friends are doing the same. This can leave them feeling disappointed when school gets tough.
Not Specific Enough: Goals that are unclear, like “I want to do better in math,” can be confusing. Without clear steps to follow, students can feel lost and uninspired.
Changing Motivation: At first, students might feel excited about their goals. But that excitement can fade quickly. If they hit a bump in the road, they might just give up on their goals.
Hurtful Feedback: If feedback isn’t given in a helpful way, it can actually make students feel worse. Being criticized too harshly can lower their confidence and make them less interested in learning.
Too Much Information: Getting too much feedback can be overwhelming. When students receive lots of comments, they may not know what to change or feel stuck because there’s so much to fix.
Slow Feedback: In school, feedback often takes time. If students don't get responses quickly, they might continue making mistakes, which can make learning harder instead of easier.
When we mix goal setting and feedback together, it can create even more challenges. If a student wants to improve their math skills but gets feedback mainly about other subjects, this can lead to more confusion and frustration.
SMART Goals: To avoid setting unrealistic goals, teachers can help students create SMART goals. This means goals should be Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. This way, students can set realistic goals that match their abilities, increasing the chances of success.
Helpful Feedback: Teachers should focus on giving feedback that helps students improve. Feedback should be clear, detailed, and aimed at guiding students, not just pointing out what's wrong. This approach keeps students motivated and helps them understand what they need to do.
Regular Check-ins: Giving feedback more often lets students adjust their efforts along the way. Timely feedback helps them stay on track with their goals and can prevent big mistakes later on.
Even though goal setting and feedback can boost students' performance, they come with challenges. By understanding problems like unclear goals, unhelpful feedback, and the tricky mix of these two, teachers can create better strategies. Using structured approaches like SMART goals and focused feedback can help overcome some of these issues, leading to better success for students in school.