42 Educational goal examples for students & teachers

In this guide

• The importance of setting goals in education
• Setting SMART educational goals for students
• Strategies to help students set SMART goals
• Examples of student goals and associated SMART goals  
  • Be positive
  • Improve study habits and improve GPA
  • Be better organized
  • Learn to be better at problem-solving
• Setting SMART educational goals for teachers
• What are some examples of teacher goals?
  • Patience
  • Student engagement
  • Technology integration
  • Professional development
  • Parent-teacher communication
  • Community involvement
  • Create and manage a productive learning environment
• An example of SMART goals in my classroom
• Conclusion

The importance of setting goals in education

Goals are fundamental for teachers and students alike. Research shows that setting challenging goals is more effective than goals that merely ask someone to do their best and are a more effective way to set individual expectations. When goals are difficult but achievable they can help motivate the person setting the goals to reach for higher levels (Department of Education and Training, 2023).

Students need to learn to set goals to ensure they can achieve specific skills or knowledge in a specified timeframe. Teachers need to set goals to increase learning inside the classroom and continue building knowledge to advance their careers. One effective way of doing this is to set SMART goals. SMART goals are specific, measurable, attainable, realistic, and timely.

Setting SMART educational goals for students

Setting SMART goals with students is essential because they help students work effectively and can promote self management and motivation.

In the past, I have used SMART goals with my students to help them identify their yearly learning goals and break down the tasks they needed to achieve in order to attain that goal. For example, a past student of mine originally created a goal of, “I want to do better”. After some discussion we decided that a more achievable and measurable goal was, “I want to get a B in English instead of a C.” This was both realistic and attainable as their overall score was already close to 80%.  After that I asked them to break this goal down further to make it, “I want to get a B on my first test.” Once they had achieved that first B, they expanded the goal to a B on each test. They then measured the success of this goal by creating a success chart for each B, and were able to see with each B that they were closer and closer to their ultimate goal of a B in English.

So how can educators work with their students to set up SMART goals with all of their students? Here are some strategies I’ve used in the past.

Strategies to help students set SMART goals

Specific  

Set specific goals by asking the students to consider the following ‘W’ questions

• What do I want to do better?
• Who can help me?
• Why is this a good goal?
• When do I want to achieve this goal?

Measurable  

Consider how the goal will be measured in a tangible way. For example younger students who have a goal of reading more can make the goal specific by deciding how many pages they want to read each day and track their progress on a chart. Teenage students may set a goal of learning 100 Spanish verbs by the end of a semester. The success of this goal which they can then test themselves with flashcards or getting someone to test them.

Achievable  

Big goals are great, but they need to be broken down into smaller milestones. This will help students track their progress, and means they can also celebrate the wins along the way. Asking questions like:

• Can I reach my goal in the time I have available?
• Do I have everything I need to achieve my goal? If not, what do I need to do to have them?
• Did I break my goal down into manageable steps?

Will help them create a series of smaller tasks so they can achieve the bigger one. 

Realistic  

Goals need to be realistic to be attainable. Asking questions such as:

• Am I passionate about my goal?
• Will I be able to stay motivated while working toward my goal?
• What are the benefits to me to reach my goal?

Will help the student to decide whether the goal is a realistic one. Encourage students to discuss their goal with someone else, a peer, a parent, their cat, and ask for feedback. Sometimes when we say things aloud, the answer to our question presents itself.

Timely  

A timely goal will help students keep on track. There are some strategies that they can use to ensure that their goal is timely.

• Break the goal down into smaller steps and determine how long each step should take.
• Look at the schedule for other commitments in and out of school to decide how much time they realistically have available.
• Set deadlines for milestones of the smaller goals. Adjust the timeline as necessary for unexpected setbacks or commitments.

Examples of student goals and associated SMART goals  

So far everything I’ve shared has been abstract. Here are some examples of student SMART goals that you can use as examples with your student to get them started.

1) Be positive

1. S:  I will be more positive about my school day and acknowledge even the smallest positive experiences.
2. M:  I will keep a journal to record 3 positive experiences or thoughts each day. 
3. A:  I will use self-awareness techniques to catch my negative thoughts and make them into positive ones in real time. I.e. Instead of saying “I can’t do this,” say “I can find a solution.”
4. R:  I know that changes take time and effort. If I can’t find 3 positive experiences in one day, I will start with smallest accomplishments like, I was on time for all of my classes today.
5. T:  I will use positive language every day for 30 days.

2) Improve study habits and improve GPA

1. S:  Improve note-taking, and time management study habits so my work is completed on time and I improve my grades.
2. M:  Create a chart to track due dates and scores. 
3. A:  Plan specific times to study and make it a routine. I will regularly review my study habits and make adjustments based on what works best for me.
4. R:  Break down study sessions into smaller chunks to maintain focus and prevent burnout.
5. T:  Improve my grades by the end of the semester.

3) Be better organized

1. S: To be more organized when I study at home. This includes keeping track of assignments, and saving my files so I don’t lose them.
2. M:  I will declutter my study space at home once a week and make sure my files have been saved.
3. A:  I will create a to-do list and include my everyday tasks. I can do this on an app and set reminders or write on paper.
4. R:  When I am more organized, I am less stressed and more efficient.
5. T:  I will spend 15 minutes before I go to bed to make sure my digital files are backed up, my to-do list is complete, and my bag is packed for school so I don’t forget anything.

4) Learn to be better at problem-solving

1. S:  To be a better critical thinker and decision-maker.
2. M:  I will solve one complex problem on my own each week.
3. A:  I can get better by working on my skills with puzzles and real-life scenarios.
4. R:  Problem solving is important for doing well in school and real life, pulse it will help reduce my stress and anxiety.
5. T:  I will keep a journal where I write down my challenges, possible solutions, and what I did to solve them. I will achieve this goal by writing in my journal throughout the semester.

Setting SMART educational goals for teachers

As teachers, we are constantly striving to improve our skills and to help our students learn. Setting goals for ourselves helps us identify the areas where we want to improve and helps us track our progress in each of our goals. 

Whether the goal is creating an engaging classroom or improving student achievement, make sure the goal is SMART. When we as teachers set SMART goals it makes us take a good look at what we want to achieve and how we plan to do it. They are necessary, as well, to help you align your teaching practices with standards and your school’s expectations.

For me, being clear about my short and long-term goals is essential to remain organized. Using SMART goals has helped me target areas of improvement for both myself and my students. For example, I identified the need to increase the overall writing levels for my students as they had not had a specific focus in the past and were writing below grade level. I used SMART goals to create individual milestones and used regular targeted writing activities and consistent feedback which resulted in an overall level increase for each student.

Using SMART goals has also helped me recognize areas where I would like to focus my professional growth and, within my time restraints, find specific shorter courses such as using technology in the classroom and identifying instructional strategies to help me create a more productive classroom environment.

Here are some questions you can ask yourself to help you reflect on setting SMART goals.

Specific  

• How can I clearly define my goal to make sure that it addresses an area of concern?
• What are specific actions I need to take to achieve this goal?
• What changes do I want to experience when I have achieved this goal?

Measurable  

• How will I know when I have reached my goal?
• How will I measure my progress?
• How can I gauge my improvements?

Achievable

• What are the skills I need to develop to reach my goal?
• What are possible challenges I might encounter in reaching my goal?
• Do I have the time and/or energy I will need to give to this goal?

Realistic  

• Are my goals aligned?
• Have I asked colleagues or mentors if my goals are realistic?
• Are my goals reasonable within my chosen timeframe?

Timely  

• What is a reasonable timeframe to accomplish my goal?
• How will I prioritize my time? How will I adjust my timeline if there are unexpected delays?
• What steps should I take right away to get started on my goal?

What are some examples of teacher goals?

Making a habit of setting goals helps you keep your motivation and passion for teaching. It is necessary for your success and general happiness.

1) Patience

1. Wait for students to process instructions before moving on to new information.
2. Learn to deal with the many student personalities.
3. Cultivate patience when managing student behavior.

2) Student engagement

1. Implement interactive activities that encourage participation.
2. Add group projects and cooperative learning to lesson plans.
3. Think of ways to add hands-on learning.

3) Technology integration

1. Develop technology-based projects that promote critical thinking and/or problem-solving skills.
2. Attend continuing education classes to acquire new skills that you can apply to your classroom.

4) Professional development

1. Complete a certification course in a new teaching methodology.
2. Attend a professional development workshop.
3. Go to conferences within my subject area.

5) Parent-teacher communication

1. Decide when to communicate with parents and guardians.
2. Choose communication channels like classroom websites, newsletters, and email updates.
3. Use strategies to involve parents in their child’s learning.
4. Ask for feedback through conversations or surveys.

6) Community involvement

1. Plan a community service activity to foster social responsibility and empathy.
2. Coordinate with local organizations for a career fair.
3. Establish a community service project that will continue throughout the school year.

7) Create and manage a productive learning environment

1. Establish clear expectations that promote respect and empathy with students.
2. Address all instances of bullying or exclusions.
3. Foster a sense of ownership by implementing elements of autonomy and student choice.
4. Change the layout of the classroom to optimize learning.

An example of SMART goals in my classroom

When I went to a small bilingual school in Costa Rica, my homeroom class was a combination of 5th and 6th-grade students, a total of 8 students. 

My goal for the year was to create an environment where the students felt their voices were heard and that gave them autonomy and a level of control of their learning environment.

In order to achieve this goal I created a set of SMART goals. I have outlined the first goal and a series of questions I asked myself in order to achieve that goal.

Specific goal

• Understand who my students are, and what they need to make their school year great.

Key questions I asked myself:

• What kind of classroom environment will work best for my students?
• What can I do to make sure my students feel valued and heard?
• How much autonomy and control will I provide for my students?

Measurable goal

• Use a reward system that aligns with the classroom rules established by the students.

Key questions I asked myself:

• What measurable outcomes can I set to evaluate the success of the students and my desired classroom environment?
• How will I measure whether or not my students feel heard?

Achievable goal

• There will be an end of semester auction. Students will use the classroom rewards (class money) to bid for prizes.

Key questions I asked myself:

• What are my limitations here in Costa Rica?
• What resources do I have available?
• How can I break this down into daily, weekly, and monthly goals?

Realistic

• Use the class contract displayed on the wall as a reminder of the goal. Students can self-monitor actions.

Key questions I asked myself:

• What steps do I need to take to make sure my students feel empowered each day?
• How can I implement strategies to balance my classroom priorities with student autonomy?

Timely

• Each Friday, students count and record rewards earned by following class rules.

Key questions I asked myself:

• What milestones can I create as checkpoints to track our progress?
• How often will I need to review and adjust my approach?

Here are the strategies I used to help me achieve my goal. Each strategy also addressed each of the SMART categories.

Strategy 1: Getting to know me

I started the school year by first listing 5 answers to 5 questions that students had to figure out about me. That followed with each student taking their turn writing 5 answers that we had to find the right question to. 

Why: To foster a sense of connection and trust between myself and the students and lay the foundation for my goal.

SMART Categories:

• Specific and Measurable: listing answers and finding the correct questions
• Achievable: sharing personal information
• Realistic: sets the stage for relationship-building
• Timely: initiated at the beginning of the school year to set a positive tone

Strategy 2: What we all need to achieve success

After the students had relaxed, I asked them to discuss with their peers what they needed from me as their teacher to help them in the class. 

Why: To promote student voices by letting them express their needs in the classroom. It empowered them to take ownership of their learning. This worked to warm them up for creating a classroom name and a set of rules.

Before they shared their responses to the class, I wrote the numbers 1-10 on the board and wrote two things I needed to have a great school year. 

After this, each student had the opportunity to state what they needed in the classroom to make their school year great, and what they had experienced in the past that made it not as great.  

SMART Categories:

• Specific: identifying students’ needs and past experiences
• Measurable: quantifying responses
• Achievable: promoting discussions
• Realistic: creating student input opportunity
• Timely: activity conducted after students settled into the class

Strategy 3: Co-create a classroom name and rules

Students were asked to come up with the last 8 classroom rules. 

Why: Working collaboratively to create a class name and rules gives students a sense of both ownership and responsibility. It also promotes a positive classroom environment.

• The students had 20 minutes to discuss and agree on the rules and, in that time, they created the rules of the classroom. I sat outside the classroom door with the door open and had no part in the discussion.
• Next, the students created a name for the class which was a combination of the letters in their names. 
• The class name and the 10 rules were displayed proudly in the classroom on a big banner. 
• Each student received a copy of this, signed by me and each of them to take home.

SMART Categories:

• Specific: establishing rules and class name
• Measurable: creation of a class name and agreement of rules
• Achievable: discussion and decision-making
• Realistic: student involvement in rule creation
• Timely: completed within a short timeframe

Strategy 4: Class money 

I created class ‘money’ with the name of their class and my picture. 

Why: Using class money works as an incentive for self-policing and works to reinforce the classroom expectations agreed upon by all of us. The students learn about not only responsibility but accountability and the consequences of actions as well in a very tangible way.

• Students received money for homework as well as random acts of kindness in and out of the classroom. They also ‘lost’ money when they broke one of the classroom rules after being reminded by a classmate.
• Each student received a ziplock back and a notebook. In the notebook, they marked when they received the ‘money’ and the reason, and at the end of each week, they totaled how much they had earned.
• At the end of the semester, they had an auction of dollar store items I had collected such as erasers, pencils, and treats. They bid for items with the money they had earned. 
• When they were running out of money, the students would combine forces to bid more.
• Finally, they each decided to share their ‘winnings’ with the students in other classes.

SMART Categories:

• Specific: creation of class currency
• Measurable: tracking earnings and fines
• Achievable: creating and distributing class money
• Realistic: linking rewards and consequences to behavior
• Timely: end-of-semester auction

Strategy 5: Taking stock

Why: This promotes student accountability and reinforces classroom expectations autonomously. It highlights the effectiveness of establishing clear rules and expectations collaboratively which leads to self-regulation and a supportive classroom community.

Most of the time if a classmate was ‘breaking a rule’, another student would whisper the rule number without any involvement on my part and they were proud of the classroom environment they created to be successful. 

Throughout the school year, I found the students would remind each other of the rules that they established. I was constantly impressed that they felt empowered to ensure their classroom rules were followed. 

The weekly update of classroom money earned and lost was a highlight of each Friday. The students commonly asked if there were more ways to ‘earn’ money to increase their bank accounts.

The students showed empathy, self-regulation, and kindness inside and outside of the classroom.

SMART Categories:

• Specific: tracking adherence to established classroom rules
• Measurable: observance of student-initiated reminders
• Achievable: cultivating student-driven enforcement
• Realistic: empowering students to maintain rules
• Timely: ongoing monitoring throughout the school year

Conclusion

There are benefits for both students and teachers in setting goals. For students, by setting goals, they can get a clear vision of what they want to learn and achieve. They gain motivation and confidence as well as resiliency as they learn and explore ways to reach their goals. When teachers set goals, they are better equipped to teach their students and grow in their careers as they improve their skills and knowledge.

Sources

1. HITS: Setting goals and learning from them. (2023, April 28). schools.vic.gov.au. https://www.schools.vic.gov.au/hits-setting-goals-and-learning-them
2. 11 Academic goals to set for success in an online class. (n.d.). University of Minnesota Online. https://online.umn.edu/story/11-academic-goals-set-success-online-class
3. Djoub, Z., & Djoub, Z. (2023, December 4). Main goals of effective teachers – EduLearn2Change. EduLearn2Change – Empowering teachers to expand their future. https://edulearn2change.com/article-4-main-goals-of-effective-teachers/