Setting Goals by Theodora Papapanagiotou 

Gladys Cagle-Pieniazek

What's a goal you set for yourself and reached in the past and what steps did you take in order to achieve your goal. What's the "secret of your success and what advice would you give others?

I work full time and am a single parent. Several years ago I decided to earn my master degree. The degree was a goal that I had wanted for a lon… See moreg time. I succeeded in earning the degree by dividing my studies into small sections. I also set aside time each day to devote to my studies, and, finally I did not let the studies control my life. I gave myself time to spend with my children as well as a few hours weekly I devoted to myself. I feared that if I let the studies overtake my life that I would drop out of the course.

1415 days 6 hours 40 minutes ago

Gladys Cagle-Pieniazek

I work with young children and have discovered that when I explain to them what our goal is that they are able to grasp the idea. For example, Last month we had the task of learning 10 colors. The children knowing the goal were eager to master the topic.

1415 days 6 hours 45 minutes ago

Gladys Cagle-Pieniazek

Do you think it's more effective to set a series of small goals or a single big goal? Explain.

I think that it is more important to set small goals. I find it easier to manage when I have smaller goals. I often feel overwhelmed with confronted with large goals, they often seem unattainable. Whereas, I feel that small goals can be accomplish… See moreed. When I have a large goal that has/needs to be reached, I break it down into small sections.

1415 days 6 hours 49 minutes ago

Patrolena

2) I think it's more effective to set a series of small goals in order to accomplish a big goal. I think this process by fulfilling each small goal it is more helpful to attain a big goal. When you just set a big goal you make be doing many things wrong that will prevent you to fulfill it but be breaking it up and having a checklist is more effective in … See moremy experience.

4) I'm a parent and I often use reward charts for my own kids eg. if they make their bed, get their toys away, eat their vegetables etc. As teachers we can also make charts for our students and set goals for them whether it is individually or as a group. If students achieve these goals we can give them a sticker or star eg. if they can say "Please and Thank you." or if they can say "I'm sorry." or "You're Welcome." This will also boost their self-esteem when the teacher praises them.

5) I personally believe that goals and motivation are interrelated. If no goals are set then there is no motivation to do anything because there is nothing to work toward. If we however set goals at the beginning of the school year, term or semester and both the teacher and students know what the goals are then both the teacher and students will be more motivated to achieve the set goals. Also, when we reflect and evaluate at the end it makes this process easier. You cannot evaluate if the goals were reached if you didn't set any at the beginning so they all go hand in hand.

1464 days 17 hours 26 minutes ago

Ashley Van Oordt

1. What are some different goal-setting approaches you know about and use in your professional and
personal life?
My goal-setting approach involves setting an overall goal (big goal) and then working towards it by
setting various short term goals. I use this approach for goal setting on both a personal and a
profession… See moreal basis.

2. Do you think it's more effective to set a series of small goals or a single big goal? Explain.
I feel that one should use both. Setting a single 'big goal" is important as it gives one something to strive
towards as the outcome of one efforts. This is the aim one should work towards. One can then break
down the big goal in a set of 'smaller goals" which one works towards completing which will eventually
help one achieve the big overall goal.

3. What's a goal you set for yourself and reached in the past and what steps did you take in order to
achieve your goal. What's the "secret of your success and what advice would you give others?
I have set many goals for myself on both personal and professional levels. Some personal goals included
loosing weight and being active. Though, I'd like to share my goal setting experience for a professional
goal I have set for myself. I recently completed my Masters Degree which of cause was my overall goal
(Aim). To achieve my overall goal, I compiled a series of smaller goals which included things like
completing assignments, preparing for lectures, studying for tests / exams, preparing my lessons for
class (work), and spending time with my family. I could achieve my overall goal by managing my time to
achieve the various small term goals I've set for myself. I also feel that the level of motivation is the most
important factor in determining how much success one would have in achieving one's goals.

1466 days 22 hours 1 minutes ago

Shadi Saba

1. What are some different goal-setting approaches you know about and use in your professional and personal life?
I don't use any specific approach. I identify problems and use my experience to problem solve.
2. Do you think it's more effective to set a series of small goals or a single big goal? Explain.
Multiple small goals.… See more I enjoy the satisfaction after each goal has been completed.
3. What's a goal you set for yourself and reached in the past and what steps did you take in order to achieve your goal. What's the "secret of your success and what advice would you give others?
Becoming more organized. I hated being unorganized. So, I started creating routines for myself and thus I have saved time.
4. How could English language teachers use goal-setting activities with students? How might this help them reach both personal and academic / linguistic goals?
English journals may be helpful.
5. How are goals and motivation related? Please explain and give examples from your personal or professional life.
I imagine if want truly wanted to reach a goal they would be fueled by motivation.

1603 days 21 hours 50 minutes ago

Hassan Hassan

2. Do you think it's more effective to set a series of small goals or a single big goal? Explain.
I guess it is more effective to set a series of small goals which lead to a big goal, not necessarily a 'single' one. It is similar, at least in my perspective, to the way we set a goal for ourselves as teachers to "Teach students English … See morelanguage"- this is the big goal. But, in order to do that, we should have a series of goals, for ex. to learn grammar, vocabulary, reading, listening, etc. In other words, these small goals enable us to to reach and accomplish the big goal we set for ourselves.

3. What's a goal you set for yourself and reached in the past and what steps did you take in order to achieve your goal. What's the "secret of your success and what advice would you give others?

My goal was to study in a university, and it I worked very hard to achieve this goal. I was born to a poor family and I did not access to Internet till I was 18 years old. I had the highest scores in high school among my friends, but unfortunately the nightmare of not continuing my studies was looming above my head the whole time. I did not give up, so I set a goal for myself, as usual, and draw a plan of what I am going to do, what steps, when, where and how I should implement each one. I was according to the plan, so I worked 2 years and then registered to the university. then, I took a semester off because of money again. but still I did not give up. I believed I can do it, and I am still having problems in many downs, but what I can say is not give up and believe you can do it. A very fascinating movie I highly recommend is "The pursuit of happiness".

4. How could English language teachers use goal-setting activities with students? How might this help them reach both personal and academic / linguistic goals?

Teachers can teach their students HOW to achieve something by setting a certain goal, WHAT are the mechanisms which play a role in achieving this goal, HOW MUCH work and energy we should put into it in order to accomplish, and most importantly is the use of TIME. Learning a language is with no doubt a long process and takes a lot of time. Setting goals based on a time scales is essential to teach students to be patient to reach their goals.

1612 days 13 hours 52 minutes ago

Khansaa Saii

1- Actually, I don't have a certain approach to depend on. I simply try to apply some lessons passed throughout from my personal life .
2- I like having a big goal and then work on achieving it step by step.
3- well, I've achieved some important goals in my life and working on achieving the others. Simply by having that great determination… See more and being patient, you can get what you want .

1638 days 9 hours ago

Judith Yoana Moya Mosquera

1. What are some different goal-setting approaches you know about and use in your professional and personal life?
I don’t really have goal-setting approaches; I simply write what and why I want to achieve something and a specific time for it and how I’ll achieve it. I follow the same steps whether it’s about my professional or my personal life.
… See more />2. Do you think it's more effective to set a series of small goals or a single big goal? Explain.
I think we can use both. The smallest ones for short terms and the biggest ones or the big one for a long term and do every day something that get you closer to it accomplishment. Small goals very often look better than big ones, because those are in a way or another more achievable than the big ones and we can see they may require less time, though the same efforts and passion of the bigger ones. One way or another for me it’s okay, even though to be honest I prefer small ones.

3. What's a goal you set for yourself and reached in the past and what steps did you take in order to achieve your goal. What's the "secret of your success and what advice would you give others?
I set the goal of learning about how to type with all five fingers without looking at the keyboard; first I took an online course, but I was not honest and even when I got the certificate, I didn’t learn. However, I was working as a translator at a foundation and there I have to write and translate about two hundred or more letters a month and I definitely lasted more time because of my lack of typing skill, so I decided to learn no matter what it took to me. I looked for an image with the keyboard and every day I practiced a section. When I had much work to do, I went back to the old way, but then I encouraged myself to try again and again, and after one month and a half I was capable to type on the computer without even looking at the keys. For me, the secret is to try once and again without giving up till you get the desire. It may be hard at times, but if the desire is worthy, then you need to keep on trying and not resist. Time to rejoice and celebrate your efforts and devotion will come and you’ll see nothing is impossible and you’re able to do anything you want if with decision and determination you undertake it.

I chose the second task.

1639 days 2 hours 8 minutes ago

Michael Free

1. What are some different goal-setting approaches you know about and use in your professional and personal life?
I'm currently using the SMART goals I found on www.mindtools.com
2. Do you think it's more effective to set a series of small goals or a single big goal? Explain.
For me, I like to have a big goal (i.e., an aim) so that I … See morecan remind myself of the larger purpose of what I'm doing (though this depends on how 'big' the goal is). This is broken down into a series of smaller goals which allow me to take things 'one step at a time.'
5. How are goals and motivation related? Please explain and give examples from your personal or professional life.
For me, using a series of smaller goals helps me to maintain motivation. For instance, with my students I sometimes ask them: "Ok, let's create a story." The initial reaction is "Teacher, too hard!!" But, I break the story down into sections (5 pictures, or a simple archetypal structure) and have groups of students work through them one at a time. They find it's not as monumental as task as they thought.

1645 days 23 hours 31 minutes ago