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Goals??


3boysmama
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Do you set yearly goals for your kids? If so, would you mind sharing them, along with what grade level the goals are for? I'm very curious to see what others goals are. I have never actually sat down and written out goals for my kids before (I know! I know!), but this year I am. I'm excited! I think this will be a good year for us!! :001_smile:

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Absolutely. I actually physically write them out most years. I may have missed a year here or there, but that's not a good thing. I just wrote ours out a couple nights ago, so I have them handy. Now you've got to know how I plan. I've been mulling stuff, writing out plans, now I'm writing out my GOALS, then I'm actually going to go back and PRUNE my ideas to fit my goals. I guess normal people would have set goals and then picked materials, right? :lol: Oh well, life isn't tidy. So the point is goals can do a lot of things for you. They can show you what or what NOT to do. They can help you discover that your *goal* with the materials was actually something less academic or more character-driven or specific to the dc, meaning you change how you use it. Maybe you still do it but the amount of time or the specifics of the task aren't as important as getting the character result out of the process. So all goals aren't the same all the time for every subject.

 

That said, I'll type out what I've got for this year. This is rising 8th for a dc in the throes of puberty.

 

spiritual goals--daily discussion, affect how see people (wisdom) and self (sin, right/wrong, eternity)

 

physical science--short (3-4 hours/week), focusing on stuff that will stick like labs and engaging biographies

 

history--timeline, more connections, more time [amount per day], some projects

 

math--diligence, application

 

geography--understand Truth, people's needs

 

literature--continue reading challenging list, begin to discuss [this is challenging for this dc]

 

grammar--basic coverage

 

writing--consistent, uncomplaining effort, work

 

PE--toning

 

handwriting--last-ditch effort

 

Bible Reading

 

Time Totals--4 hours academics + 11/2=2 hours reading daily

 

Sew weekly

 

Art--art history and time for hands-on, daily sketching

 

You can see exceptionally little of that was about content. Writing could have been, and for some kids maybe the actual skills ARE the goals for the year. But for THIS dc at THIS particular age I suddenly realized that WHAT she was writing was less important than the attitude. So as long as it reflects diligence and work and consistent effort, it's going to get her to where I need to be. That's not the answer for every kid. Maybe your list will have "become proficient at multi-level outlines and summaries from those outlines" or whatever. I'm just showing you different ways goals can look. Not putting outlining on there doesn't mean we aren't going to DO it, because we WILL. It means I can differentiate that from my GOAL. It also means I can walk away from something on the boards or something WTM or whatever says to do if I know it's not hitting our goals.

 

You've heard this before, but you can't hit goals unless you set them. So go for it. It really doesn't take long to do all that. That page probably took me 20-30 minutes to write out, once I sat down and let it start flowing. That's why it's in such odd order, because I wrote as it came. Don't be too perfectionist about it. It's just between you and God (or however you problem-solve) mainly.

Edited by OhElizabeth
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As for academic content, I use the Core Knowledge K-8 Sequence as my basic list of goals. I add other things to this, but the Sequence is my minimum.

 

I cover the 3 R subjects by grade level. As for other subjects (namely history, geography, science, etc.) I aim to cover these at some point K-8 though I may not teach them in the same order as the Sequence.

 

You can download the Sequence for free and read through the goals grade by grade here:

http://www.coreknowledge.org/download-the-sequence

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Goal for my dd8/3rd grade:

 

Handwriting-learn cursive, write beautifully and effortlessly

Reading- acustom to reading slightly longer, more difficult literature; love of reading.

Math- complete the 3rd grade text book; master addition and subtraction facts, begin learning multiplication.

Latin- introduce to latin; memorize vocabulary

Greek Myths- study for National Mythology Exam

Geography-learn states, capitals, abbreviations, location.

Spelling- get through the lists; increase in understanding of rules & apply

Writing/grammar- develop stamina; learn to express thoughts on paper using proper grammar; be able to summarize a passage in 2-3 sentences.

Piano-develop habit of practicing; increase in skill

Memory work- memorize poetry & scripture (I have certain ones in mind)

Religion-develop habit of daily scripture study.

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Even if you don't finish writing the goals, and then lose them, it still helps to try and write down goals. It's so easy to get pulled along by what is expected in a curricula, or by what other people are doing, that you don't get YOUR priorities completed. Even if you just spend 30 minutes scribbling on scrap paper while waiting for an appointment, it'll help focus you for the next few weeks.

 

I'm such a mess that I can actually get distracted from completing priorities, by spending too much time thinking about and writing goals. :lol:

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My goals for first grader:

 

By the end of the year-

 

Express self verbally, with confidence (eye contact, full sentences, appropriate manners, volume and enunciation).

Show appropriate play ground/ group behavior, form friendships with ease.

Be able to write a paragraph independently after brainstorming (in class).

Master addition and subtraction facts.

Enjoy school.

Read most picture books independently. Be able to read instructions on worksheets independently.

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Absolutely. I actually physically write them out most years. I may have missed a year here or there, but that's not a good thing. I just wrote ours out a couple nights ago, so I have them handy. Now you've got to know how I plan. I've been mulling stuff, writing out plans, now I'm writing out my GOALS, then I'm actually going to go back and PRUNE my ideas to fit my goals. I guess normal people would have set goals and then picked materials, right? :lol: Oh well, life isn't tidy. So the point is goals can do a lot of things for you. They can show you what or what NOT to do. They can help you discover that your *goal* with the materials was actually something less academic or more character-driven or specific to the dc, meaning you change how you use it. Maybe you still do it but the amount of time or the specifics of the task aren't as important as getting the character result out of the process. So all goals aren't the same all the time for every subject.

 

That said, I'll type out what I've got for this year. This is rising 8th for a dc in the throes of puberty.

 

spiritual goals--daily discussion, affect how see people (wisdom) and self (sin, right/wrong, eternity)

 

physical science--short (3-4 hours/week), focusing on stuff that will stick like labs and engaging biographies

 

history--timeline, more connections, more time [amount per day], some projects

 

math--diligence, application

 

geography--understand Truth, people's needs

 

literature--continue reading challenging list, begin to discuss [this is challenging for this dc]

 

grammar--basic coverage

 

writing--consistent, uncomplaining effort, work

 

PE--toning

 

handwriting--last-ditch effort

 

Bible Reading

 

Time Totals--4 hours academics + 11/2=2 hours reading daily

 

Sew weekly

 

Art--art history and time for hands-on, daily sketching

 

You can see exceptionally little of that was about content. Writing could have been, and for some kids maybe the actual skills ARE the goals for the year. But for THIS dc at THIS particular age I suddenly realized that WHAT she was writing was less important than the attitude. So as long as it reflects diligence and work and consistent effort, it's going to get her to where I need to be. That's not the answer for every kid. Maybe your list will have "become proficient at multi-level outlines and summaries from those outlines" or whatever. I'm just showing you different ways goals can look. Not putting outlining on there doesn't mean we aren't going to DO it, because we WILL. It means I can differentiate that from my GOAL. It also means I can walk away from something on the boards or something WTM or whatever says to do if I know it's not hitting our goals.

 

You've heard this before, but you can't hit goals unless you set them. So go for it. It really doesn't take long to do all that. That page probably took me 20-30 minutes to write out, once I sat down and let it start flowing. That's why it's in such odd order, because I wrote as it came. Don't be too perfectionist about it. It's just between you and God (or however you problem-solve) mainly.

 

That's wonderful!! Thanks so much for sharing this with me!! Very inspiring!! :D So much to ponder!!

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My kids write down their own goals. We do this as a part of our portfolio process. Every two months, they check in on the goals they wrote last time and then write new ones. My rules for their goals are that they be achievable, checkable and that they not have more than three or four. No vague goals like, "Get better at reading." It should be specific like, "Read three new books."

 

I also do the kinds of goals that people are talking about here. However, I try to keep it really limited - focus on just a few key things - just one or two emotional/social type goals and one or two academic goals and possibly an independence goal (learn to tie your own shoes or pack your own lunch or the like) at a time. But I also am happy to shift my goals. However, I find if I have too many pots going at once, none of the goals really happen. We keep moving forward with academics and curricula and routines, but goals go beyond that for me and I need to have just a few things I'm trying to keep in mind about each kid.

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