Growth Mindset in First Grade--writing goals

This year I'm fortunate to be at  a school that has high academic expectations, but also looks at positive habits of mind to grow and develop as a person.  I'm also blessed to have an amazing class that is open, willing, and has learned this year to be okay with productive struggle and not being perfect.  It's been a hard road for a couple of them, who resisted at first (crying on the floor and the like ;).  Luckily, I make my fair share of mistakes in front of them!  I've been open and honest about mistakes and let them know that mistakes can help us grow.  Moreover we all make mistakes!

On Pinterest last year I saw a ton of awesome writing goal displays and I tried a few with my last year's class.  It never really took hold because the goals changed faster than I could create a new chart.  This year I came up with the display in the picture.  I'm sure there's other ways that are just as good, but this is working for us now.  I just change the post-it notes as we change goals.  I think little clips would work too, but I eventually want to have the kids write their own goals so I may stick with post its.  The only downside is falling post its (maybe I'll try the kind that restick?"  I wrote them the first round, but I already have some kids wanting to change their goals a week into it (the ones that had quicker fixes like printing size).  I'm having them show me the evidence though with writing samples in their WOW journals (Work on Writing). I can't decide on how many samples I'm going to require them to switch the goal up...any thoughts?

If interested in the goal chart I'm offering it as a FREEBIE on my TPT store:

http://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Writing-Goals-1551007

Please consider following me on TPT to get first notice of any flash freebies, new products, and sales:)

Warmly,
Valerie

Goal Setting

Yesterday I tried a new spin on goal setting with my class, and it worked GREAT!  I could sense the need to change things up a little with spring fever going strong so I did a mini-lesson on goals.  We then decided to set a daily goal based on something we could do in class. Most of the kids chose a behavior goal, but some chose learning goals also.  I gave them a quick 3-5 minutes to write their goal, and they turned them into me.  If they felt comfortable I read them, and I told them that at the end of the day we would revisit them and see if we met our goals (I wrote one too).  I also told them that I would pick a few randomly at the end of the day out of the pile, and if those people met their goals then I would reward them with a raffle ticket for our school behavior plan.  I was so impressed with their goals. Below are a few of them:

During the day, it was AWESOME because they kept reminding each other to keep working on their goal.  Even my student on a behavior contract met his goal (this was way more motivating to him than anything else I've tried this year...go figure!).  A the end of the day, they reflected on how they did.  The added benefit was that at the end of the day the reflection put a calm spin on a rushed Friday afternoon.  I loved this activity so much. I'm definitely going to try it again on Monday!

#goalsettingfirstgrade#learninggoals#behaviorgoals