Setting Goals

This is a unit from the Relationships Initiative Curriculum. See the full resource collection on the curriculum’s homepage.

The activities in this section are designed to help students think about their future goals and aspirations so that they can become the person they would like to become. This section include things like how we learn from our mistakes, how we make decisions, what we need to be our best selves, and where we we see ourselves in 20 years. The goal is for students to see their schooling experience as one important piece in their broader life journey.

Supplemental Videos

Use these playlists to facilitate introductory conversation around goals, aspirations, learning, and resilience. Continue to select videos that reflect the students that you are sharing the classroom with, and model active listening by sharing your observations, thoughts, and connections to the stories you watch. As you watch, invite students to reflect, journal, and discuss the following questions:

What are you excited about this year?
What do you want to be when you grow up?
What brings you joy every day? How can you bring that into our classroom?
Where do you see yourself in 10 years? In 5 years? At the end of this year?
How do you stay motivated when you’re tired or sad?
What does it take for you to be successful?
What does learning look like for you? How do you learn best?
What’s your “mantra”? What will you tell yourself this year when you need a boost?
Who is your hero? Who do you look up to? Why?

Browse videos below in order by age group. Do you have a video or activity that might help other teachers talk about setting goals? Share it using our submission form.