How can SMART goals help students?

For many kids (and parents), goal setting gets effective when approached through the SMART method. This interesting and surprisingly practical method teaches an important life skill that simplifies ambition, breaking it down into actionable chunks, making it more likely to be achieved. The great thing about SMART goals is that it’s flexible, and can be applied to anything from reading a book to paying back bank debts.   

What does SMART stand for?
SMART is an acronym that stands for: 

Specific 

Measurable 

Attainable or achievable 

Realistic and relevant 

Time-limited and track-able 

These are measures to figure out how to set and achieve a goal. A goal is an outcome that will make a difference on achieving. Measurable goals cannot be over-ambitious, but they can’t be without challenge either. It’s realistic nature will make it relevant. And since it has to happen within a time limit, it needs to be tack-able. SMART sounds like a great method to get students working better, and is actively used for that.  

SMART Goals working examples 

We have rounded up examples to show how SMART can be applied step by step. If you are a parent reading this, hope : 

Specific: The goal can’t be ‘get better grades’. Tell your kid, ‘give an hour more to algebra this month, so that you get more marks in the next test’.  

Measurable: Check the grades of algebra now and compare with previous grades. Both your child and you know now exactly how much work is needed to improve.  

Attainable (Achievable): Are the grades still not good? Is there a learning gap? Are the concepts unclear? Figure out what will make the goal attainable.   

Realistic and relevant: It’s not realistic to expect full marks from a kid struggling to pass. But yes, the child can go up to a D, and then to a B+, and proceed towards A.  

Time-limited and track-able: Going from F to D might have taken more than a month. It means going up to B will take the semester. That would be the overall goal, and the immediate goal should be going form D to C in a month. 

SMART is a big help to discover and channelize our strengths towards achievements.