Where to use the short form
- PTA/PTO funding requests
- Local corporate sponsors
- Informational sheet for a fund raising event
Project Name: Goal Setting for Students®
Funds Requested: ________________
Number of Students: __________________
School:_____________________________________ Grade: ______________
Start Date: ________________________
Project Description
We will teach ____________students in grade (s) ____________ the Goal Setting for Students® principles. The program is divided into eight one hour sections: What is Success, Principles of Goal Setting, Samples & Practice, Investing in Yourself, Measuring Your Progress, Meeting the Challenges, How to Get Started, and Summary. Each of these sections is divided into information on the Chapter Topic, a Real World Example, Key Vocabulary, and a Class Activity designed to facilitate open classroom discussion. The Home Activity section reinforces the classroom discussions by getting the caregivers involved in home discussions on these important life topics.
If we teach students how to set and achieve goals and how to apply these principles in the classroom, students learn that they play a significant role in their education and in their future. Students learn how to overcome challenges and measure their progress, the power of being positive, and the importance of taking personal responsibility. Students will learn how to take more educational ownership with a structured, discussion stimulating goal setting program.
When students take ownership of their education, they take personal responsibility to do something meaningful and positive to change their lives. With ownership comes dignity and self-respect. Teaching students how to set and achieve realistic goals will make a significant, long-term difference in a student’s performance in the classroom and in their adult life.
Having students understand that success in the classroom means they must take personal responsibility for their education will have a positive impact on attendance, discipline problems, personal decision making, test results, etc.
Students who know how to set and achieve goals realize there will be challenges in their path but will not allow them to be insurmountable roadblocks to their future.
Benefits
Search Institute is a non-profit organization established in 1958. Their mission is to advance the well being of children and adolescents.
In a survey of over 1,000,000 students, they identified forty development assets that young people need to grow up to be healthy, responsible adults. The Goal Setting for Students® program positively addresses 15 of these important development assets.
15 Development Assets
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Positive view of personal future
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Adult role models
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Parental involvement in education
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Positive peer pressure
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Higher expectations
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Achievement motivation
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School engagement
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Homework
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Bonding with schools
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Honesty
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Responsibility
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Planning & decision making
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Self-esteem
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Sense of purpose
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Positive family communications
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Goal Setting for Students®
Accent On Success® is a non-profit organization dedicated to helping students succeed in the classroom and in life. They have developed the Goal Setting for Students® program tohelp students learn how to take ownership of their education.
The program took fifteen months to write and had the valuable input of over 25 professionals with advanced degrees in education and curriculum development. By teaching students how to set and achieve goals the program fosters an “I’ll Make It Happen” attitude that students can use in the classroom, in the workplace and in life.
For more information about the author, the nonprofit or the book please see goalsettingforstudents.com
Long Form
Prepare a cover letter on your organization’s stationery that briefly describes your project, how much money you are requesting, and how you will spend the money (i.e., books, teacher development seminar, etc.) Letter should be about one page. Please see the web resources listed on potential funding sources.
Project Description
We will teach _________ students in grade(s)__________the principles of Goal Setting for Students® in __(dates)________.
We are requesting $_____________from _____________________to help us in our efforts to positively impact young people’s lives.
Goal Setting for Students®
Accent On Success® is a non-profit organization dedicated to helping students succeed in the classroom and in life. They have written the Goal Setting for Students® book to help students learn how to take ownership of their education. The program involves students, teachers, parents and other caregivers through a discussion-based format that can be used in any curriculum.
By teaching students how to set and achieve goals the Goal Setting for Students® program fosters an “I’ll Make It Happen” attitude that students can use in the classroom, in the workplace and in life.
Program Goals
- Teach students how to take ownership of their education
- Help teachers reach their goals with their students
- Include parents and other caregivers in this collaborative educational experience
We will bring the goal setting message “home” by teaching the students
how they can use these valuable techniques in the classroom.
The strength of this program is its discussion-based format with students, teachers, and parents/caregivers.
The Goal Setting for Students® program is divided into eight sections:
What is Success, Principles of Goal Setting, Samples & Practice, Investing in Yourself, Measuring Your Progress, Meeting the Challenges, How to Get Started, and Summary.
Each of these sections is divided into information on the Chapter Topic, a Real World Example, Key Vocabulary, and a Class Activity designed to facilitate open classroom discussion. The Home Activity section reinforces the classroom discussions by getting the parents/caregivers involved in home discussions on these important life topics.
The Power of Educational Ownership
Marian Wright Edelman of the Children’s Defense Fund stated “never have we exposed children so early, and relentlessly, to cultural messages glamorizing violence, sex, possessions, alcohol and tobacco ….Never have we pushed so many children onto the tumultuous sea of life without life vests…”
If a student’s world includes some of the problems, how does he or she see the bigger picture? How do we help students develop a sense of purpose, take more interest in school, make better personal decisions, and achieve more? How can we give our children a “roadmap” for success?
Parents, teachers, and other caregivers want young people to grow up to be healthy, productive, caring adults with a good self - image and a positive outlook toward the future. Young people want the same thing but often do not know how to get it. As responsible adults our job is to help them “learn the ropes.” And, it starts with educational ownership!
In order for students to take more education ownership they need three things: a sense of purpose, a sense of bonding or belonging, and a sense of direction. Students need to know that what they are doing is important and worthwhile. They will bond to the school or class when the feel they “fit in”, have positive adult role models and peer influences, and when they are engaged in school activities.
Students will develop a sense of direction when they learn how to break up large seemingly impossible tasks into smaller, manageable parts and then take action on meeting those challenges. If we teach students how to set and achieve goals and how to apply those principles in the classroom, students will learn that they play a significant role in their education and in their future.
When students take educational ownership they take personal responsibility to do something meaningful and positive to change their lives. With ownership comes dignity and self-respect. With educational ownership students realize there may be challenges in their path but they will not allow them to become insurmountable roadblocks to their future. An “I’ll Make It Happen attitude will have a positive impact on: attendance, class participation, discipline problems, personal decision making and test results.
If we teach students how to set and achieve goals and how to apply these principles in the classroom, students learn how to overcome challenges and measure their progress, the power of being positive, and the importance of minimizing excuses and taking personal responsibility.
Teaching students how to set and achieve goals can be the “life vest” Marian Wright Edelman spoke about earlier.
What is Unique About This program?
The Goal Setting for Students® book is a structured curriculum that facilitates meaningful discussions. The book answers three questions that elicits “buy in” from students: Why is this important? How can I do this? How do I use this today to make my life (and the lives of those around me) better?
- The program includes parents and other caregivers in this important life skill.
- The goal setting message is divided into eight parts. It is not a small segment of a much larger program.
- The Goal Setting for Students® book shows students how to use these principles in the classroom - today.
- The book includes real world examples that students can relate to and discuss.
- The book took fifteen months to research and write and was enhanced by more than 25 professionals with advanced degrees in education and curriculum development.
- The book can be used to enhance any curriculum. Goal setting is not a stand alone subject that takes valuable time out of your teaching day.
- Goal setting is a valuable tool students need to improve their chances for success in your class. The Goal Setting for Students® program is a roadmap for your students to take more ownership of their education.
Top Features of this Program?
- Breaks down the goal setting principles into key segments – who, what, when, why, how, - and give students specific samples.
- Emphasizes the importance of minimizing the “Bummer Words™” words – “no, can’t, won’t, never, maybe, and if.“
- Stresses the “I’ll Make It Happen” words – “yes, I can, and I will.“
- Teaches students how to take more personal responsibility.
- Shows students how to measure their progress.
- Identifies potential roadblocks and how to overcome them.
- Teaches students the importance of helping others.
- Includes character education in the program.
- Gives students real world examples they can relate to.
What are the Themes for the Book?
The two important themes contained in the Goal Setting for Students® book:
- Your teachers really want you to succeed. They may be teaching you science, math or English, but they are also teaching you about life, responsibility, getting along with others, how to handle stress, and how to believe in yourself.
- To be successful you have to help others.
Benefits
Search Institute is a non-profit organization established in 1958. Their mission is to advance the well being of children and adolescents.
In a survey of over 1,000,000 students, they identified 40 development assets that young people need to grow up to be healthy, responsible adults. The Goal Setting for Students® program positively addresses 15 of these important development assets.
15 Development Assets
- Positive view of personal future
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- Parental involvement in education
|
|
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- Planning & decision making
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- Positive family communications
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Project Communications (many foundations want “PR credit” that they are supplying funds to a program.)
Our plans include several opportunities to inform the community about your effort with this project. Your organization’s name will be in each of the books and in all communications about the program with the parents.
Measurement Plan (virtually all foundations want some form of documentation that the funds they supplied made a positive difference. Below are some suggestions. If you need a copy of a pre –post assessment please email us with “Assessments” on the subject line)
We have several specific ways that will evaluate the program:
- Pre and post-program assessments
- Follow up assessment to be completed six weeks after the end of the program
- Specific, verifiable hard numbers on number of students in the program, participating schools,
- Antidotal feedback stories from the parents, teachers, and students.
- A written report from an impartial third-party who was observed the program and talked to the students, parents, and teachers about its effects.
We will change the students similar to what Glen Loury discussed in his book entitled: One by One – From the Inside Out. We will be providing these students a clear, tangible way for them to realize how important they are to the successful outcome of their lives.
About the Author:
John Bishop conceived and developed the book with input from over 25 teachers and administrators with advanced degrees in education and curriculum development. A partial list includes:
- Jane Fryar, DSL, LL.D., Organizational Leadership, specializing in curriculum development and author of several books.
- Stephen Sherblom, Ph.D., Educational Psychology, Harvard University, Professor at University of Missouri – St. Louis.
- Melinda Bier, Ph.D., Computer Science, Project Director, Character Education at University of Missouri – St. Louis.
- Suzanne Spence, M.S., Education, mother of four children.
Mr. Bishop is a graduate of Babson College in Massachusetts, and has over twenty-five years experience in corporate training and sales management. He has owned two companies and developed, trained, and motivated sales organizations in the United States, Europe and Japan. He has been married to Carole for over twenty-five years, has two daughters and three grandchildren. One of his grandchildren attended a St. Louis Middle School and is the inspiration for the Goal Setting for Students® program.
For more information about the author, the nonprofit or the book please go to goalsettingforstudents.com
