SMART goals for elementary students are goals that are Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound. These goals help students stay motivated and focused on their learning journey.
Here's a breakdown of what each part of the SMART acronym means for elementary students:
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Specific: The goal should be clear and well-defined. Instead of saying "I want to be better at reading," a specific goal is "I want to read a chapter book."
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Measurable: There should be a way to track progress. For example, "I will read 20 pages every day."
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Achievable: The goal should be realistic and attainable. It shouldn't be too easy or too difficult. "I will improve my score on spelling tests" is great, but aiming for a 100% improvement overnight might not be possible. A more achievable goal is to improve my score by 10% each test.
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Relevant: The goal should be important to the student and align with their interests or learning objectives. Does the goal make sense for their current skills and learning needs? For example, focusing on multiplication when they are struggling with addition may not be relevant.
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Time-bound: The goal should have a deadline. "I will read a chapter book by the end of the month." This provides a sense of urgency and helps with planning.
Example SMART Goals for Elementary Students:
| Subject | SMART Goal |
|---|---|
| Reading | I will read one chapter book (Specific) with at least 100 pages (Measurable) each week (Time-bound), and I know I can because I've read shorter books before (Achievable) and reading helps me improve my vocabulary (Relevant). |
| Math | I will learn my multiplication facts from 1 to 5 (Specific) and be able to answer them correctly within 5 seconds each (Measurable) by the end of next week (Time-bound), and I know this is possible by studying for 15 minutes each day (Achievable) because multiplication is important for real-life math like cooking (Relevant). |
| Writing | I will write a paragraph (Specific) with at least five sentences (Measurable) about my favorite animal (Relevant) by Friday (Time-bound) because I enjoy writing stories (Achievable). |
| Social Skills | I will ask one new classmate to play during recess (Specific) each day (Measurable), to help me make new friends (Relevant) during the week (Time-bound) and it is within my ability to do so (Achievable). |
Using SMART goals can help elementary students take ownership of their learning and achieve success.
