Not with a lottery ticket, not with a golden ticket in the chocolate bar wrapper. I’ll say it again: through hard work and dedication. No one knows that more than a teacher! We set goals for our students at the beginning of the school year and they’re very specific. “Jasper will show at least 1 year growth in his STAR Reading assessment.”
We measure little Jasper’s scores throughout the year and make sure they are realistic to his abilities. When he sees that he can attain that growth through daily reading practice his confidence soars. By the time the year ends you have the data to see if the goal was met.
Hmmm, you’re probably thinking, “That sounds really familiar…” Of course it does! I’m talking about SMART goals: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Timely.