Math teacher goals usually start with lots of enthusiasm but unfortunately then get abandoned within the first week of the month. This happens due to a lack of a proper strategy that includes all the required elements for goal creation. However, it is essential to create realistic goals because this increases the chances of goal accomplishment. Setting math teacher goals is important for math teachers as math is a crucial subject that needs techniques/strategies to make learning fun. To make this possible many math teachers follow “SMART” criteria for effectively fulfilling their goals.
The term ‘SMART’ is expanded as follows:
- S stands for Specific.
- M stands for Measurable.
- A stands for Achievable.
- R stands for Realistic.
- T stands for Time Bound.
The concept of SMART goals helps teachers to energize their professional learning network(PLN). It is a very effective method as it covers all the important points required to achieve the teaching goals.
Let’s take an easy example to understand how it works: suppose someone wants to run 14 miles in a week by running 2 miles a day at 6 am every day. We can say that this is a S.M.A.R.T goal as it stands for the specific time, realistic, achievable, and measurable as well.
How to Apply S.M.A.R.T Goal in Math Class
Next, we will break down each component of SMART goals to understand each of its compositions separately and learn how these five components can help math teachers create goals that can help them achieve the best results.
Specific
Ask yourself, What do you want to achieve? Robin Sharma, one of the best leadership gurus and best-selling authors of various books, states,
“Clarity breeds mastery. The goals you set drive the actions you’ll take.”
Robin Sharma
To grasp what you want to achieve, you must prepare a list of questions that need to be answered first.
Start by asking these 5 W’s to yourself:
Who is indulged? – Example – Students of Grade 6
Where is it situated? Example – Online/offline Medium
Why is it significant? – Importance of Mathematical Operations
What exactly do I want to achieve? – Example – Concept Clarity
What limitations or resources are indulged? Example – Tools Required
The perfect example of a specific goal is discussed here: By December 2022, my 6th-grade students will work on their multiplication fractions and improve their performances by ten percentage points.
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I need to make sure they have a strong foundation regarding multiplication fractions to ensure they do not face difficulty while solving complex sums.
Measurable
To track progress, the teacher’s goals must be measurable. Are they mainly targeting the numbers like How many? How much? What number do I need to reach to achieve this goal? Such questions will help teachers to form more measurable goals.
Tracking progress weekly or monthly will energize the teachers with motivation for working on their teacher SMART goals!
Some examples of math teacher goals that are measurable are discussed below:
- My aim for the final examination is that the average mark for every student in the subject of math should be about 75.
- By November 2022, my 8th-grade students will excel in the concepts of fractions and decimals and improve their performances in these chapters by ten percentage points.
Achievable
Try to think of different ways to help you achieve your teacher’s goals. Are there any restraints that stop you from accomplishing your goals? Finding answers to these questions will help estimate how achievable the teacher’s goals are.
The teacher’s goals should be restricted within a zone of proximal development. Make sure the goals are achievable, not unattainable.
As a math teacher, one must understand that it is not wise to have unrealistic expectations of the students.
Keeping important math factors in mind, math teachers should set achievable goals.
Some examples of math teacher goals that are achievable are discussed below:
- My professional goal is to brush up on essential theories and concepts by the end of December so that it can help me teach mathematics more effectively to the students.
- I plan to assign weekly assessments for the students to track their progress and work toward their goals.
Relevant
The SMART teachers’ goals must be relevant. Do you value your goals? Will it matter to your students? Will it bring a change to your school? It would be best to answer all these questions before setting SMART goals. If your goals are irrelevant, you will have difficulty achieving them. Especially in the field of teaching, teachers need to be aware of all the recent developments that are affecting the teachers as well as the students.
If you are unsure if your goals are relevant or not, ask yourself these questions: Is it the proper time to implement this goal? Is this goal worthwhile for my students? Does it align with my current thinking?
Some examples of math teacher goals that are relevant are discussed below:
- I will take my students to a museum where they can learn about the contributions and developments of great mathematicians.
- My goal is to teach mathematics by aligning it with real-life examples so that students can relate to the concepts and understand them in a better manner.
Time Bound
Time is a significant factor and is of great essence. Math teachers should fix specific deadlines for any goal they set for themselves or their students, eliminating the chance of postponing the tasks and goals.
While forming teacher SMART goals, ensure that they are time-bound. Attaching a specific deadline to your goals helps you be proactive and keeps you motivated to achieve your goals.
Some Teacher Goals Examples:
- Math Lesson Preparation – I will spend one hour every Friday drafting my assignment for the week. I’ll also create a lesson outline for the upcoming week covering the three days of my class.
- S – You’re spending a particular time (one hour every Friday) preparing weekly lesson plans.
- M – Weekly progress can be tracked.
- A – You can easily complete one week’s lessons by working for one hour a week.
- R – Spending a little more time on lesson planning will help you achieve your goal.
- T – There is no last date for this task and it’s a continuous goal.
Also read: 20 Back To School Math Activities To Get To Know Your Math Students
If you follow the SMART criteria correctly, you can easily create goals with more confidence and clarity and can rest assured that you are bound to achieve the goals you have set for yourself or your students.
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