One of the more important “back to school” activities teachers facilitate for their students is their setting of personal and class goals for the year ahead. In theResponsive Classroom approach, the goal-setting strategy is known as “Hopes and Dreams. By the second week of school, kindergarten through six grade classrooms display colorful pictures of children reading together, playing on the playground together, writing with bubbles over their heads with great ideas, shooting hoops in the gym, solving complex math equations at their desks.

The pictures have sparkling captions: “I want to learn to do hard math!” “My dream is to have lots of friends in third grade and learn how to spell better.” “I hope I get better at reading.” “I’m going to be a GREAT writer.” Together, the pictures and captions make a montage of eagerness and wistfulness reflecting the transparent desire of all children to do well and succeed in school.

In preparing to engage in goal setting with your students this year, I encourage teachers reading this blog to take a few moments to write down all the positive attributes you can think of that describe what you know and value about children in the grade you teach. What’s the best thing about the way they interact with each other generally at this age? What are their best academic attributes, what are their developmental strengths? What adjectives come to mind to identify children in this grade that distinguishes them in positive ways?

I know, every child is different, and you don’t know your class yet. All the better to remember and focus on the most positive attributes they will be bringing, before you have to focus realistically on needs and challenges. And keeping an eye on their general as well as their individual positive attributes throughout the year will make your work more joyful overall.

After you’ve made your list, check back on the blog for the “Positive Attributes” entry (SEE MENU) for the age or ages you teach and see what kind of a match you find to the list you’ve written down. It should be interesting and fun.

Share by posting a comment on what you find. Oh, and by the way, while you’re at it…make a list of allyour positive attributes. It’s important to head into the classroom every year having confidence in your wonderful strengths!

Not a bad idea, either, to have children share the things they know they’re good at when you begin building your classroom community. Whether children talk about being good at a sport, taking pictures, playing video games, reading, math or helping their mom take care of the baby, mutual appreciation for the fact that we’re all good at something is a great theme for sharing at the beginning of the school year. There’s a clear connection between our developing skills and strengths and our hopes and dreams…as children and as teachers.

PARENTS, too, may find it terrifically reaffirming to take time to talk and share about each family member’s strengths and strong skills in a very directed conversation before the children go back to school. It can be very affirming to head off to a new grade or new school with an overt sense of the strength of home. Teachers sometimes ask parents to share their hopes and dreams or goals for their children in school right at the beginning of the year. Having a family meeting to share family strengths is a good way to prepare for that “homework activity” that might be assigned.