Following is a list of Personal Learning Goals and Indicators that may assist you in creating your three goals for each semester. Remember, once you have decided on your goals, it is your responsibility to develop indicators each month to help you achieve your goals by the end of the semester. Stay mentally strong. Don’t allow negative thoughts to influence your state of mind.
Ensure that your goals are ISMART: Inspirational – a way to achieve a personal best, Specific – describe what you want to achieve, Measurable – set step-by-step targets to help you get there. Achievable – believe that you can and will do it. Realistic – set manageable goals that you won’t give up on. Timebound – set goals that you can reach by the end of the semester.
When you are mindful of your thinking, you can be more mindful of your attitudes and actions. Therefore, to ensure you remain committed to your set goal, reflect on your progress, subject by subject, each month, and then make a summary of your efforts at the end of each semester.
My Learning Organization and Approach
1. I will use my planner daily to – write down all learning material that I am required to complete – write down all due dates and deadlines in order to plan submission timelines – use a variety of learning and thinking strategies.
Indicator – By the end of September, I will have all due dates written down on my Forward Planner.
2. I will actively listen and engage positively in class to ensure that I give myself the best opportunity to understand and enjoy my learning and my teachers’ teaching.
Indicator – From day one, I will engage in active listening and practise positive thinking in every class. I will focus on doing this in every lesson to build it into a habit.
3. I will position myself in class away from distractions, such as students with poor attitudes; I will not negatively impact the learning of others and my teachers’ teaching.
Indicator – During the first week, I will identify classmates I do and do not collaborate well with and I will plan where I sit accordingly.
4. I will set up an area at home just for study with the resources that I need and I will use it daily.
Indicator – By the end of week one, I will have my study area set up and be using it.
5. I will prepare revision folders and set aside 15 minutes for each of my subjects weekly for reflection and revision, to build my knowledge and understandings.
Indicator – At the end of week one, I will have reflected on and summarized my learning in each subject, I will then focus on making this a habit.
6. I will break big tasks down into smaller, achievable pieces to complete in a logical order.
Indicator – For my first task in each subject, I will identify each requirement and create a logical step-by-step plan to follow.
7. I will apply practical and higher-level strategies and techniques in the planner in order to broaden the ways in which I can approach tasks.
Indicator – For my first task in each subject, I will try a new way of approaching it.
8. I will prioritize what I do to build a realistic and balanced study/life timetable to follow.
Indicator – By the end of week two, I will have prioritized my responsibilities and created my first timetable to trial.
9. I will create an ongoing revision program for each subject to ensure that I develop a working knowledge of what I am studying.
Indicator – By the end of week two, I will have a daily, weekly and monthly revision program operating.
10. I will set aside 20 minutes at home every night to reflect on what I have learned during the day and summarize my learning using idea maps, lists, flowcharts, etc.
Indicator – Prioritize these 20 minutes for the first three weeks and use a variety of summary tools.
11. I will spend 10 minutes at home every night to identify my next days priorities and options.
Indicator – Discipline myself to identify each day’s priorities and complete these first before undertaking any optional activities.
12. I will use travel time to read my text books or revision notes; I will turn ‘nothing’ time into ‘something’ time.
Indicator – The first time that I am travelling, I will discipline myself to read and then focus on turning this into a habit by repeating it each week.
13. I will focus and concentrate in class, especially when I feel myself becoming distracted; I will relate the material to what I know and think about how I can use it.
Indicator – In each of my subjects, the first time that I feel myself becoming distracted, I will refocus on the lesson and try to connect what is being taught to something I know.
Self-Management Skills
Goal Action Plan
Below is a strategy checklist. It will help you to reach your indicators and achieve your goals. Complete an “Action Plan” for each of your goals. The Goals, Indicators and Strategies Plan gives you a visual presentation of your intentions.
Goal – What do I want to achieve?
Purpose – Why do I want to achieve this goal?
Benefit – What is the benefit of achieving this goal?
Disadvantage – How will I be affected if I do not achieve this goal?
Reflection – Does my goal meet the ISMART requirements?
A way to achieve a Personal Best.
SPECIFIC Clear and to the point.
MEASURABLE I have indicators to reach that will inform me of my progress towards achieving my goal.
ACHIEVABLE
Not something easy, but something that is within reach.
REALISTIC
I can see myself getting there in either the shortterm, mid-term or long-term.
Decision – After completing the above, am I committed to this goal? Or should I make adjustments?
Information – What information will I need?
How and where will I gather it?
Resources – What do I require in order to achieve this goal?
Personal – What skills do I need?
What are the possible obstacles and how can I overcome them?
Assistance – What expertise from others do I need?
How and when will I approach them?
Dangers – Are there any assumptions I’ve made that are not sound?
Is my approach giving me the best possible chance of success?
TIMEBOUND I have a timeline and regular indicators to reach along the way to achieving my goal.
Self-Management Skills
My Personal Learning Goals
These goals are not specific to any particular subject, they are goals that I believe will transfer across all of my subject areas to help me to:
• improve my learning outcomes and my Personal Bests
• enjoy school
• get the best from my education.
This is a team approach that involves me, my parent/s, my teachers, and my peers. I will seek their feedback regularly.
GOAL ONE:
Action Plan: What skills, attitudes and actions do I need to focus on?
What are my Indicators?
What are the Indicators I will see along the way to achieving my goal?
GOAL TWO:
Action Plan: What skills, attitudes and actions do I need to focus on?
What are my Indicators?
What are the Indicators I will see along the way to achieving my goal?
GOAL THREE:
Action Plan: What skills, attitudes and actions do I need to focus on?
What are my Indicators?
What are the Indicators I will see along the way to achieving my goal?
We all have seemingly limitless information at our fingertips. The Internet can connect us with sources from across the globe in an instant. As interesting and convenient as this can be, there are a few things to keep in mind when researching online, to assess the quality of the information you have at hand.
Value: Just because you can find resources on the topic doesn’t mean they should be automatically included. Consider whether this information/video/ image adds value to your assignment or presentation before including it.
Authenticity: Any one can publish information online and it usually doesn’t get fact-checked or edited. To ensure you’re referring up-to-date and accurate information, consider when the information was published online and who published it. Government websites are usually reliable sources as are nonprofit organisations, foundations and universities.
Beware of bias: Reporters sometimes write articles with a particular stance or opinion in mind. Ensure you read people’s articles and opinions with a critical eye.
Key words: Narrow your search down using the most important key words and a recent timeframe. Check the author: Who has written the information you’re reading? Finding this out can be a good way to tell if the information you are getting is reliable. Are they an expert in their field? A researcher? What qualifications do they have?
Copyright: Ensure your use of the digital content doesn’t violate copyright law.
Identify two things you’ll do next time you’re researching online?
LP Activity – Balanced
How might having a balanced approach to different aspects in your life benefit your physical health, mental wellbeing, your friendships and how you learn in class? What are some areas where you could try to be more balance?
DO LIST / NOTES
Went Well This Week?
Social Skills
My Team – Trust
The support of a team is a great help in achieving your goals.
Your Team is made up of:
• you
• your family; they support you day in and day out
• your friends; they share the highs and lows with you
• your teachers; they support you academically and can provide career direction.
Success is reserved for the team that is prepared to work hard together and has confidence in each other. Successful teams accept constructive advice and criticism.
It is an advantage to have people who are able to listen to your ideas and concerns, and suggest alternative approaches. It is important for them to make honest comments about your performance and behavior, whether positive and negative.
Your vision and awareness can be clouded by:
• stress and stubbornness
• distractions and diversions
• unrealistic expectations
• a total immersion in your situation.
A stabilizing and frank influence is essential. At times, we all benefit from some honest advice, even though we may not want to hear it. The key is to accept it and work with it.
As we spend more and more time working with each other online, trust has never been more important. Trust needs to be achieved face-to-face and online.
Actions
What are two things that I will start doing to improve my focus on my Team and trust?
Mindfulness Activity
Country Names. There are about 200 different nations in the world. For five minutes write down as many of them that you can think of.
TO DO LIST / NOTES
Wellbeing Tip
Find a higher purpose to have in life to aim for; say no to mediocrity.
Self-Management Skills
Stress Warning Signals
You may find yourself in situations that create stress Everyone will experience degrees of stress from time to time and if it’s not addressed it will impact on your study, progress and health. There are two types of stress.
Positive Stress or eustress is a positive form of stress. It has a beneficial effect on your health, motivation, performance and emotional wellbeing. It is essential for:
• your emotional and physical stability
• it helps to supply the energy you need to study to your potential and enjoy life
Negative Stress occurs when we feel like the physical, mental and emotional resources we have on hand can’t meet the demands we are facing in life. Negative stress can lead to:
• anxiety and depression
• a drain on enthusiasm and energy
• decreased performance.
Negative stress is commonly called distress DISTRESS signals fall into three categories.
It is perfectly natural to experience some feelings of stress during the senior years of schooling. The key is how you handle them.
It is important to recognize the signs of stress and seek help from a trusted adult. Don’t ignore these feelings, as doing so may see them grow and become more serious.
Actions
What are two things that I will start doing to reduce my stress levels?
Mindfulness Activity
Cooking. You are about to cook your favourite meal for your family. What do you need and what are the steps you have to take?
TO DO LIST / NOTES
Self-Management Skills
Exam Preparation Checklist
The key to negotiating exams successfully is to become “exam smart” and have your preparation routine finely tuned. Complete the following checklist each time you know a test or exam is coming up. Using this checklist can ensure you feel prepared come tests/exam day.
To do Done
• what is the test’s/exam’s venue, date, time and duration? ...................................................................................
• format – multiple choice, essays, short answer, etc.
• how much time will you allocate to each section/question according to assigned marks? ..................................
• in most subjects, key concepts and related concepts are tested in similar ways using different content. Have you assembled a probable/possible layout of questions from past test/exams?
• do you have strategies for answering different types of questions?
• are you well-versed in the different writing genres used in the subject and the subject-specific terminology? ...
• will you have to show your workings, your planning or a flowchart of the processes you followed?
• what areas of study may be examined by a knowledge of or ability to produce graphs, diagrams or pictures? .
• will the test or exam require you to demonstrate interdisciplinary understandings?
• will you need to make inferences from data? ........................................................................................................
• will you have to interpret, compare or contrast visual materials such as videos and then make inferences and conclusions? .................................................................................................................................................
• many questions will have more than one part; do they follow on sequentially? What is the highest level they allow you to achieve?
• which command terms are being used within the questions? (It is important your answer reflects these command terms specifically, not just what you think they mean)
• have you planned out answers to questions that are likely to be in the test/exam? ..............................................
• are you able to apply your understanding to familiar and unfamiliar situations presented in the questions?
• have you assembled a list of dot points to build on for each area of study? ........................................................
Putting effort into your preparation is the key to success
Enthusiasm, Energy, Elation – “wanting to’’ rather than “having to’’
Faith, Focus, Fight – a genuine belief in your ability to succeed
Friends, Family, Fun – turn to your support team in good and in challenging times
Organization, Ownership, Onus – prioritizing your time to get everything done
Responsibility, Reliability, Resourcefulness – facing challenges and not side-stepping anything
Teamwork, Toughness, Tenacity – working with people while remaining focused on the task at hand.
Thinking Skills
Idea Maps
Most of your initial learning experiences will be visual. This is because:
• irrespective of your individual learning style, what you see first leaves a lasting impression
• in most situations you will be provided with opportunities to “see” first, then “hear”, then “do”.
Why should you use idea maps?
Because they:
• engage both sides of the brain
• use your own words and interpretations
• connect concepts and ideas
• create logical patterns showing how everything is connected back to the ‘big picture’
• allow you to use your prior knowledge to make new connections and develop transferable understandings
• show ‘your’ perspective.
When can you use idea maps?
• any time you want to make notes that highlight connections between ideas and concepts
• if you want to use something other than lists, flowcharts and written summaries
• when planning out activities and assignments
• to set out methods for solving problems or seeking to clarify your thoughts
• when breaking down an issue into its underlying elements
• if you need to summarize information into logical visual groupings
• when a task calls for lateral thinking.
How do you create idea maps?
• start with a key word, concept or diagram that is central to the topic; place this in the centre of the page with a circle around it
• identify the key points that branch out from your starting point
• for each key point, draw a branch from the centre with a circle on the end and write the key point in the circle
• use one branch and circle for each new point you add
• repeat this process for each circle on your page; this means you will have branches coming from lots of the circles, not just the centre one
• look for connections between the key points in the circles and connect them with branches
• be creative with your thoughts; remember this is ‘your’ perspective.
The best thing about Idea Maps is that you aren’t assessed on right or wrong or depth, you can use them to explore an idea or concept as deeply as you want to.
