Hey Reader,

Some of us are gearing up to start school in August, others in September, and some are already in the thick of it!

If you’re still in summer mode, sorry to interrupt the fun!

Goal setting often feels like just another task in our already busy schedules.

I get it. We've got curriculums to teach and standards to meet. I remember setting goals with my students, only to forget about them until report card time.

Goals are more than just a Back To School activity or a New Year’s resolution. Goals are like a GPS—they can keep us on track, especially when times get tough.

I've learned that helping students set goals fosters their social-emotional skills, and it also enhances mine.

Here are a few tips to help make Back To School goal setting work:

(What would you add to this list?)

1. Keep it simple: Start with one or two goals for the first month. Try “implement one SEL activity per week” or a personal goal like “leave school by X time each day.” Students might "do extra practice questions once per week."
2. Don’t reinvent the wheel: Use existing resources. Your school might have SEL materials. You can even ask ChatGPT to generate variations of test questions. (Obviously, you have to double check what our robot friend generates, but I wonder how technology might help.) If your goal is to leave school at a certain time, find ways to streamline grading.
3. Be kind to yourself: We’re all learning. It’s okay not to have everything figured out. Allow yourself to make mistakes.

What’s the missing trick in goal setting? The “why.”

We often set goals because we think we should. When things get hard, knowing your “why” helps us push through.

• SEL activities make students resilient. They’re more likely to try again when they struggle in our class.
• Practice questions improve quiz scores, boosting confidence.
• Leaving work at school gives us time for ourselves, helping to reduce burnout.

Even one less grading session could mean more time with family, self-care, or sleep. And that might help make the next day easier to handle.

I’m on this journey with you and here to support you.

Let’s focus on both academics and the well-being of our students this year. They need it, and so do we.

What am I missing?

Mike Fuchigami

P.S. If you need some inspiration or just want to chat about what’s working (or not), feel free to reach out. We’re stronger together.

PPS. I'm giving away a $10 TPT gift card. Did you follow my store on Teachers Pay Teachers? Awesome! Reply to this email with the name on your TPT account and I'll put you into a draw for the gift card. The winner will be announced Tuesday at 11:55 AM (ET).