8 Simple Tips to Empower Students to Reach Their Goals
Here are 8 simple tips to help students reach their goals:
1. Change up the tools, toys or activities that you are doing. It may be just as simple as approaching the skill using a different tool or material.
2. Change the environment. Perhaps trying accomplishing the skill outdoors, in a quiet room or with a peer.
3. Be positive. If you assure the student that they have the ability to accomplish the goal you will provide them with the ability to believe in themselves. The power of positive feelings can go a long way. Check out Positive Affirmation Posters and Cards to provide your students with a visual reminder at https://www.yourtherapysource.com/positiveaffirmation.html.
4. Change your teaching style. If you are only providing verbal directions, perhaps offer a demonstration or a visual picture of what the student needs to accomplish. If you are always offering verbal feedback, perhaps try diminishing how often you provide feedback to see if that makes a difference.
5. Offer rewards. Some students respond very well to a reward system. Check out free positive reinforcement ideas to use during therapy sessions at https://www.yourtherapysource.com/blog1/2014/03/29/5-free-positive-reinforcements-ideas-to-use-for-therapy-sessions/. Try using Punch Cards and Reward Cards for therapy. Find out more here https://www.yourtherapysource.com/punchcards.html
6. Set goals each session. Work with the child to set mini goals each session. This will empower the student experience small successes will help you reach the larger goals.
7. Teach the child to focus on their strengths. By educating the child on what they do best you can help them use different strategies to reach their goals. The typical way to achieve a skill may not be the best way for each child. Start off my keeping track of what the child can do. Check out these free “I Can” cards to keep track off all of his/her accomplishments. Get them at https://www.yourtherapysource.com/freeicancards.html.
8. Teach the child to track their own goals. The student can track his/her goals over
time, by monitoring the skills over the course of a day, week, month or quarter. This allows the student to get a visual picture of improvement, decline or maintenance of different skills. By having the students track their own goals they will take ownership of their progress. It doesn’t get any easier than this to track progress. Check out My Goal Tracker to get started. More info at https://www.yourtherapysource.com/goaltracker.html.
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Title: My Goal Tracker
By: Your Therapy Source Inc
Summary: Download of materials to create a binder for student generated data collection on his/her goals. Two versions – Handwriting with Tears® and Zaner-Bloser® Style.
Find out more at https://www.yourtherapysource.com/goaltracker.html
