Teach Mom Learn

After the last 2 years, we all deserve a good 2022. And while there is no doubt in anyone’s mind that this year will be challenging, we can make a choice to take control of the things we can. The best way to start that process is to set some meaningful goals.

As a special education teacher, the biggest part of my job is to help my students meet their goals every day. It’s actually the best part of my job too, because I get to coach my students and watch them continually strive for growth.

Today, I want to share the best teacher tips to help you achieve your goals in 2022.

1) Set SMART goals

I’m probably going to mention SMART goals in at least a dozen different posts, but that’s only because they are so important! This summer reading tips post has a detailed explanation, but I’ll nutshell it here for you.

SMART goals are Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Timely.

For example, one of my 2022 goals could be: I will spend more time with Rae outside. Okay, great, this is definitely a relevant goal. But how much time? When will this happen? How will I track it? What do I want to accomplish and by when?

This year, we decided to do 1,000 outside. If you haven’t checked it out, definitely visit their website, because it’s full of great resources to get your kids outdoors and have fun away from screens. Our SMART goal is: Rae and I will spend at least 1,000 hours outside during 2022 and use a tracker to monitor our progress.

This goal is specific (1000 outside), measurable (we have a tracker), attainable (at least I hope!), relevant, and timely (occurring within 2022).

Because 1000 hours is a massive goal, I have smaller benchmarks. For example, in our frigid New England January, my goal is 4 outdoor hours per week. Today is January 6th, and we’ve spent 3.5 hours outside so far, so we’re on track. In July, my goal is going to be closer to 6 hours per day.

2) Start small

Did you know classroom reward programs and video games use some similar principles? That’s because people like being rewarded. In both reward programs and video games, it’s easy to achieve goals and advance levels at first, but it becomes progressively harder as you build your skills.

Follow the same principle for your 2022 goals. Break your goal into smaller parts, like the benchmarks I mentioned above. Initially, start with small, easy steps, and then build your way to bigger, more challenging ones.

For example, if your goal is to run a marathon and you’ve never been much of a runner, you shouldn’t start by trying to run 10 miles. That’s way too much, and you’ll feel defeated when you inevitably can’t reach your goal.

However, if your initial goal is to just run around your block, that’s perfect! You can work your way up to 2 blocks, then a mile, then 5 miles, and so on.

By setting your goals gradually and meeting them as you build the skills you need to get there, you’re setting yourself up for success. If you push yourself too much too fast, you’ll feel defeated and be more likely to give up.

There’s a reason we don’t make first graders read War and Peace. All skills take time!

3) Find a planner or tracker that works for you

Buying (or making, if you’re super creative) a tracker or planner can be a great way to help you stay on track with your goals. However, it’s important to know that all planners are not created equal.

Personally, I like two types of planners -weekly planners with the days running along the top of the page and daily planners. Other people may like goal trackers, weekly planners with the days running down the side of the page, or even just a giant monthly calendar.

My husband won’t use a planner, he logs everything into his phone calendar. While that’s my personal nightmare (I need to write everything down by hand and highlight it in different colors), it’s perfect for him.

Choose your planner or tracker carefully, and take your time analyzing the pros and cons of each one. Michael’s, Target, and Staples have some great options.

My all-time favorite planner is from Plum Paper, and I custom order one online every school year. It’s a little pricier than your average planner, but it’s worth it for me because it meets my needs at work.

I also like to have separate planners for work and home. For home, I find daily planners or to do planners most helpful. You can structure them in a way that makes sense for you, and you have a lot of flexibility within the blocks.

Once you pick your planner or tracker, set it up in a way that’s meaningful for you. Color code, get a pen you love, use time blocking, or do whatever makes you feel on track.

4) Prep everything you can ahead of time

Setting yourself up for success is so important! Putting in a little work ahead of time will make your life so much easier.

For example, if your goal is to bring coffee to work every day instead of buying it, set up your coffee maker the night before. That way, it’s ready to go and all you have to do is push a button. Mornings are rough, so why make them more complicated than they have to be?

I’ve found that meal prepping and making lunches at night make a huge difference for me when I try to stick to healthy eating. Doing all the laundry and actually putting it away before Sunday night goes a long way if your goal is to keep your house clean. We all know Laundry Mountain will live on my couch until the next Friday if it survives the weekend.

You know how crazy your weeks are, and you know when you have downtime. Use whatever flexibility you have to get ahead while you can!

5) Be kind to yourself

I can’t reiterate this one enough. There are going to be difficult periods this year (and every year). You won’t always be able to stay on track 100% of the time. You may not reach your goal. And guess what. That’s okay!

What matters most is progress and effort. If you’re trying, if you’ve managed to grow in some way, then you have something to be proud of.

As a reformed overachiever, one of the best pieces of advice I’ve gotten is to treat yourself the way you’d treat your best friend. We tend to be much kinder to those we care about than we are to ourselves.

By shifting your mindset to focus on what you did accomplish rather than what you failed to do, you’ll be able to see how much you’ve actually grown. Don’t be afraid to set a new goal or modify your existing one. Don’t hold yourself to impossible standards.

Right now more than ever, we all deserve some kindness and grace. Be patient with yourself, be proud of your best, and recognize how much you’ve done!

For more teacher tips to make life easier in 2022, check out these teacher tricks for dealing with difficult people.