I have been teaching teenagers for almost 5 years now, and I find this group of students both challenging and rewarding to work with. The kids are challenging because they are at the beginning of that stage in life dreaded by most parents and teachers alike. You guessed it right - PUBERTY!

On the other hand, the experience is rewarding for different reasons. Because the kids are battling with hormonal changes, pressure from peers to blend in, pressure from (some) parents to achieve, conflict between school rules and their search for an identity (thus the weird hair do, the psychedelic nail polish, etc), to get them focused on goals and what it is they really want for themselves is already quite a feat.

It is such a cliche to hear them complain, that sometimes they are told they are too old, and then another time, to be told they are too young, by the same people.

So at the beginning of the year, I expect them to go through a process. The process of knowing where they ARE now (point A), and where they want to BE (point B) by the end of the school year.

So first on the agenda is GOAL SETTING.

This will take several 45-minute lessons, and students will have to revisit their goals to make adjustments periodically througout the year.

Lesson 1: Ask students to write what it is they want to reach or achieve in school this year.

Most of the time, you will get goals that are so stereotypical such as, “To learn more vocabulary”, “To get good grades”, or “To become better at English”. That’s OK. Initially, I accept them. But these only tell me that my students still have not really gotten to their deepest selves and asked their “WHY” for learning.

Then we discuss the whole idea of using SMART to make up goals. S means the goal has to be specific. M is for measurable. A is for attainable. R is for result-oriented. And T means the goal has to be time-bound.

To make it clear to students, I ask for a volunteer whose goal we are going to apply SMART on to determine whether it’s a good goal or not. Here, it is important for the volunteer to feel that it is for the purpose of making the goal better if it needs adjustment, and not to open it for criticism.

I also make a special point about a goal being not really a goal unless there is a time element involved. And that without a time limit or target as to when the goal is to be reached, it is merely a wish!

So students look at their goals and then they apply SMART to ask themselves if their goals are on track, or if adjustments are needed. Then they write them up on colored paper, usually half A4 size. I put these up on the door of my classroom, or just somewhere easy for them to see everyday.

Lesson 2: Show students parts of The Secret video.

The Secret video is simply about the Law of Attraction. In this video, philosophers, medical professionals, authors, scientists, metaphysicians, and other very highly credible people talk about the Law of Attraction. This law simply states that the universe corresponds to our thoughts, and therefore, what we think about becomes things. Thus, to know about this Law of Attraction gives one the power to bring about things we want in our lives.

Not all the topics in the video would apply to students, so just pick and choose. To know more about The Secret, visit the website of Bob Proctor, or that very famous co-author of the Chickensoup series of books, Jack Canfield. The individuals featured in The Secret have also been featured in Larry King Live and on the Ellen Degeneres show, so you might want to check them out from there.

The Law Of Attraction works in three stages:
1. Ask

Find out what it is you really want and ask for it.

2. Believe

You have to believe in your heart that you will have what it is you ask for.

3. Receive

Live with an attitude of gratitude. Live as if you already have what it is you ask for. Only then will you be worthy of receiving.

Lesson 3: Show students a movie.

Of course, I don’t mean just any movie here. This year, I chose the movie titled, “GOAL” for several reasons. One, a good number of my kids this year are sports enthusiasts. And the movie “Goal” embodies the passion of somebody who has the gift for playing football, and the main character pursued his goal of becoming a professional footballer despite the challenges, one of them being the fact that his father does not even believe he could make it.

Now, now, don’t get me wrong. I’m not advocating raising rebellion in the family for your students. When my students asked why does the main character’s (“Santiago”) father says and believes what he says, I just said most parents don’t want to see their kids get hurt when they fail, because they have so much love for their children.

But the idea the movie conveys is that when you have a dream, you should follow it, for you never know what your limits are, until you have given it all you have. And most of the time, when people see you have a gift for something, they will give you a shot, or help out so you can find your opportunities.

Another movie I would recommend highly would be “Stand and Deliver”. This movie is about a Math teacher (John Olmos), who believed in his students so much that he was willing to work beyond what is required of him as a teacher to get them ready for a major test that would qualify them for college. It shows a teacher’s (YOUR) dedication, but it also shows that students themselves had to do their part to make the impossible happen.

This is based on a true story, and the real story was so unheard of that the students had to be retested just to rule out cheating on the part of the teacher or the students. It’s a gripping story, and shows just how much can be accomplished when somebody is focused on a goal, no matter how big it is, or how impossible it seems to others.

Lesson 4: Students assess their goal/s and make necessary changes.

After going through all the previous stages, your students are ready to revisit the goals they have written initially and evaluate it. Many of them will make changes, perhaps to refine the goals, or to change it altogether.

But the most important step now is, what are your kids willing to do in order to achieve the goals they have set up for themselves.

Oftentimes, just to get my message across, I always tell my kids this little story about the three frogs. Here it is: Once there were three frogs perched around a pit. They were deciding whether to jump into the pit or not. After some time, all three decided they would jump into the pit. Now, how many frogs are left on top of the pit?

Ask each of your kids how many they think.

Then here’s the punchline: none of the frogs jumped into the pit. All three are still there. Your kids will ask the big question, “Why?”

Well, all three just decided to jump, but they really did not DO it. There is a big difference between “deciding” and actually “doing”.

Now tell your kids, look at your goal/s. What do you need to do in order to achieve them?

Guide students to come up with specific actions such as “Read an English novel for 20 minutes at home everyday.”

CHECK ON THEM
Your students will know whether you really care about them achieving those goals or not. So check on them from time to time. Are they doing what they said they would do in order to achieve their goal/s? What kind of progress have they made so far? If they have already achieved those goals, or feel they are ready to move on to more challenges, would they like to set new goals for themselves, or to make adjustments to the current ones they have?

BELIEVE IN THEM
It is important that students see that you did not do this goal setting lessons with them just to fill in time, or just for lack of material to teach on some days. Though of course, we all go through those.

When students are progressing towards their goals, recognize their efforts and celebrate their achievements in class. Throw a pizza or ice cream party. Or if short on cash, just give them candy.

You will be amazed at what your kids can achieve if you don’t put a limit to what they can accomplish. Remember, humans use only 5-10% of their brain at most. Imagine what potential there lies within every individual.

For my part, I’ve simply been blown away by students who started the year with almost zero English, but by sheer determination, hard work, and a willingness to learn and improve, have gone on to reach their goals of getting into the mainstream, and are at present, recognized leaders and achievers in their classes.

Remember, as a teacher, there is tremendous power in you to make or unmake a child, and thus, an individual. Take good care of that power, and use it to shape remarkable minds!

Have a great year!

Filipino Teachers in Thailand Hedda Tan
MA – ELT
Language Arts and Social Studies Teacher – RIST, Bangkok
http://www.siampinoy.com

Hedda has been teaching in Thailand for more than 12 years now. She has taught students from diverse cultural backgrounds from kindergarten to corporate executives in their 30’s and 40’s. Presently, she works at an international school in Bangkok.