How do we Create Meaning and Self Assessment for the Real World Outside of School

Below is a rubric I have designed for educators to share with their students so that daily standards, subject matter, and behaviors presented and displayed in the classroom evoke the integration of big and smaller incremental goals. Here is where the rubber meets the road because when any of us, feel and emotionally experience the connections to what we are doing and saying either in alignment with our desires and plans or completely off the intended track, we can become intrinsically motivated to pursue those short term goals knowing that in the process, we not only begin to FEEL better, but we also begin to see and reap the benefits of our efforts- making mistakes, confronting challenges, and seeing through a lens that is broader than the classroom walls are helpful perspectives and resources in self-perseverence, creative visualizations, and self-awareness of the feelings and thoughts within ourselves and others.

Self-Created goals
Attempting/ beginning /Strong effort /Meeting self-expectations /Exceeding self-expectations

Are my choices moving towards my goal?

Does my behavior mirror what I want to accomplish?

Are my words and conversations positive and helpful in creating my successes?
Have I listed or discussed three resources to assist me in reaching my goals?
Have I developed a plan of action when I am or feel frustrated?
Have I self-assessed how I have moved toward or away from my goals?
Am I recording my reflections in a journal so I see my progress?

Big Goals-Completing projects successfully, Summer Job, Peer Tutor or Advocate, Guest Presenter in a class or organization, manuscript submission, volunteer position, improved grades in school, joined organization or clubs …see links and hand-outs

Daily Goals- Work completion, dialogued about frustrations, stayed focused on assignments, showed respect and compassion for others, regrouped and continued on with work after a frustrating time, helped another teacher or student, contributed some ideas and suggestions to a conversation, used positive language in describing a need or desire, self-reflected how my daily work and interactions affect my BIG GOAL!! Shared big goals with parents, administrators, and community members, created a personal statement, visual, and or tool for encouragement when working on BIG GOALS.

Questions for Self-Assessment

What do I need?
What resources (people, activities or things) could assist me in reaching my small and larger goals?
How can I show that I am progressing to bigger goals?
What can my class do to assist me?
What can my teacher do to assist me?
How do I handle negative situations? When these situations occur, what do I typically say to myself?
What would be a statement that would encourage me?
Who are my heroes? What are the character traits I admire in these people that make them my heroes?
How will I personally know I am on the right track? What will tell me I strayed off the track of my goals?
What are three negative emotions I feel most often?
What are three positive emotions I feel often or sometimes?
How could creative visualization help me?
How could I learn to begin again even after a day of continual mistakes and challenges?
Name three strategies that my school-teacher could begin that would assist me in moving toward my goals?

What are two or three challenges or obstacles that prevent me from reaching small or big goals?

What are my strengths?
What are my challenges?
How will I plan to focus on these strengths knowing that my thoughts and feelings drive all my behaviors and words with others?

I will continue to work on this post with feedback and ideas from educators, students and the community.