Happy New Year to you!
This year, my eldest son is in Primary One and it is such a big jump from Kindergarten 2. For January, I am setting goals with him and I want to share with you how I set goals using LEGO as a platform.
First if all, I need to ask. Do you set goals with your child?
Goal-setting is important because it gives them an idea of what to aim for. Just like what Stephen Covey said in his book 7 Habits Of Highly Effective People, "Begin with an end in mind."
I strongly believe that all children need to be educated in visualising their goal and how to break the goal down into achievable milestones.
To make goal-setting fun, I use LEGO as an example. (If you have not noticed by now, I am a huge fan of open-ended play like LEGO blocks.)
1. Big Picture - Ultimate goal
Before you buy any LEGO set for your child, he will look at the cover of the box. Why?
He is looking at what you are buying for him. He is looking at what he is going to own.
For any goal-setting, the big picture is important. Are you going to aim for 1st in class? Are you going to aim to top the level for Math? Are you going to aim to pass your Mother Tongue?
Without setting the Ultimate Goal is like buying a LEGO set without looking at its box. It will be random and the end product might not be what you wanted.
Hence, the Big Picture is very important.
2. Why? Why? Why? - Reasons behind the goal
The next step is to ask why. Why are you choosing this LEGO set and not the other sets? What is the appealing factor?
This is usually easy for the child when he is choosing the LEGO set. The primary reason would be mostly he likes the set and that is why he chose it.
However, this is not so clear-cut when it comes to actual goal-setting. You have to dig deep and guide your child in this area. Some questions might include:
Why do you want to be 1st in class? Why is this important to you?
Note that this part is the most important part in goal-setting. At difficult times, revisiting these reasons will help the child endure the hardship and persevere to the end.
3. Planning - The Goal-Setting Process
You bought the LEGO set and brought it home. Do you just open the package and start building while you look at the box cover?
No, you look at the Building Instruction Manual and start building from Page 1.
Happy Lego Building = Big Picture + Emotions + Manual
In goal-setting, looking at the Ultimate Goal is useless if you do not have a plan. Therefore, you need to sit down and list down all the things you need to do to achieve your goal. Planning and creating the road map to your Ultimate Goal is important.
It gives us direction on what to do now and what to do next.
Good Goal-Setting = Ultimate Goal + Emotions + Plan
4. Small Parts - Breaking down The Ultimate Goal
For small LEGO sets, it is possible to build the whole model in one session. However, if you are looking at a very big LEGO set, you have to break down the parts you are building.
Thankfully, it has all been done for you when they packaged the set. Usually they have Packets 1 to 5 to break a massive model into different parts.
For your child, you have to break down the Ultimate Goal with him. If you are looking at 1st place in class, how much should you get for your CA1, SA1, CA2 and SA2? To get that type of marks in the major exams, how much practice should we have and what type of marks should we get for those practices?
The small milestones should be actionable and measurable.
5. Process Vs Results - Make it fun!
To the LEGO non-builders out there, you might not know. The maximum satisfaction you get from a LEGO set is not the end result. It is actually the building process.
While it may sound ridiculous to you, the ultimate goal to goal-setting is not to achieve the goal, but to acquire the skill to plan the process of reaching a goal. The planning and troubleshooting are very big lessons the child learns from this exercise that will follow him throughout his life.
With this skill, your child can get many '1st in level' by himself. Hence, I urge you to make the process enjoyable and peaceful. Encourage your child to keep trying.
6. Commitment - Follow the plan
Lastly, have your child build a LEGO set halfway and leave it there for at least 3 days. Then ask him how he feels.
We cannot finish building the set if we do not follow the plan.
When we begin building a LEGO set, we must be committed to complete the model. Any models abandoned halfway will become useless. It is not a toy and it is not rubbish. It is just unfinished.
Hence, teach your child that any goal without commitment will also become something like that. Ask your child for his commitment during the goal-setting process. Is it one hour each day? Is it two revision papers each day?
Get him to write it down and sign his name there.
7. Chaos - They are still just children!
Tackle one LEGO set at a time.
Imagine buying your child 5 LEGO sets and he started all of them together. He will most probably be overwhelmed and will not build all the 5 LEGO properly.
Set one Ultimate Goal with your child first. Track and troubleshoot along the way. Add one more goal when you see that your child is ready for the second one.
Focusing on too many things = No focus
Have fun setting goals. Leave a comment for me if you have found this post useful! Encouragement is always welcomed. :P
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