Irvington Middle School students have been empowered with a dynamic and structured process to set goals and take control of their progress. By using S.M.A.R.T. goals, they can break down their aspirations into specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound steps, making success more attainable.
Under the guidance of librarian Dr. Lovetta James, the students in Students Skills classes have been learning about S.M.A.R.T. goals, discussing personal, academic and extracurricular goals before setting a general goal to work on. From becoming better at soccer and basketball to reading more books, using less screen time, getting better sleep, playing the guitar more and getting better grades, the students also explored the steps of converting them into S.M.A.R.T. goals and discussed barriers, reflection, flexibility and motivation.
“Knowing how to create a S.M.A.R.T. goal is a challenge to master,” Dr. James said. “I tell students that I use it for all facets of my life, and it has helped me succeed. In the end, I feel that success in learning S.M.A.R.T. goals means that students feel empowered to take control of their own progress and understand that small, consistent efforts lead to big achievements.”
To further deepen their understanding, the students welcomed Athletic Director John Buonamano to discuss the importance of setting S.M.A.R.T. goals – not just in athletics, but in life.
“We discussed how breaking goals down to a very detailed, granular level makes them S.M.A.R.T.-er and more achievable,” Buonamano said. “I shared my personal experiences, including times when I fell short of my goals simply because I didn’t have the structure of S.M.A.R.T. goal setting. That lack of clarity impacted my ability to reach my full potential. I also emphasized the importance of focusing on the controllables – things within our power that influence our success.”
Beyond just setting goals, Buonamano highlighted how one’s performance and moral character skills play a significant role in staying motivated and following through on commitments. He also shared how he continues to build on his goals each year, re-evaluating and adapting them.
“The key takeaway was that goal setting is a dynamic process, and by refining our approach, we can position ourselves for greater success in both sports and life,” he said.
