Perseverance to Achieve Goals

Explicit Instruction/Teacher modeling

• Collect quotes.
• Gather students together in a circle, seated or standing.
• Write the word "perseverance" on the board.
• Ask, "What does perseverance mean to you? Can you give an example of someone who has persevered?"
• Write the following definition of perseverance on the board: "persistence in doing something despite difficulty or delay in achieving success."
• Ask students to answer the following questions with a partner, giving them one minute for each question:
  1. How can perseverance help us in school?
  2. How can perseverance help us in life?
  3. How can you stay motivated and persevere amidst challenges?
• Bring the class back together.
• Invite students to share what they discussed in pairs with the whole class. Remind them of the prompt: How can you stay motivated and persevere amidst challenges?

Guided Practice

• Explain that setting goals and monitoring these goals can support perseverance, motivation, and grit.
• Tell students that they will be creating a Perseverance Journal to generate and monitor goals.
• Share that we can have both personal and academic goals. Offer examples of personal goals from your life. For example, maybe you are trying to learn how to swim faster or eat healthier. Share an example of an academic goal you had before you were a teacher, such as getting good grades.
• Show the class the sample Perseverance Journal you made before class.
• Explain that they will design the cover with inspirational images and words, and they'll use their journals to keep track of goals and motivational quotes.
• Pass out materials to make journals.
• Review the Perseverance Journal worksheet with the class.

Independent working time

• Dismiss students back to their seats to work on making their Perseverance Journals.