1) Why is a program about goal setting so important?
While the education system concentrates on academic subjects, it often overlooks one skill that is critical to success in any part of life: goal setting. Students should be educated on the skills they will need to pursue the lives they want. Successful people often excel because they know how to set, track and achieve goals. Yet most people do not know how to pursue this process. The Crons Achievers Program aims to build a goal mentality in students and show them the fundamentals of the goal-setting process. The skills they learn in the program will serve them as students and throughout their lives.
2) Because this is not a traditional core or elective subject, where do you see the Crons Achievers Program fitting into the curriculum?
This is a personal and growth development program: a life skills resource. Many health curriculums address facets of personal development or life skills (e.g., self-esteem, drug education), making the Achievers Program -- and the concept of setting personal goals for achievement -- a good fit within the health curriculum.
3) This program is arranged in a nine-week, nine-module format, but that’s not how our curriculum is arranged. How will the two work together?
Because subjects like health vary so much depending on school district (e.g., meeting once a week for nine weeks, once a week for the entire semester, or multiple times per week during the year), the Crons Achievers Program can be adapted into a format that fits your school’s curriculum structure.
4) Does the program provide training/support for educators?
A Crons Achievers Curriculum Specialist will conduct an in-person training session for instructors of the Achievers Program. That curriculum specialist will also be available to answer questions during the presentation of the program via phone or e-mail.
5) Since this is a new concept for many students, will class participation be a challenge? And how important is class discussion?
Class discussion is very important. It provides students the opportunity to give their feedback about issues that arise during their personal goal-setting process. And in the classroom setting, fellow students’ reactions and insights provide reinforcement for the program’s objectives. Class participation may initially present a challenge to some students, but as they engage further in the program, they will understand that it is focused on empowering young people and helping them accomplish their dreams and aspirations. Once they realize that the program is all about them, eliciting class discussion will be easier. We also recommend that small, positive-reinforcement rewards be used by teachers to incentivize students participating in class discussion.
6) How could a program like Crons Achievers be graded?
We recommend pass/fail grading based on completing the assignments. While there is a goal achievement assignment included in the curriculum, it should not be evaluated based on achieving a certain number of goals. In the program, the goal setting process is more important than the achievement itself.