Helping Children Reflect Before They Set New Goals

By Victoria Carlton

As teachers, we often rush straight into goal-setting at the start of a new year or term. Posters go up, worksheets are filled in, and children eagerly announce what they want to achieve next. But

without meaningful reflection, those goals can quickly become random wishes rather than realistic plans.

Helping children to reflect on the year just finished before setting future goals is not just helpful—it’s essential.

Why Reflection Comes First

Reflection teaches children how to:

• recognise what they have already achieved

• understand what worked (and what didn’t)

• develop insight into their own learning habits

• build realistic expectations of themselves

When children reflect well, they are far more likely to set achievable goals rather than goals that simply sound good.

This process supports:

• increased self-confidence

• stronger emotional maturity

• a growing sense of personal agency

The Power of Modelling Reflection

Children don’t automatically know how to reflect meaningfully. We need to model the process ourselves.

When teachers openly share:

• what they found challenging

• what they improved at over time

• what strategies helped them succeed

  
  

children learn that reflection is not about judgement—it’s about growth.

By modelling reflection, we teach children how to think about their learning, not just what to aim for next.

Supporting Children With Different Experiences of Success

Not all children come to goal setting from the same place.

• Some children have a strong sense of purpose and confidence.

• Others have experienced repeated failure and genuinely cannot imagine how they might succeed.

For these children, especially, jumping straight into goal setting can feel overwhelming or even discouraging.

Reflection helps them:

• identify small wins

• notice progress they may have overlooked

• reconnect effort with outcome

This creates a foundation where success feels possible again.

Why Visual and Imaginative Strategies Work

Many children—particularly intensely visual learners—benefit from approaches that go beyond writing lists.

One strategy I have found especially powerful is mind-journeys (guided visualisations).

Through calm, structured imagery, children can:

• revisit moments of success

• picture themselves overcoming challenges

• imagine what achievable success looks and feels like

Just like adults, children often need to experience ideas internally before they can articulate them externally.

There Is No One-Size-Fits-All Strategy

Goal setting is not a single activity—it’s a process.

Some children respond well to:

• discussion

• drawing

• visualisation

• guided questioning

• scaffolded reflection prompts

  
  

Our role is to try a range of strategies until we find what truly helps each child. When children set goals they can actually achieve, they don’t just tick a box—they experience pride, motivation, and the belief that their efforts matter.

Final Thought: Reflection is where meaningful goal setting begins. When we slow down, model the process, and meet children where they are, we help them develop skills that go far beyond the classroom—skills for life-long learning, resilience, and self-belief.