As a mandatory class in most schools, physical education (PE) teachers have different responsibilities and tasks than most teachers. The specific duties of a physically engaging class include improving and adapting it to the students' needs.
But how can you improve your classes so that most students look forward to them? SMART goals can be the right choice for you. We've created a Smart Goals Physical Education list to assist you in this quest.
What Are SMART Goals?
To begin setting SMART goals, you need to know what SMART goals actually are. You might think of a list of goals that includes your long-term wishes, like buying a house or getting your dream job. However, SMART goals are different. They function as an action plan with specific steps to achieve a goal. This helps you visualize your goal and enables you to establish every step on the way towards the goal.
Conveniently, each acronym represents a characteristic your SMART goals need to have. So let's break down each letter to determine how a SMART goal should look.
Specific
The more specific your goals are, the better. When setting your SMART goal, answer the well-known “W” questions like who, what, where, when, which, and why. In this way, you will identify the specific milestones that will bring you toward your end goal.
Measurable
But, how can you tell when you've crossed the finish line? Your SMART goals need to be measurable to determine when a goal has been successfully reached. Think about questions like “How many?” and “How much?” while laying out your goals. Your progress is easier to track this way.
Achievable
While it's OK to be ambitious, a SMART objective should be achievable. Smaller goals that you can accomplish with your existing knowledge and abilities will be more beneficial than bigger goals in the long run. As you level up in your journey, you can gradually set bigger goals. This will help you stay motivated and not lose sight of your end goal.
Relevant
The purpose of this category is to explain. Focus on “Why?” Why are you pursuing this goal? Why is it essential in the long run? Every objective you set should help you get closer to your ultimate goal.
Time-Bound
Your goals should have a specified timeline. This will enable you to stay motivated by providing you with a feeling of urgency and helping you measure your goals. Setting daily, weekly, or monthly goals within your reach is a good idea.
If you want to know more about SMART goals, feel free to check out this in-depth guide.
Why Are SMART Goals Important for a PE Class?
PE classes are unique courses that require the teacher to be an educator and an instructor or coach. This includes giving instructions, monitoring the students, and ensuring that everybody is safe to prevent injuries.
On top of all that, it doesn't help that the students' feelings are very divided about PE classes. Some students love to be physically active, while others don't like the class and often avoid participation. Therefore, the PE teacher has to make the lessons enjoyable and engage the students so that they participate willingly.
This is very important since PE classes are often the students' only physical activity during their school day. Therefore, it is beneficial for the student's health and overall well-being. Unfortunately, some students might feel uncomfortable; they might compare their capabilities to others which makes them insecure, while others can be lazy.
SMART goals can be the solution to help you overcome these challenges and adapt your class to the needs of all students. The system can help you identify smaller hurdles and assist you in overcoming them, ultimately resulting in a PE class to which every student looks forward.
8 SMART Goals Examples for a Physical Education Class
Now we'll look at some SMART goal’s physical education examples. These examples can be an inspiration for your SMART goal list.
1. Deliver Short Motivational Speech
“Over the next two weeks, I will hold a five-minute motivational speech about how physical activity is important for our overall health at the beginning of every class to motivate the students to participate in the class activities.”
S: This goal is specific. It states the exact type of speech the teacher will give and what specific outcome the teacher expects.
M: The unit of measurement for this goal is a speech given at the beginning of the class.
A: The goal is achievable.
R: The goal is relevant and works well for improving PE classes.
T: The goal is completed in two weeks.
2. Conduct Surveys on Comfort
“During the next month, I will give my students surveys in which they can rate how comfortable they are in the PE classes, and they can give suggestions for changes to feel more comfortable.”
S: The goal is to give specific surveys to improve students' comfort during class.
M: The goal can be measured by each survey filled out.
A: It is an achievable goal.
R: It is relevant to the end goal of improving PE classes.
T: The goal will be finished in one month.
3. Hire a Professional to Check Equipment
“I will hire a professional to check the equipment that is available to the students in the next month to improve the safety in PE classes and prevent injuries.”
S: The teacher wants to hire a professional with the specific purpose of improving the safety of PE classes.
M: The goal is measured by each time a professional comes to check the equipment.
A: It is an achievable goal.
R: It is significant for improving the PE classes.
T: The deadline for this goal is one month.
4. Divide Class Into Groups
“Over the next three months, I will observe and divide the class into groups according to their physical abilities at the moment to make the activities easier for students and in return prevent the students from feeling insecure.”
S: The act of dividing the class into groups is specific and has a particular purpose.
M: The unit of measurement for this goal can be every time a class was divided into groups according to their physical capabilities.
A: The goal is achievable.
R: Adapting the activities to specific groups and less insecure students will improve the PE classes overall.
T: The goal will be finished in three months.
5. Play Music During Class
5. “To engage and motive my students, I will play appropriate music of their choice in PE classes over the next month.”
S: This is a specific goal stating that music will be played to engage and motivate the students.
M: The unit of measurement for this goal is every time music is played in class.
A: This goal is achievable.
R: The goal is relevant for improving PE classes.
T: The goal will be finished in a month.
6. Allow Students to Choose Activities
“Once a month, the students will have the option to decide which activity will be done in that PE class from a list of activities. The students will vote, and the activity with the most votes will be chosen. I will continue this practice in the following three months.”
S: This goal is very specific and includes how the students choose an activity.
M: The unit of measurement is every class when the students choose the activity.
A: It is an achievable goal.
R: The goal is relevant when it comes to improving PE classes.
T: The goal will be finished in a month.
7. Have One-on-One Conversations
“I will observe which students tend to avoid participating in PE classes over the next month and ask them one-on-one why they do so and what can be changed for them to feel more comfortable to participate.”
S: This goal explicitly mentions what the teacher will do and why.
M: The measurement for this goal can be each time the teacher sits down with a student to have a one-on-one conversation.
A: This goal is achievable.
R: It is relevant to engage students to participate and improve PE classes.
T: The goal will end in one month.
8. Observe and Replace Activities
“Over the next two months, I will observe and change activities that tend to require less physical engagement and increase games that are more physically engaging to increase the level of physical activity during my PE class.”
S: This specific goal includes observing and replacing activities to improve physical activity in class.
M: The goal can be measured by each time an activity was replaced.
A: The goal is achievable.
R: It is relevant to the end goal of improving PE classes.
T: The goal will end in one month.
Final Thought on SMART Goals for a Physical Education Class
Whether they are loved or hated, PE classes are crucial in maintaining students' health and well-being. These SMART Goal physical education examples are a good starting point for changing your PE class to benefit all students. The goals will make them more comfortable, less insecure, more motivated, and more willing to participate in physical activities.
And if you want more SMART goal ideas and examples, be sure to check out these blog posts:
- 8 SMART Goals Examples for Weight Loss
- 15 SMART Goals for Nutrition (Examples for Your Healthy Eating Plan)
- 6 SMART Goal Examples for Effective Diabetes Management
Finally, if you want to take your goal-setting efforts to the next level, check out this FREE printable worksheet and a step-by-step process that will help you set effective SMART goals.
