The Executive Functioning Skill of Goal-Directed Persistence
Have you consulted with a teacher about a student who struggles to meet goals related to assignments or projects? Have you observed students who are too distracted by preferred activities to complete tasks? These students may need help with the executive functioning skill known as goal-directed persistence. Are there ways in which school psychologists can help kids stay motivated to meet a goal? Let’s talk about goal-directed persistence and how school psychs can set students up for success!
Developing Goals with Students
One of the most effective ways to improve a student’s goal-directed persistence skill is to make the goal as real, concrete, and visible as possible. Additionally, students could be involved not only in the development of their goals but in the monitoring and tracking of their results. What other ways can school psychologists support students with goal-directed persistence weaknesses? School psychs can praise specific behaviors and provide honest, fact-based feedback!
Meeting Short and Long-Term Goals
What strategies can help students meet short-and long-term goals? Are there environmental changes school psychs can recommend to teachers? Creating short-term objectives that result in concrete progress is an evidence-based practice; however, keeping a child’s cognitive ability in mind when creating objectives is essential. The timeline for an adolescent student with cognitive delays may be the same as an elementary-age student with no cognitive delays. Remember to celebrate their wins, no matter how big or small!
Helping Students Stay Focused on Their Goals
Goal-directed persistence helps students maintain their effort and attention long enough to work toward a desired outcome, even when distractions or challenges arise. For students who struggle with this skill, setting a goal may be the easy part. Following through, monitoring progress, and staying motivated along the way may require additional support.
School psychologists can help teachers create goals that are concrete, visible, and meaningful to the student. Breaking long-term goals into smaller objectives, providing specific feedback, and tracking progress together can help students recognize their accomplishments and identify when adjustments are needed. It’s also important to consider each student’s developmental level, cognitive abilities, and individual needs when determining appropriate expectations and timelines.
Progress may look different for every student, and small steps forward are worth recognizing. The focus is on helping students develop strategies they can use to sustain effort, work through challenges, and build greater independence over time.
By making goals meaningful, progress visible, and support individualized, we can help students strengthen goal-directed persistence and experience the value of working toward something that matters to them.
