PRINCIPAL KAFELE’S BLUEPRINT FOR SUCCESS
A blueprint is a plan. In order for you to achieve academic excellence, you must develop a plan of action, which is rooted in the goals that you have set for yourself. A goal is simply something that an individual sets out to achieve. In the following sections, I will outline how to set goals and develop a blueprint for achieving your goals.
1. Current Standing
Toward setting your goals, you must first determine where you are coming from. Your current standing answers the question, “Where am I now and how did I get here?” You can’t move forward if you haven’t determined where you currently stand and why. In terms of your education, your current standing is all of your last marking period grades in all of your last marking period subjects. On a sheet of paper, which is called a “goal chart,” under the subheading, “Current Standing,” list all of your subjects and list the grades that were in achieved in the previous marking period. Beneath, each subject listed, briefly summarize why you have the grades that you have. This is where you currently stand.
2. Goals
After you have determined your current standing, you must now set your goals, which ask the question, “Where am I going?” Your goals are the targets that you are aiming for. They represent where it is that you expect to be by the end of the current marking period. If you intend to achieve academic excellence, you must set realistic goals for yourself towards achieving academic excellence. When I say realistic, I mean that if you earned a “D” in a subject for example, you may not want to set the goal as an “A” just yet. There may be certain skills that you need to develop first. You would therefore set the goal at a “B” while striving to achieve an “A.” This way, when you achieve the “B,” you will feel good about yourself for achieving your goal. If you achieve an “A,” you will feel even better about yourself for exceeding the goal.
On the same “goal chart,” under the subheading “Goals,” list your current subjects. Next to each subject, write your goal for the current marking period, which represents the grades that you are striving to achieve. Keep in mind that whatever the goals are that you set, you must maintain an attitude that you will in fact achieve them. Never can you allow the thoughts of “I can’t,” “It’s impossible,” fear of failure, doubt or uncertainty to enter your thinking. Towards achieving academic excellence, your attitude must always be, “I WILL achieve academic excellence. Nothing will stop me. No one will stop me!”
3. Strategy
After you have set and written your goals, it is time to develop your plan of action – your blueprint. Your plan explains everything that you are going to do to achieve your goals. Think of it as your roadmap – it provides you with directions for achieving your goals. Goals without a plan are virtually a waste of time. Anyone can set goals. But the question is, how will you achieve them? What will you do to make your goals your reality. You must develop a plan that explains everything you will do towards achieving your goals. On the same “goal chart,” once again, write your current subjects, but this time, you are going to write an explanation of what you must do every day and every evening towards ultimately achieving your goals. Below is outline of a sample “goal chart.” Use this as a model to develop your own.
Other than that, good luck to all of the readers of these messages. I can only hope that you read, re-read and study everything I have written above. I am quite certain that if you implement what you have read above, academic excellence is yours. The key word is “implementation.” This means that you have to put what you have read into effect and then maintain consistency in your efforts. Also, be sure to never procrastinate, which means to put things off until later. Later comes up so quickly that before you know it, you have missed your deadline. Don’t put off for tomorrow what could have been done today. Stay consistent and disciplined and victory will be yours.
GOAL CHART
(Your Name)
Current Standing
Math – B
Language Arts – A
Science – C
Social Studies – C
Goals
Math – A
Language Arts – A
Science – B
Social Studies – B
Strategy
Math – Write your plan
Language Arts – Write your plan
Science – Write your plan
Social Studies – Write your plan