Formando Vidas SEL

Category: Connect

Nurturing Hope Step 2: Goal Setting

My Best Me has 7 core steps teachers use to nurture Hope in their students. For the next several weeks, we are doing a blog series about each step in detail, why it is important, and how it changes students’ lives.

In our recent blog, Why Our Definition of Hope Changes Everything, we go over the first vital step of introducing Hope as a mindset. That is the first blog in the series, so if you haven’t read it yet, be sure to start there!

Now, we are going to focus on step two: Goal Setting.

What is Goal Setting?

After educators introduce Hope as a mindset, it is important to guide the student in identifying something they want to accomplish, establish a way to measure that goal and provide a timeframe to reach it. This is what we call Goal Setting.

Hope is the belief that tomorrow will be better than today, and that you have the power to make it so.
Dr. Chan Hellman, PhD

To know what ‘better’ looks like for the student, it is key to help them define what they want to accomplish by setting a goal. By having that specific goal, the student has a clear definition of what better looks like, which will assist them as they work to achieve it.

Power in Personally Relevant Goals

The most powerful part of our definition of Hope is that “you have the power to make tomorrow better than today.” This emphasis on being the key to making their tomorrow better provides agency for the student to improve their lives.

Because of this, teachers must guide the students in setting personally relevant goals. Our goals are not always the same as theirs. Their goals may be very different from other students. If the goals of others are pressed upon them, they will lose agency in their goal setting and have less Hope overall.

Students are empowered by pursuing what they want to accomplish. Simply focusing on what is personally relevant to them during the goal-setting phase has already shown to start increasing Hope and even more so once they reach their goal. My Best Me helps establish that what the student wants, their goals for a better tomorrow, has intrinsic value and therefore they have inherent value as a person.

Trauma-Informed Guidance

My Best Me is a trauma-informed curriculum. Trauma and high stress are prevalent in students, and My Best Me is here to help buffer that adversity. Because of Dr. Hellman’s research, we know that children who have experienced trauma struggle with long-term goal setting and tend to focus on avoidant-based goals rather than achievement-based goals.

My Best Me guides teachers in helping traumatized students succeed with short-term goal setting and provide guidance for how to understand students’ fears when they make avoidant goals.

For instance, students who use avoidant-based goals are often worried about performing poorly in front of others. Instead of achievement self-talk such as, “I want to pass this test, I want to do my best, I want to succeed,” their self-talk is far more negative. “I don’t want to fail, I don’t want to embarrass myself in front of others, I don’t want to look stupid.”

Without the proper training, this can be hard to navigate and identify in a student. My Best Me helps teachers know how to look for this and how to properly guide that student through goal setting to help them become more hopeful and think of themselves as successful.

More in the Series…

You are reading Part #2 of a 7-Part Series on Nurturing Hope. To catch up, read our last blog, Why Our Definition of Hope Changes Everything. And when you ready for Step #3, be sure to check out Nurturing Hope Series: Establishing Pathways.

Hope Rising SEL’s definition of Hope is making a difference in many schools and communities across the country.

If your school isn’t using My Best Me yet, we would love to help you bring Hope to your school. Our sales team is ready to answer your questions and demo My Best Me for you. Contact us to start spreading Hope in your school.

November 3, 2021
Why Our Definition of Hope Changes Everything
Hope Rising SEL has developed My Best Me, a hope-centered and trauma-informed curriculum. But what does that mean?

In this article, we’re going to share our definition of Hope, what we do to nurture Hope in students, and how it makes a difference for individuals who have experienced trauma and adversity.

Teachers are seeing more children enter their schools who have experienced adversity, trauma, and severe stress. This is proven to be directly responsible for increased dropout rates, academic struggle, and emotional outbursts. Not only does this affect individual children, but it ripples through the classroom into the school and our communities.

As a trauma-informed curriculum, and through extensive research, we understand the effect this has on children. That’s why we are here to bring Hope — through My Best Me — to more teachers and schools in order to help reduce the impact of trauma and provide tools for buffering stress.

What Hope Actually Means

Hope is more complex than just a reaction or emotion. It’s a mindset that can be nurtured. We define Hope as “the belief that tomorrow will be better than today and that you have the power to make it so.”

While the first half of this definition may seem familiar, most people aren’t aware, “that you have the power to make it so” is a vital component of Hope. The belief that tomorrow will be better than today is a great start. But if it stands alone it’s only optimism, not Hope.

Why Hope is Better than Optimism

While we don’t have any issue with optimism, it isn’t a tool to assist those who have experienced trauma and adversity. In fact, living through pervasive, negative experiences can make it difficult for a child to become be optimistic. Furthermore, being only optimistic creates a sense of helplessness, i.e. “good things will happen regardless of what I do.” This presents a second, less positive option of, “all things will happen no matter what I do. I cannot change and affect anything, even myself.”

For a sustainable, helpful, positive outlook, we need something more than mere optimism can provide: the power to create change.

Our definition of Hope allows and encourages the individual to have agency (or willpower) in their situation. Not only can tomorrow be better than today, but they are the key to making it better. This agency provides Hope and shows them, “my behavior, thoughts, and actions matter.”

Giving children this power in their lives and increasing their Hope changes their behavior, helps buffer against adversity, and is a protective factor in times of great stress.

See how Hope is already so much more powerful than optimism?

Not only is it applicable to more of the population, but it directly correlates the importance of positive personal growth to improving one’s circumstances.

How We Nurture Hope

We use Hope Work strategies in My Best Me to help children learn Hope as a mindset and empower them to make their tomorrow better.

Here are ways that we accomplish that:
1. Introduce Hope: We show that Hope isn’t an emotion or reaction, but it’s a mindset they can learn.
2. Goal Setting: We help them develop personally relevant goals.
3. Pathways: We establish ways for them to reach their goals, showing that it’s possible.
4. Willpower: We find the child’s source of motivation, help them identify it, and help them utilize it to navigate their pathway to achievement.
5. Problem Solving: We identify obstacles that might occur and prepare strategies to help the child overcome them.
6. Create Hope Visual: We create a visual map to refer to everything they learned and planned during Hope Work to help them succeed.
7. Re-Goal Setting: As children grow, their goals grow with them. We help them learn to re-goal set with consistently helpful strategies and success.
What Happens When Hope is Increased

Hope Work in My Best Me establishes agency for the child with positive impacts, creating better behaviors and outcomes. In schools using our curriculum, we’ve seen this growth for individual children ripple out to the rest of the classroom, the school, and beyond to their communities. Hope is infectious, having a positive impact on everyone. Children with increased Hope are getting better grades, higher attendance, and seeing more success interacting with others inside and outside the classroom. In addition, schools using My Best Me have decreased dropout rates, increased overall exam scores, and see more of their students graduate.

Hope Rising SEL’s definition of Hope is making a difference in many schools and communities across the country.

If your school isn’t using My Best Me yet, we would love to help you bring Hope to your school. Our sales team is ready to answer your questions and demo My Best Me for you. Contact us to start spreading Hope in your school.
October 20, 2021
OK EIGO: 3 Reasons for OK Residents to Consider a Donation

We love providing hope through My Best Me all over the country, but we can’t forget our home in Oklahoma. So, to help improve educational opportunities for public schools in our home state, we want to tell you about the Forming Lives OK EIGO and how you can help.

Invest in Our Schools

You are directly investing in Oklahoma public schools to help them create a superior learning environment for their students by donating. With more resources, teachers can help students achieve higher academic performance and gain better educational outcomes. OK EIGO’s board of directors genuinely care for the young people of OK. Each of them is known for being community leaders who provide college and career readiness opportunities for graduating seniors, as well as mentoring young OK business owners. With your donation, you help them impact the lives of 694,116 students in the state across the 1,700 schools they contribute towards. They ensure your money goes directly to where it will benefit most.

Spread Hope

If you’re familiar with My Best Me and our dedication to spreading Hope, you know how impactful mental health and overall well-being are to our students and classrooms. By donating to OK EIGO, you spread Hope. The OK EIGO program allows the My Best Me curriculum to enter more central and rural public schools in Oklahoma and bring crucial social-emotional learning skills to students and teachers. This improves the quality of life for students, significantly enhancing their educational outcomes and improving their post-graduation opportunities.

Earn Tax Credit

Your donation gives Oklahoma residents tax credit in the state of Oklahoma. Whether a business, an individual, or a couple, Oklahoma residents can earn income tax credit to reduce their overall taxes through a donation. Individuals can earn up to $2,000 in tax credit, and businesses can earn up to $100,000. In addition, OK EIGO offers one-time donations and a yearly commitment option. Finally, as a nonprofit organization, a contribution to OK EIGO qualifies with the Internal Revenue Service as a charitable tax deduction.

We are thrilled to have an organization like OK EIGO help us spread hope in Oklahoma and are thankful for all those who donate. In January 2022, a new state statute will be in place, allowing more flexibility to which schools can receive funding so that OK EIGO can give more than ever before. If you’re an Oklahoma resident and are thinking about donating, head to their website https://okeigo.org/ and see how you can start changing lives today.

October 6, 2021
Keep Those Brains Active

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Keep Those Brains Active

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“An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.” Benjamin Franklin

During the pandemic, many conversations came up about gaining the “quarantine 15”. (We might have all fell prey to some sort of weight gain!) There were months of more sedentary days. Just as our bodies get flabby and out of shape, our minds can get out of shape over the summer if we don’t engage them and keep them active.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Jigsaw Puzzles are a fun way to challenge the brain. Young children learn the concept of fractions of the picture being a part of the whole. They also learn shape recognition and fine motor skills. Research suggests puzzles aid in increasing concentration and sharpening memory. My mom typically got out a jigsaw puzzle in the cold winter months, but why not summer. They are a fun way to give the brain exercise while also boosting our mood.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Learning a New Language is a great way to keep your brain active and challenged. Today, there are many apps for young and old alike to learn a new language. My 10-year-old granddaughter is doing this and has partnered with one of her friends as they challenge each other to complete 5 lessons each week. This keeps both of them on track and in the process, they are learning French! A couple apps to consider are Duolingo and Gus on the Go.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Dance! Dancing releases endorphins, improves coordination, strengthens muscles and is just plain fun! Learning a new line dance or joining a dance class will keep your brain remembering the moves and sequences of the steps. There are many tutorials on YouTube for learning a line dance. May I suggest the Cupid Shuffle, a personal favorite.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Be the Teacher. Teach a friend or family member how to do something, such as making a craft, playing a card game, or playing a musical instrument. Being the teacher keeps your brain thinking of how to put yourself in the student’s shoes remembering when you learned. You will have to recall each step in the process and think through the “how to’s” that will help them be a success. Patience will be needed in seeing mistakes and knowing how to correct them. Reverse the roles and have them teach you something. Of course, learning exercises the brain every time.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]Above are just a few of the many ways you can ensure that your brains don’t turn to mush over the break. You can return to school knowing your brain is in shape and ready to learn. Follow Benjamin Franklin’s advice and make some investments in knowledge![/vc_column_text][vc_column_text]

July 22, 2021
Hope Can Be Taught: 7 Steps To Nurturing Hope
Hope Can Be Taught: 7 Steps To Nurturing Hope

The science behind hope is based on more than 10 years of research and 150 published works by Dr. Chan Hellman, Ph.D., Founder and Director of the OU Hope Research Center. According to his research, the strategies developed to nurture hope can show a statistically significant improvement in a child or adult in about one hour of Hope work.

These strategies can be introduced in a short amount of time, allowing for momentum in growth and added efficiencies in the educators’ teaching schedule. The simple methodology behind the Science of Hope is based on three steps:
1. Set short- or long-term goals toward purposeful behavior.
2. Identify the pathway or roadmap to attain that goal.
3. Find the willpower to focus your attention on the pursuit of the goal.
However, there are a few more components to fully round out the process for building and nurturing Hope. Here’s the full outline of strategies used to Nurture Hope:

Introduce Hope

When just getting started, students need to know that Hope is much more than wishful thinking. It’s a belief that the future will be better than the present. Hope is a confidence in a better tomorrow and the mindset that each individual plays an integral role in making that future possible. The first step in nurturing hope is introducing hope and discussing its core components.

Goal Setting

Setting goals means deciding on or identifying something that is wanted and valued. This must be personally relevant! Most high trauma youth are in survival mode and are likely to initially set short term goals. When goals are clarified, it increases the agency (or willpower) to attain them.

Identifying Pathways

This is the step in the process where students discover various ways to achieve their goals. This is the creation of the roadmap to get from Point A (where we are) to Point B (where we aim to go next). It’s important to list and discuss potential pathways, consider the barriers that will come up, and which alternative pathways might be an option.

Cultivate Willpower

Harnessing willpower is finding the inner force to make the goals a reality. This is the mental energy that is required to complete the goal. Cultivating willpower including identifying and describing the motivation behind the goal.

Problem Solve

It’s difficult to be hopeful, especially when students have faced significant trauma. But by helping children look for obstacles while discussing ways to overcome them, we help them develop their problem solving skills as they nurture the hope. Failed attempts and not quitting are sometimes a part of the journey.

Create a Hope Visual

A gallery of Hope serves as a Visual Map for this Journey to Hope. This visual, created with the student, can serve as a reference tool throughout the duration of the process. It should highlight where the student is headed and the process or steps required to get there.

Re-Goaling

After the goal is attained, it is important to remember that we all have the ability to “re-goal.” Hope can continue to grow. We can work through the process again fully in order to reach another set goal.

When educators use a social emotional curriculum infused with Hope, it reduces the impact of toxic stress and builds resilience in students, especially those who have experienced trauma and adverse childhood experiences. My Best Me is a series of lessons designed to deliver SEL competencies and help students discover their true identity and purpose. It’s also certified to increase hope, and lessons can be taught in just one hour a week.
July 14, 2021