My favorite habit is Habit 2 Begin With The End In Mind. I like this habit because it's about goal setting - you make a plan then you act! Dr. Covey said, "To begin with the end in mind means to start with a clear understanding of your destination. It means to know where you're going so that you slightly understand where you are now, so that the steps you take are always in the right direction." Through The Leader in Me we have learned that the steps to Habit 2 are to plan ahead and set goals; be prepared; think about how the choices we make will affect us in the future; look for ways to be a good citizen; and do things that have meaning and make a difference. Each morning we recite our school pledge and both our vision and mission statements. Our Superintendent has helped us focus the work we do through 6 Strategic Priority Areas:
- Get Students Reading On Grade Level
- Be Successful On The Georgia Milestones
- Increase The Number Of Students In School Each Day
- Respond To Individualized Student Needs
- Work Hard To Support Your Staff
- Establish A Culture Of Accountability For Everyone
This means we are focused on who we want to be and what we want to do. As a school we have set goals and benchmarks on how we will measure the success for each focus area. We call our school goals Wildly Important Goals (WIGS). Not only are the teachers and I keeping data on our WIGS, but students are also keeping track of their own goals that contribute to the school WIGS. Each student from kindergarten to 5th grade has a Data Notebook. We are empowering students to lead by helping them to manage their learning. The principles of Habit 2 Begin With The End In Mind help us keep our goals and values in sight as we achieve our vision "Each Student Demonstrates Strength of Character and Is Ccollege or Career Ready."