Our goals are meant to take students to the precipice of “there’s no way I can do that”, so when they do “that”, it’s a real breakthrough. When people are wowed but what they’re able to do they become more motivated.
For example, the goal in our Chumash Program is to know the entire Chumash backwards and forwards with the ability to locate any source. That’s pretty exciting. It also sounds pretty daunting. Exciting and daunting are a great combination.
When you see what you can accomplish you shoot even higher.
2. They are quantifiable.
I use a simple format for our goals:
You will be able to review X amount of material in Y amount of time.
For example, in the Zichru Chumash Level I Program the goal is to review the basic topics in all fifty four parshios by memory in less than three minutes.
It’s clear, concrete and gives students an accurate way to measure their progress. When they cross the finish line it means they have truly mastered the material. It’s theirs, they made a kinyan on it, and it comes automatically.
That’s mastery.
And when material is mastered, it’s easy to review and therefore maintain. The most effective way for material to go into long term memory is to commit to review the material for the long term.
I remember when I started testing my method with children and I would pull out a stop watch to time their reviews. It was fascinating. Instead of hearing the typical grunts and gripes when told to review, the students were completely motivated. Every review meant a chance to shave off a few seconds from their previous time.
At first this may sound silly and diminishing but it isn’t. It drives performance and gets learning out of the fluffy goal zone that many people find themselves in. They don’t have a goal line, just a vague notion of learning something.
If you’d like to see a video of children mastering Chumash using a stopwatch click here.