Do you have personal vision and mission statements?
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When I began teaching, I really wasn’t sure what I was doing. Although I had trained soldiers, teaching ninth graders was very scary.
My Department Chair gave me a teacher’s edition textbook, a curriculum map and a box of ancillary materials to begin my journey. My colleagues offered words of wisdom.
As I prepared for my first day of school, I was excited and afraid. I understood the science content I was required to teach; however, I wasn’t sure how to infuse the life lesson’s I needed to help my students learn.
As an educator, our students look to us to help them prepare for life. While my students came to class to learn about chemistry and physics, they also wanted to learn the secrets of success. So, I decided to follow a protocol I used in the military to help my soldiers.
What was the protocol? Creating a vision and mission statement! As the Commander of a Basic Training Company, I would have my soldiers create a personal vision and mission statement. Why? Because it helped them define what success looked like to them.
[callout]As a part of their personal vision and mission statement, we included specific goals.[/callout]
Susanne Madsen said, “A vision and mission statement is a paragraph that encapsulates everything you would like to be, do, and have in your career.”
So, what is the difference between a vision and mission statement? A vision statement defines the future and answers the question “where do I want to be or what do I want to achieve?” A mission statement describes the present. It answers the question “what do you want now and how will you achieve your vision?”
During the first week of school, I would ask my students to write a vision and mission statement. I asked students to identify what they wanted to learn in the course, what grade they wanted to earn and what were they going to do to achieve their desires.
Over the course of the week, my students would write and rewrite their vision and mission statements until they were clear, engaging and realistic. Throughout the grading quarter, we would review our vision and mission statement to help them stay focused. Each grading quarter, my students would review their progress and make necessary adjustments.
At the end of the year, my students wrote a reflection on their growth. As we reviewed and discussed their progress, I explained to the students how their vision and mission statement was the first step in creating a personal growth plan.
[shareable cite=”Nelson Mandela”]Action without vision is only passing time, vision without action is merely day dreaming, but vision with action can change the world.”[/shareable]
Did they all achieve their goals? No! However, it was exciting to watch my students grow throughout the year.
Do you have personal vision and mission statements?
Your leadership guide,
Kim
Dr. Kim Moore | Your Leadership Guide | kimdmoore.com
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