Helping Teens Tap Into the Power of the Future Self
Reminding high school students why they鈥檙e in school鈥攕o they can become the people they aspire to be鈥攃an be a powerful motivator.
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Go to My Saved Content.鈥淚 want to start the year off hopeful,鈥� says high school English teacher Cathleen Beachboard. Beachboard is a firm believer in the value of taking the time to connect with students at the beginning of the year. But she noticed when she changed from teaching middle school to high school recently that teens benefited from additional get-to-know-you activities. 鈥淎 lot of the time teenagers feel like they鈥檙e not in control, that their parents, guardians, teachers, they are the ones in control of how they鈥檒l do things, when they鈥檒l do things.鈥�
Beachboard had an aha moment when one student reported feeling 鈥渟tuck鈥� in the present. Beachboard started thinking about what might help students feel more connected to their dreams and passions, their future selves (for related research, see ).
And so, the Future Goals Gala was born. This 30-year class reunion (held 30 years early) asks students to come as the people they plan to be鈥攁nd bring props to prove it (students have brought everything from the New York Times bestseller books they鈥檝e written to photo albums of their future families to Olympic gold medals).
While her students are having fun mingling with their classmates, Beachboard takes notes鈥攁nd uses the information she鈥檚 gleaned about her students during the rest of the year, incorporating students鈥� interests into the books and activities she chooses. She also groups students together based on common interests, which helps them break out of their social groups in the classroom.
鈥淜ids need to remember the reason we go to school is not to get a job鈥攊t鈥檚 to empower you to become the person and the dream self that you ultimately want to be in the future,鈥� Beachboard says. The Future Goals Gala 鈥渞eminds them that they have the agency, they are growing into this person, and it gives them the push and desire to start putting forth the effort to become the person they鈥檙e going to be鈥攁nd lets them know that they will be in complete control very soon.鈥�
Beachboard has made a downloadable available for other educators to use.