Empower Students to Achieve Goals With Persistence

Success and self-improvement aren't about quitting when things get tough. It's about pushing through, even when the going gets rough. It is what makes the winners of this journey: their never-give-up attitude, also known as "persistence."

Persistence is the positive attribute of staying at a task and trying to succeed, even when it is hard. A person with this quality recognizes that no triumph in life is ever achieved by quickly surrendering in the face of a challenge. So, one believes in one’s potential, tries the challenge, and keeps going.

It can never be too early to teach children about persistence. As they grow and learn new things, they begin to dream about their future and set long-term goals. Teaching them early on builds their resilience and prepares them for life’s ups and downs. That is the objective of this evidence-based SEL lesson: to equip kindergartners with the mental fortitude to continue and persevere.

An audio story featuring beloved animal characters introduced this lesson. In this tale, jungle and forest animals climb Mount Self-Improvement, a mountain of steep hills, shallow cliffs, and rocky paths. In this journey, the animals have experienced a rollercoaster of emotions—joy, discouragement, fear, and pride.

Although the animals have struggled, every obstacle fuels their determination to achieve their goals. Every step they take reminds them of their progress, and every glance backward helps them appreciate how far they have come. They know they have each other and feel confident about their strengths, but what truly helps them power through is knowing they can be slow and inch forward.

This is the powerful message that the class discusses as the story reaches its climax and the animals finally reach the peak of the Mountain. Sharing the achievements of their beloved characters, the students immerse themselves in the narrative and participate in the discussion that asks reflective questions. What makes the animals believe in themselves? What keeps them from giving up when the going gets tough?

Following this insightful classroom exchange, the students embark on a creative task and draw a picture of a goal they wish to achieve. The lesson wraps up with students taking their drawings home, along with an activity sheet about setting goals.

With the research-backed stories and activities that Positive Action designed for this lesson, teachers can impart to young learners that goal achievement is not solely about optimism. Instead, it demands effort, patience, and unwavering resolve.

Positive Action’s Thoughts-Actions-Feelings Circle can help educators promote the concept of persistence and help students get closer to their dreams. By understanding how thoughts lead to actions and ultimately to feelings about oneself, students can better manage themselves through any challenge.