Goals-Driven Planning
Goals-Driven Planning

Goals-Driven Planning

Planning that starts with “Why” and changes as we learn

🌱 What Do We Mean by “Goals-Driven Planning”?

At Learning Companions, we don’t plan everything in advance or follow a fixed timetable.
Instead, we start with a clear goal—like “children will speak English more confidently” or “they will become curious about science”—and then decide weekly what actions can help us move toward that goal.

We do this through regular meetings, reflection, and trying things out—not through rigid calendars.

❓Why Plan This Way?

Because real learning is unpredictable. Every child, every week, every community is different. We plan like this because:

  1. Children’s needs change all the time.
    What worked last week may not work now.
  2. You’ll be working on big, open goals.
    Goals like “confidence” or “thinking for themselves” can’t be achieved with a simple checklist.
  3. You and your team understand your center best.
    That’s why planning is shared—not controlled only by the main office.

🔁 How It Works (Each Week)

1. Know Your Goals

  • Understand the main goals for children and yourself for the quarter or month.
  • Break them into weekly goals with your team and with children.

2. Reflect and Plan

  • Use weekly team meetings to talk about:
    • What went well?
    • What didn’t work?
    • What do we want to focus on next week?
  • Use weekly meetings with children to ask:
    • Begin with Courage, Reflection, Relationship (CRR) – 3 questions exercise
    • Ask they feel like doing at the moment – Today? These days?
    • What they feel like learning at the moment – Today? These days?
    • What can we focus this week? (Individually and as group)

3. Act and Adjust

  • Try the ideas you planned.
  • Don’t worry if things don’t go perfectly.
  • Come back next week and adjust the plan based on what you learned.

🧠 Helpful Mindsets

  • We start with goals—not activities.
    Don’t just copy a session from last week. Ask: “Why are we doing this?” and “Will this help us move closer to our goal?”
  • It’s okay to not know everything in advance.
    Plans will change. That’s normal. What matters is staying connected to the goal and to your learners.
  • Planning is about talking and reflecting—together.
    Weekly team meetings and center meetings are your most powerful planning tools.
  • You won’t always see quick results.
    Be patient. Some goals take time. Keep showing up, observing, and adjusting.

🛠️ Tools You’ll Use

  • Quarterly Goals: Shared during training; your anchor for long-term planning.
  • Team Meetings: Every week with mentors and fellows—reflect and plan.
  • Center Meetings: Every week with children—set learning goals and review together.
  • Light documentation: Track progress, not perfection.