Personal Growth Planning

Lesson 9 of 10 – "Empowering Personal Development" Unit

Subject Area: VCE Vocational Major (VM) – Personal Development Skills (PDS)
Duration: 45 minutes
Class Context: Year 11 – 30 students
Curriculum Reference:
Aligned with the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority (VCAA) VCE VM PDS Level 1 – Strand: Personal Identity and Goal Setting

• Outcome 1.1: Identify and assess personal values, interests, strengths, challenges and aspirations.
• Outcome 1.3: Develop personal goals and outline strategies to achieve them.
• General Capabilities: Ethical Understanding, Personal and Social Capability

---

🧠 WALT (We Are Learning To)

• Synthesise our learning by creating a Personal Development Plan (PDP)
• Identify specific, realistic short, medium and long-term goals
• Outline steps, timelines, and supports needed for success

---

✅ Success Criteria

By the end of this lesson, students will be able to:

• Draft a Personal Development Plan that includes 3 clear and specific goals (short, medium, long-term)
• Align their goals with their interests, values, and vocational pathway
• Identify at least 3 concrete strategies/support systems for each goal
• Demonstrate timeline planning with checkpoints

---

🧰 Materials Needed

• Printed Personal Development Plan template (dyslexia-friendly font: Lexend or OpenDyslexic)
• Coloured markers or highlighters
• Students’ previous reflective journals (from Lessons 1–8)
• Sticky notes
• Stopwatch or timer
• Optional: Digital devices for students using assistive tech (voice-to-text, etc.)

---

🧩 Differentiation & Inclusion Strategies

Learner Type	Strategies
Dyslexic learners	Use Lexend/OpenDyslexic templates, text-to-speech tech, oral instructions, chunk tasks
EAL learners	Visual goal-setting cards, peer buddy, bilingual resources if applicable
Hands-on learners	Use coloured sticky notes for goals; draw vision boards with timelines
Advanced learners	Extension activity to create a digital SMART Goal Tracker
Low-literacy learners	Scaffold templates with sentence starters and visual prompts
Neurodivergent learners	Breakdown tasks into smaller chunks, allow use of personal timeframe tools

---

📚 Lesson Breakdown (Timing + Activities)

⏱ 0:00–0:05 – Settling In & Recap

Activity: Class circle check-in – “What’s one goal you’ve been thinking about lately?”
Teacher prompts:

• “Is it short term (this term), medium term (this year), or long term (future career/life)?”

Purpose: Activates prior learning from Units 1–8 and sets tone for goal-directed work.

---

⏱ 0:05–0:15 – Think | Pair | Plan

Instruction: Distribute PDP templates
Task: Students brainstorm and jot down:

• One short-term goal
• One medium-term goal
• One long-term goal

Each goal section includes:

• Why it matters to me
• Barriers I might face
• What/who will help me

Support option: Use printed visual prompt cards with icons for those who benefit from pictorial cues.
Extension Task (for fast-finishing students): Convert the goals into SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Time-bound).

---

⏱ 0:15–0:25 – Build the Timeline

Task: Students visually map their three goals onto a progress pathway using coloured markers/sticky notes.
Template includes the checkpoints:

• Starting Point
• 1 Month
• 3 Months
• 6 Months
• End of Year

Differentiation: Use string/tape on wall or large butchers' paper for kinesthetic learners to physically “walk the plan”.

---

⏱ 0:25–0:35 – Strengths & Supports Mapping

Task:
Students review their previous personal reflection entries and connect:

• One personal strength they’ll use towards each goal
• Two support systems (people, routines, strategies) for each goal

Support tools:

• Colour-matching system (e.g., Blue = people, Green = environment/routines)
• Visual anchor wall with ideas (e.g., “Support Looks Like…” posters)

---

⏱ 0:35–0:42 – Peer Coaching Pairs

Task: Partner up to share PDP drafts.
Instructions: Each student gives their partner:

• One piece of encouragement
• One suggestion or question Peer coaching frame: “I like that you ___, have you thought about ___?”

Optional Extension: Advanced students take on Peer Mentor role to support finishing students.

---

⏱ 0:42–0:45 – Exit Strategy & Check Out

Task: Quick-write sticky note: “One thing I’m proud of in my PDP.”
Add to the Class Development Wall
Group Reflection Circle (Optional): “What strength are you bringing into next week’s lesson?”

---

🏁 Teacher Notes & Assessment

Formative Assessment Checklist:

• Are students’ goals realistic and connected to individual aspirations?
• Are timelines clear and achievable?
• Did students demonstrate ability to identify internal & external supports?

Exit Ticket Diagnostic:

• Does the student identify an element of pride or ownership in their PDP?

---

✨ Extension Opportunities

• Digital PDP Journals: Create a Trello board or Google Sheet to visually track goals across the term.
• Action Centre Creation: Groups create mock “personal development service centres” with posters, playlists, or brochures that empower their peers.
• English Integration Task: Reflective writing task comparing their PDP now with their expectations from Term 1.

---

🏆 Preparation for Lesson 10 – Reflection and Future Steps

• Remind students they will be presenting their PDP next week in a gallery walk.
• Optional prep task: Bring one item/photo/symbol that represents their “Future Self”.

---

🌱 Final Thought for Students

"Your goals are seeds – today we’ve planted them. What will you water them with tomorrow?"

---

👩‍🏫 Teacher Reflection Prompt (Post-Lesson)

• Did students engage deeply with personal goals?
• Which students demonstrated stronger self-awareness or leadership in planning?
• Were differentiation adjustments effective, and what could be improved for the final reflection lesson?

---

This lesson encourages agency, scaffolds future thinking, and makes success visible – vital tools for VCE VM learners on a career-focused path.