Why BHAGs Matter: The Driving Force Behind Effective Teaching and Learning

Fun fact: My husband tells me at least once a week that I should quit my job and become a party planner. So many details go into planning a party, shower, wedding, etc., and I’m here for it! To identify and plan for all the tiny details, however, I always look at the big picture first. I ask myself, ‘What is the theme? What is the color scheme? What venue?’ Once I have that, then I can work my way backward and begin planning the details. This idea of the party planner’s big picture and tiny details is similar to collecting and connecting the dots in education. Before we begin collecting and connecting, we have to have the end goal, or the big picture, in mind.

As an educator, our first step in the creation of any lesson, course, and/or program is to identify the learning objective. We must ask ourselves what’s the big, hairy, audacious goal (BHAG) I want the learner to achieve? Once we have that, then we can build backward and our lessons, courses, and programs begin to fall into place. We begin to see when and where our learners will connect and collect the dots.

Nevertheless, until our students and teachers see the value in connecting the dots, then our focus will remain on the collection. That’s why the BHAG is so important. This goal is the driving force behind our learning environments, the way we approach connecting and collecting the dots with assessments and activities, and the way we encourage our learners to become independent in their learning journey. This goal is the WHY behind what we do and the motivation that drives the connections.

I think I love both education (and party planning, lol) because I enjoy seeing the big picture and working my way backward. I love collecting the dots as I focus on the details and think of different ways to connect them. I especially love it when I can guide my teachers to see the value in the connection and the smiles on their faces when they experience the benefits of this process on their own.

So, will I become a full-time party planner? Probably not. But I will continue to be a proponent of the BHAGs that will lead our teachers and students to become confident, empowered, independent learners.