Goal Setting for the Marginalized: Navigating Aspiration and Ground Reality
OBJECTIVE:
To discuss how to help students set ambitious goals while providing the “Scaffolding” needed to bridge the gap between their current reality and their future potential.
1. The Aspiration Trap
“You can be anything you want to be.” This is the mantra of modern education. It is meant to be empowering. But for a child living in a slum, whose parents are daily wagers, this phrase can be a cruel joke.
Telling a child to “aim for the stars” without giving them a rocket is not motivation; it is setting them up for a harder fall.
When we encourage high aspirations without addressing the Ground Reality (poverty, lack of networks, caste barriers), we create an “Aspiration Gap.” The student aims high, fails due to structural barriers, and then blames themselves. They internalize the failure as “I wasn’t good enough,” rather than “The system was rigged.”
However, the opposite—telling them to “be realistic”—is equally damaging. It kills hope. This article explores the delicate art of goal setting for the marginalized: How do we keep the dream alive while building a concrete, step-by-step ladder to reach it?
2. Analysis: Building the Infrastructure of Hope
A. Appadurai’s “Capacity to Aspire”
Anthropologist Arjun Appadurai argues that aspiration is not just a feeling; it is a Cultural Capacity.
The Rich Child’s Map: A child of a doctor knows exactly how to become a doctor. They know which exams to take, which coaching centers to join, and how many years it takes. They have a “Map.”
The Poor Child’s View: A first-generation learner sees the destination (Doctor) but the path is foggy. They lack the “navigational capacity.”
The Intervention: Our job is not just to say “Dream Big,” but to provide the Map. We must make the path visible.
B. Cooling Out vs. Heating Up
Sociologist Erving Goffman described a process called “Cooling Out.” This is when institutions (like schools) subtly lower a student’s expectations to match their class status.
❄️ COOLING OUT
“Maybe you should try a vocational course instead of engineering. It’s safer.”
Result: Reinforces class hierarchy.
🔥 HEATING UP
“Engineering is hard, but here is a scholarship list and a mentor. Let’s make a plan.”
Result: Disrupts class hierarchy.
Includia Trust advocates for “Heating Up.” We must validate the ambitious goal, even if it seems unlikely, and then work backwards to solve the obstacles.
C. Vygotsky’s Scaffolding: The Ladder
Lev Vygotsky’s concept of the “Zone of Proximal Development” (ZPD) is crucial here. The ZPD is what a learner can do with help.
For a marginalized student, the gap between “Current Reality” and “Goal” is too wide to jump. They need Scaffolding.
Micro-Goals: We must break the big dream into tiny, manageable “Micro-Goals.” Achieving Step 1 gives the dopamine hit needed to attempt Step 2. This builds “Self-Efficacy” (Bandura).
D. The “Plan B” Paradox
Should we teach “Plan B”?
The Balanced Approach: We teach “Strategic Risk.” We pursue Plan A with 100% effort, but we also build a “Safety Net” of skills (like computer literacy or soft skills) that ensure the student lands on their feet even if they miss the moon.
E. Mentorship: The “More Knowledgeable Other”
Scaffolding requires a scaffolder. This is the Mentor.
For first-generation learners, the mentor acts as the “Cultural Broker.” They translate the codes of the elite world. They explain how to dress for an interview, how to write an email, and how to handle rejection. The mentor provides the social capital that the family cannot.
F. Navigating “The Dip”
Seth Godin talks about “The Dip”—the long, hard slog between starting a goal and achieving mastery. This is where most marginalized students drop out because their resources (money, patience, family support) run out.
It is during “The Dip” that the scaffolding must be strongest. This is when we need scholarships, counseling, and peer support groups.
3. Conclusion: Architects of Destiny
Goal setting for the marginalized is not just a motivational exercise; it is an architectural project. We are building bridges over canyons of inequality.
The Educator’s Duty:
- Validate the Dream: Never tell a child their dream is “too big.”
- Expose the Reality: Be honest about the obstacles (fees, competition).
- Build the Ladder: Co-create a step-by-step plan with the student.
When we provide the scaffolding, we transform “Wishful Thinking” into “Strategic Action.” We allow the student to climb out of their circumstances, one rung at a time.
