During the second half of the month of February, the focus of classroom guidance lessons was on Careers as our students "began with the end in mind" and thought ahead to the future. These lessons covered the following standard:
ASCA National Standard(s): Career Standard A: Students will acquire the skills to investigate the world of work in relation to knowledge of self and to make informed career decisions.
Our 3rd grade students made connections between interests and future career choices. They heard the stories of three different students from the book, Journey to Jobs, and guessed what careers the students would persue based on their interests. In each scenario, the students interests and opportunities changed and so did careers. The students were able to conclude that changing interests may provide the opportunity for career changes during the course of one's working life. The students also took an interest inventory and were encouraged to discuss their interest and potential careers with their parents and to ask their parents to share about how their career paths followed their interests.
This lesson addressed the following compentencies:
- GC:CD-A1.3 Develop an awareness of personal abilities, skills, interests and motivations
- GC:CD-A1.8 Pursue and develop competency in areas of interest
The Pickett's Mill 4th graders learned about career clusters by playing a Career Cube game. Six bins of different colored blocks representing various interests were placed around the room and the students had to choose between color-coded interests for each turn. For instance, if they would like to work with tools, they would get a yellow block and if they would like to organize their notebook, they would select a blue block. At the end of several turns, the students sorted the blocks to discover what their dominate colors were. The different colors represent different career clusters, ways that jobs are group together based on the interests and traits of people. Prior to playing the game, the students were asked to name a couple of jobs they would like to do in the future. They were able to confirm whether their color choices matched their careers.
This lesson addressed the following competencies:
- GC:CD-A1.3 Develop an awareness of personal abilities, skills, interests and motivations
- GC:CD-A1.7 Understand the importance of planning
- GC:CD-A1.8 Pursue and develop competency in areas of interest
- GC:CD-C1.3 Identify personal preferences and interests influencing career choice and success
- C:A1.3 develop an awareness of personal abilities, skills, interests
- C:A1.9 develop hobbies and vocational interests
Our 5th graders learned about the education level required for certain jobs. They listened to stories from Journey to Jobs about three different students who had several career opportunities available to thenm based on their interests and abilities. As the stories progressed, they had to predict the level of education required for that particular job. Our students did a pretty good job of connnecting education levels to careers. Parents can help their children devlop realistic ideas about post- secondary education by sharing their own stories of their education. Our students were also able to make the connection between higher education and higher salary and career opportunity.
This lesson adrressed the following competency:
Standard A: students will inquire skills to investigate the world of work in relation to knowledge of self and to make informed career decisions
Each class was able to make connections to the habits that will help them prepare for future careers. They understand that they must begin with the end in mind and start considering how their interest can lead them to a career and plan ahead for the education that will get them there. They also see the importance of putting furst things first so that they can make goood grades to get into college as well thinking win- win and seeking first to understand which will help them to get along well with others in the world of work.
