MODULE: Career Choices for Enhancing Middle School Student Learning and Self-Exploration for Potential Middle School Teachers

 

Written by S. McNeely

 

1.        Statement of learning outcomes:

                 As a result of reading this module, the participant will be able to:

·          list resources for learning about career choices

·          describe three activities that can be used with middle school students for self-exploration about career choices

2.        Performance indicators:

As a result of reading this module, the participant will be able to:

·          Look at web sites of various careers and determine what is appropriate information to share with middle school students

3.        Content:

 

Teachers, parents, and middle school students face new challenges when it comes to thinking about career choices. We are at a point where things are changing so quickly that many of the careers that exist right now may not exist a few years from now, or at least the requirements for pursuing that career may be drastically different than they are now. Additionally, as society and technology changes, many careers may exist that right now are not even imagined. A good teacher knows that the best way to prepare a student for this unknown world is to help the student master basic skills, learn to think critically, and build self-confidence to face the challenges of the future. This module will overview some of the processes that are important for learning about career choices, and for helping students understand options that they have as they move into high school and beyond. It may also help the pre-service teacher engage in self-exploration, if desired, about career choices.

 

Did you ever sit down with the yellow pages from a large city and look at all of the categories of business, and jobs associated with them? Have you ever used the internet to look at a jobs-posting website and look at all of the categories of jobs? It can be overwhelming to think about all of the choices that students face! In some middle schools teachers have a lot of support for helping students engage in career exploration. Counselors may work with teachers, and a special curriculum is developed, or purchased, with special times set aside just for career exploration. In other schools, teachers find ways to integrate career awareness within their day-to-day curriculum. It is up to you to learn what your administration expects, and how much it supports career exploration. Below is some general information about what is typically done by middle school teachers to deal with career exploration. Remember, it is up to you to know your students, their parents, your community, and your administration well enough that you can choose which of the steps below make the most sense for your students, or for your own learning.

 

Self-exploration is one of the most important aspects for helping someone consider career options. If you don’t know yourself and what you want, you are not likely to find a career that will feel right for you. Most self-exploration begins with some writing activities (which can also be turned into speeches, group discussions, etc.) in which students share who they are, their goals, what they would like to be doing in five years, in ten years, etc. As they get more comfortable with self-exploration, specific writing assignments can be made in which they define success for themselves and others, share what they think are strengths and weaknesses of their personalities, who their heroes are, what skills they have, and what they value most. After this self-exploration has begun, teachers usually encourage each student to reach out and find someone working in a job that is interesting to the student. The student then interviews that person, either in-person, over the phone, or over email. The student finds out about the educational and skill requirements for the job, the physical conditions of the job, the social and emotional aspects of the job, the financial rewards, and how the job supports the individual. The professional usually signs a release stating what information can be shared in a report to the class. The teacher reviews the releases, and then, based on the written reports, decides which interviews should be shared with the class. These might be shared in oral presentations, small group discussions, or through students developing multimedia presentations.

 

Many schools have career days in which various professionals come to the school and speak about their careers. These opportunities can be very enlightening for students, if the speakers have been provided with an outline of major ideas that should be covered, and are given adequate support to be able to talk to students without disruptions. Unfortunately, some professionals have engaged in these events and reported that they were left alone with a group of students who became challenging and disruptive, and as a result, the professionals will not consider speaking at schools again. Make sure that if you invite professionals to your classroom, you attend the sessions and help keep discipline in the classroom. These sessions can also be used for helping students make contacts for further interviews, and to help them continue their explorations.

 

Usually, at this point, teachers now know which students have enough information that they can continue their self-exploration with help from the internet. Students go to a website like http://www.careerpath.com. At the site, the students then conduct searches in various job categories or by keywords. They search for jobs that fit with their current ideals. They look at what companies are hiring, where the jobs are located, what skills and training are required, etc. In some cases, they may now be emailing human resource directors and hiring agents to learn more about the educational paths they need to follow if they choose particular paths.

 

As students learn from each other and their various explorations, some make commitments toward particular careers. At this point, the student may be encouraged to set-up an agreement to shadow someone who engages in the chosen career. This shadowing may involve releasing the student from school for the day. Of course, before a student is allowed to shadow, the teacher has a responsibility to make sure that there is parental consent, transportation issues have been resolved, and the student will be safe in the shadowing situation.

 

Many companies want to support education, and look for opportunities to do this. Teachers can talk to these companies about supplying mentors to the school who can serve as examples of how to be successful in careers. The companies may also arrange short-term and longer-term internships, or volunteer/community service opportunities for select students. Of course, most middle school students are too young for internships, but even working an hour or two after school for a few weeks as a volunteer can enormously impact a student’s self-perception and really help a student in making choices for further exploration toward a career. As the student matures, he/she might become involved in a school-to-work program. It is important for the teacher to know about this option, and decide if there are aspects of it that can be useful now. The federal government’s school-to-work website (http://www.stw.ed.gov) can help a teacher, and students, learn more about these programs.

 

Knowing your local resources is also very important. Usually middle schools and high schools have invested in software for career exploration. If your school does not have this software, find out if it is available through a partnership with your local community college, a nearby university, or a nearby vocational/technical training center. In some cities, the local library may offer access to such software. Of course, institutions of higher learning also should have materials or counseling centers that help students build awareness, and learn the educational tracks that are needed for achieving a particular specialization. Usually, these resources are used once students have engaged in some self-explorations.

 

Teachers of middle school students face the additional challenge that many of the students are just starting to work through identity issues. Many students will be quick to choose a career path that is found in their family, or that their parents tell them to choose. Some students will choose career options that are oppositional to family beliefs just to be oppositional, or to assert independence. The teacher should encourage self-exploration, but be careful not to get in the middle of a family argument, or a situation that could pit the teacher against the family.

 

Remember, there will always be career options that teachers don’t think of, but students will ask about, or eagerly pursue. It is important to be supportive, and to help facilitate the student learning enough about the options to know if the option “fits” the student. Additionally, with changing economies and technologies, there are always new options opening up to students. A wise teacher will help students try to project if a particular career will be an option for the next few years and beyond.

 

 

4.        Assessment for CPDU/Graduate artifact

                 As a result of reading this module, you should be able to:

·          List four resources for learning about career choices

·          Describe three activities that can be used with middle school students for self-exploration about career choices

·          Look at web sites of at least three different careers and determine what is appropriate information to share with middle school students

 

5.        Activities (adult learner/middle level student)

• Go to a search engine, and search to find a middle school’s web site. Look at the site. Look at what types of career exploration options they provide for their students. Try to do this for two or three other middle schools. Then, make a list of career exploration options that you had not previously considered that are important to share with your students.

 

6.        Links and other resources

• National Middle School Association at http://www.nmsa.org
• http://www.careerpath.com
• http://www.stw.ed.gov
• http://www.ohiocareerdev.org
• http://www.usatoday.com/educate/careers/quest.htm
• http://www.ilworkinfo.com/PDF/cntdact3.pdf
• http://ericacve.org/docs/pab00018.pdf
• http://icdl.uncg.edu/ft/031600-01.html#top

 

7.        Standards (which are utilized within module)

• This module meets standards for pre-service and in-service middle school teachers, as developed by NMSA. The standards are around career exploration, helping students understand careers, and helping students make commitments to lifelong learning.
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8.        Pre-requisites

• This module does not have any pre-requisites

 

9.        Navigation process

• This module stands alone.

 

10.    Strategies

• The primary strategy for learning in this module is reading.
• The secondary strategies are writing and using the internet.

 

11.    Learner characteristics

• The learner who uses this module may be a middle school pre-service or in-service teacher, or a parent.

 

12.    Author information

• This module is written by Sharon McNeely, Ph.D., Professor, Northeastern Illinois University in Chicago, Il. Email: mcneelys@execpc.com

 

13.    *Modifications/Extensions for exceptional students

• It is important for students with exceptionalities to know that they have many career options. Teachers are encouraged to talk to their local social service agencies to learn more about career and work options for special education students.

 

14.    *Contextualized experiences (interactive)

• If two or more learners work on this together, they can share the processes they will use to help students explore career options. They can also share potential contacts, develop resource lists, etc. If there are few resources, it is important for teachers to then sit down and negotiate allocation of those resources across the students.

 

15.    *Technology

• This module requires that the learner use the internet as part of the process of engaging in activities that support the initial knowledge learning.

 

16.    *Reflection

• The learner can engage in reflection after completing this activity by writing up a list of careers students chose, and how these choices can be integrated into the academic curriculum. Even small links will show students that you care about the choices that they make..

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