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Counselor's Corner April. 2018
This month's lesson will focus on the Lifeskill of Initiative, which emphasized the importance of doing what needs to be done to reach our goals without being asked. We discussed how careers are directly impacted by learning certain subjects now in elementary and middle school. Students had an opportunity to discuss their career interests and why certain academic subjects would be important in that field.
Guidance Lesson Recap:
Grade K/1: We read the story
Otto Runs for President by Rosemary Wells. The story focused on many positive ways the little dog took initiative to help his school and classmates and ultimately win for class president. As a class, we talked about positive ways to show initiative here at school. From helping to clean up your workspace to starting homework without being told, we discussed many ways to show this important lifeskill.
Grades 2/3: We read the book
Dream Big by Deloris Jordan. We focused on the story about the young Michael Jordan and the many ways he took initiative to reach his dreams of becoming an Olympic basketball player. We tied the story into positive ways we can incorporate initiative into our daily lives.
Grades 4/5: We read the book
Clara & Davie by Patricia Pollacco. This story emphasized how a little girl named Clara learned about the talent that she had in caring for animals and the initiative it took to develop those skills over the years. That little girls was Clara Barton!
Grades 6-8: Each grade level got to view a different short video on career exploration. Students learned different ways to explore their interests, how to apply for a job, and appropriate ways to interview. Students then had an opportunity to share possible career interests they have for the future and we tied in how many school subjects can help reach those career goals.
Career Exploration Program: Eighth grade students have the opportunity to explore a career of their choice. They completed extensive research on various facts about their career, such as tasks, education required, average salary, challenges/rewarding aspects, etc, and interviewed someone in the field to see what it is really like in that profession. In the end, the students presented their information to their classmates to help educate them about the various career opportunities out there. The students did a great job jumping in and gaining a new perspective for what their future goals may be.
What to Expect This Time of Year
This time of year, it is not uncommon for your child to struggle with staying motivated with schoolwork, but having all of the snow days makes staying motivated much harder. Here are some helpful tips for difficult days. Helping set up a consistent morning routine can help with some morning anxiety of the unknowns of the day. Additionally, prepping your child ahead of time, such as describing any known changes in the schedule will help your child feel more prepared during the day. Lastly, setting up a behavioral goal at the end of the day, such as planning a fun activity after school, may help your child stay motivated during the morning and school day.
Resources for Parents-"Career"
If you are interested in following up with your child to start talking about career exploration, you may want to check out this great website for K-8 students.
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