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Guidance Lesson: Career Planning:   What does it cost?   Grade Level:   9 – 10 The Start of Career Planning By the time students enter high school, they have a general sense of what a career and/or job is. They are also aware that there is a difference in earnings between different occupations. This lesson will build on previous observations/knowledge and will add a more concrete understanding of what different levels of education entail. The first part of the lesson focuses on different levels of education and their potential earnings, typically. The second part of the lesson is using the board game Life® as a fun way to help cement the idea that education level will have By using a monthly budget where the student to calculate how much money is left over at the end of the month, students will gain a more tangible understanding of how their occupation, and education level, will impact their future. Lesson Plan 1: Setting up Materials Needed: PowerPoint , Handout For t...

Jackie Kennedy is quoted as saying, “If you bungle raising your children, I don’t think whatever else you do matters very much.” We are becoming the next school counselors to serve our community. Counselors know that nothing else matters and nothing is more important than supporting children of all ages through their educational experience.  In retrospect, we are in a sense helping raise them. Certainly, bungling it is not an option! While walking through the halls of schools and sitting in school counselors’ offices, I observed and heard many things.  Tangible pieces of advice to study up on and what it takes to be a school counselor in this day and age. Additionally, my interview with a 20-year veteran of an elementary school has reinforced my belief that nothing is more important than helping a child feel good about themselves and good about the world around them. You have to care a great deal. No amount of rigorous coursework or exams can teach someone to care. If we care,...

We all need advocates. We all need someone to cheer for us and push us to the finish line. No matter what the need might be, school counselors provide students all the resources to become successful academically, personally and socially. The demands students face in schools nowadays are constantly increasing and in addition to that, many students lack positive role mentors. The school counselor’s primary obligation is to the student and to assure the safety of the student. They create the best learning environment possible for the student and mediate between students, the school and parents. It is a career that requires a wide range of qualities that go beyond scheduling and credits tracking to assure students are able to graduate and grow as individuals. The following description helps to get a better picture of this profession. 1) Professional Skills In order to be effective, school counselors must demonstrate various professional competencies.   Counselors must be able to provid...

By 6th grade, students should be starting to develop their interest in their future. One way to get  them started is by asking them about what careers stick out in the media. This acknowledges that our students are interacting with what they see and what they choose to watch in the media. The goal of the following lesson is to help students think about what they see and what the role of careers plays in the shows and movies they watch. The below lesson also brings in the opportunity to develop research skills and public speaking skills. Robin Williams has shown us many career options including President, Wish Granter, and Psychologist! Guidance Lesson: Careers and the Media Age level: Grade 6 Grouping:  Seated at desks in classroom in standard format Objectives : Educate participating 6th grade students on the variety of possibilities in the career world and what a career entails. Students will share information based on guiding questions to further explore careers that the...

The purpose of this lesson is to explain what a resume is, its purpose and importance, and how to create one for a specific opportunity. When creating a resume, the most important thing to remember is context – why am I creating/using this resume? What am I trying to convey to my readers? Helping students get clear and specific on these points will not only create stronger resumes, it will foster a strength-based conversation of self-awareness and future planning that incorporates an awareness of others’ values and perspectives. All students have marketable traits, skills, talents, and experiences; the best thing a counselor can do for a student is help him/her see this for himself/herself. This activity satisfies many ASCA standards, key among them are: C:A1.3 Develop an awareness of personal abilities, skills, interests, and motivations. C:A2.6 Learn how to write a resume. PS:A2.2 Respect alternative points of view. What is a resume? •       A resume is a ...