When to Start?
Some people believe that high school is the time to crystal one’s ideas concerning further academic steps and career path. It is believed that high-schoolers already have a definite plan to follow and succeed in life. If this plan is not ready, students, their parents, and even educators fall into black depression and think of their complete failure. However, it is never early or late to come with one’s major plan! Of course, this does not mean that high-school students should relax and send their papers to random educational establishments. Students should think carefully about their future, and adults should be there to help them!
What Can We Do?
As a counselor, I am here to our children and you to help them find their ways, identify their needs and preferences, as well as set clear goals, and develop plans. The success of this process depends on our ability to work together. By us, I mean teachers, administrators, parents, and myself as we should combine our effort to ensure our children’s success and emotional well-being.
How Do I Do It?
Standards
When working with students and other stakeholders, I always try to align my effort with college and career-readiness standards. These guidelines have been in place for over two decades and have proved to be effective due to their focus on evidence-based practice (American School Counselor Association, 2014). These standards ensure comprehensive support of students’ needs. They consist of two categories that include specific mindset and behavior standards. Importantly, behavior standards address three domains: learning, self-management, and social skills (American School Counselor Association, 2014). These three major areas enable counselors to motivate students to pursue their academic goals in higher educational establishments and develop clear career goals.
Theoretical Background
We are all well aware of the fact that theory helps us remain focused and consistent. I want to share the theoretical background that can guide students’ success.
When working with students and addressing their needs, I will use Krumboltz’s Social Learning Theory of Career Choice. This framework is based on the belief that career choices span from people’s traits, learning experiences, environment, and events, as well as task approach skills. In simple terms, I encourage students to think of those four aspects when choosing their career and educational paths. This theoretical platform is also consistent with the standards of counseling (College Board National Office for School Counselor Advocacy, 2010). All these theories and standards help in identifying students’ needs and strategies to help young people meet them.
Students Career Development Needs
- Students need a plan with clear short-, mid-, and long-term objectives, as well as methods to achieve them.
- Students need their parents’ assistance, guidance, and support as opposed to supervision and control.
- Students need professional guidance coming from educators, administrators, and counselors who have information concerning various opportunities available to them.
Recommendations
These recommendations can help you, parents, teachers, and administrators to make sure that your efforts are aligned and consistent with students’ needs and goals.
- Really listen to students when they discuss with you their career or academic aspirations, as well as their hobbies, personal life plans, fears, and concerns.
- Be supportive and positive when sharing your views and giving recommendations. You are adult people having an extensive experience that can help students succeed. Discuss academic, employability, and technical skills they might need (Association for Career and Technical Education, 2018). However, you are not their bosses to decide what they will do in their life!
- Encourage students to research and seek professional help. Tell them about the aid they can receive from educators, administrators, parents, counselors, as well as any other stakeholders.
References
American School Counselor Association. (2014). ASCA mindsets & behaviors for student success: K–12 college- and career-readiness standards for every student. Web.
Association for Career and Technical Education. (2018). What is “career ready?” Web.
College Board National Office for School Counselor Advocacy (NOSCA). (2010). Eight components of college and career readiness counseling. Web.