CAREER AND COLLEGE COUNSELING AT THE ELEMENTARY AND MIDDLE SCHOOL LEVELS

Samantha Haviland, Ph.D. –C, NCC

Loan Maas, M.Ed.

Denver Public Schools, Denver, CO

FOUNDATIONS- RESEARCH

Research has supported college and career counseling as young as the elementary school. (National Office for School Counselor Advocacy, 2012)

Student mindset and self-efficacy are important indicators of academic achievement and dropout prevention. (Dweck, 2006; Beland, 2007; Farrington et al., 2012; Close & Solberg, 2007; MacIver, Balfanz & Byres, 2009; Solberg et al., 2008)

All staff in the school support a college and career going culture. Not just School Counselors. (Conley, 2007)

FOUNDATIONS- THEORY

Age

Conflict Resolution Goal

3-6 yrs

Initiative vs. Guilt

Purpose Is it okay for me to do & act?

6-12 yrs

Industry vs. Inferiority

Competence

How can I make it in the world of people and things?

12-19 yrs

Identity vs. Role Confusion

Fidelity Who am I? Who can I be?

Grade Stage

Pre-school Life of work fantasy

K-3 Awareness of occupations

4-6 Awareness of self (abilities and attitudes)

7-8 Occupational orientation (background orientation and preparation for training

Developmental

According to Erikson

Career DevelopmentalAccording to Colorado Department of Education

FOUNDATIONS- THEORY

Planned Happenstance (Mitchell, Levin, Krumboltz)

Planned: preparing ahead of time

Happen: Creating opportunities for it to happen

Stance: and attitude of curious inquiry, flexibility and openness

FOUNDATIONS- THEORY

Creating college-going cultures at all levels

Three High Level Elements:

Students learn about their options, careers and the education they require, preferably starting in elementary.

Schools convey the expectations that all students can prepare for the opportunity to attend and be successful in post-secondary education.

Schools, families, and communities give students the

same message of high expectations for their future.

http://collegetools.berkeley.edu/resources.php?cat_id=6

FOUNDATIONS- ALL THE BEST OF THE REST

Other considerations:

Colorado Career Competencies (Williams & Morgan, 2014)

American School Counselor Association National Model (2004)

Fixed and Growth Mindsets (Dweck, 2006)

Bandura’s Social Cognitive Theory (Bandura, 1986)

Career Lifespan Theory (Super, 1955)

IN PRACTICE

IN PRACTICE

Individual Learning Plans/ Individual Career and Academic Plans

“Students who were more engaged in ILP [ICAP] activities reported stronger goal-setting skills, increased motivation to attend school, and increased academic self-efficacy which leads to better academic achievement, stress and health management, and readiness to engage in career decision-making.” www.ncwd-youth.info/ilp

Grades 6th-8th

IN PRACTICE Aligns with state and district strategic plans. With the end result of increasing student…

Attendance GPA TCAP Growth and Status ACT and Accuplacer scores, AP pass rate/test scores Student engagement (i.e. extracurricular , CTE, and service

learning) Graduation and on-track rates Scholarship applications College or alternative applications FAFSA completion College enrollment, including CE, AP, IB options Remediation rates College completion Parent Satisfaction Survey Results

Grades 6th-8th

IN PRACTICE- ICAPS- WWW.DPSK12.ORG All students 6-12 have a stacked scope and sequence in academic planning, career exploration, financial literacy, and college systems.

Grades 6th-8th

IN PRACTICE- ICAPS

Career Fair

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xAsxAKLLFjA&feature=youtu.be&edufilter=tbARfBHuyG3mpAruEjLFww

Grades 6th-8th

IN PRACTICE- UTILIZE AND ADAPT

www.dpsk12.org- search “Counseling” to find lesson plans

Grades 6th-8th

IN PRACTICE- PILOT CURRICULUM

• More in depth curriculum developed for pilot schools utilizing the Early College grant with Jobs For the Future.

• For 6-8th Advisory classes

Grades 6th-8th

IN PRACTICE

Elementary lessons Existing curriculum books:

“Journeys to Jobs” (Wosnik); “More Career Fun” (Vanderwalker)

Bibliotherapy: “What Do People Do All Day?” (Scarry) “A Tangle of Knots” (Graff) “The Adventures of an Aluminum Can: A Story About

Recycling” (Inches) “I Can Be Anything”/”Puedo Hacer Cualquier Cosa”

(Rice) “A Day in the Life of a Firefighter”/”Un dia en la vida

de un bombero” (Herweck)

Grades ECE-5th

IN PRACTICE

Elementary lessons Bibliotherapy: (Kindergarten)

Read the book aloud: “Clothesline Clues: Jobs” (Heing)

Staff/ community members come in in their work clothes/uniforms. (Police and Firemen are a big hit)

Students must color person with a career clothesline clue to be hung in the classroom

Grades ECE-5th

IN PRACTICE

Elementary lessons Bibliotherapy: (1st Grade)

Reading the book aloud: “Oh The Places You’ll Go”)

Coloring from the book- can be a classroom community coloring for a bulletin board

Dora the Explorer episode Season 3, Episode 24 “Job Day”

Doug, Season 3, Doug sees the school counselor

Grades ECE-5th

IN PRACTICE

Elementary lessons Bibliotherapy: (2nd Grade)

Reading the book aloud: “The Bernenstein Bears: Jobs Around Town” or “When I Grow Up” (Mayer); “Career Day” (Rockwell)

Students return home to a guided discussion with their guardian on how they chose their job, what they like about their job, and what surprised them when they started their job.

Grades ECE-5th

IN PRACTICE

Elementary lessons Bibliotherapy: (3rd Grade)

Listen to CD: “Mahalia Mouse Goes to College” (Lithgow)

What does it mean to go to college? (Introduce “college” as any learning after high school)

Story sharing by various school employees/guest speakers including “how did you become a _______?”; “how did you learn to do what you do?”

(Be sure to be culturally representative!)

Grades ECE-5th

IN PRACTICE

Elementary lessons Bibliotherapy: (4th Grade)

“How Santa Got His Job”; “How Santa Lost His Job” (Krensky)

What does a responsible employee look like?

What does a responsible student look like?

Grades ECE-5th

IN PRACTICE

Elementary lessons Bibliotherapy: (5th Grade)

“When I Grow Up” (Yankovic); Students find career specific books like “A Day in the Life of a Firefighter” (Herweck; available in Spanish) or “All in a Day’s Work: Police Officer” (Herweck, available in Spanish)

Students research what education they will need after high school to obtain their career goals.

Grades ECE-5th

MAKING IT SYSTEMIC

SYSTEMIC WORK

Align scope and sequence ECE-12th grade

Utilizing Career Interest Inventory information for Master Scheduling Planning.

SYSTEMIC WORK

Utilizing Career information in transitioning students between school levels

Utilizing Career interest information in conversations regarding behavior, attendance, and self-efficacy

EXAMPLE

QUESTIONS?