Career Counseling for Elementary, Middle and High Schools - Term Paper Example

Career Counseling for Elementary Schools, Middle Schools and High Schools Introduction Counseling programs in middle and high schools have the ability to develop a culture amongst the students to understand the importance of going to college and the treasure of preparing for college. In creating this culture, school counselors must ensure that students and their next of kin comprehend the significance of undertaking preparatory courses for college as well as ways to navigate the financial processes and the admission into these colleges (Arulmani, Laar & Easton, 2003). Counseling programs in middle schools are essential in ascertaining that students finish their course work that will give them an opportunity to get involved in college-preparatory curriculum after their entrance into the high school. Fundamentally, it is not too early to begin executing some or all perspectives of college counseling in middle schools. It is normally too early to start preparing students upon reaching the high school level. The Process of Progression in Career Development Career development refers to the methods of learning just like talking and walking. The phases of career growth go beyond education and employment and are perpetual throughout one’s lifetime. The relevant time for implementing each of the phases of career growth for students with special needs will rely more upon the growth level against the grade level of students. There are particular phases that must be ironed in at the elementary, at high school and middle school levels and outside. The following stages demonstrate the development of career growth. At the pre-school level students are led into understanding life of work as a castle in the sky. At grade K-3 students are exposed to awareness of various occupations available in the country. Grades 4-6 the students at this level are made to understand their abilities and aptitudes. Here the students are made to rediscover themselves. At grades 7-8 there is occupational orientation where the students are prepared for training. A background orientation is conducted concerning the available jobs and their specifications. Grades 9-10 further occupational orientation is conducted to help students understand who they want to be in life. Grades 11-12 there are programs for occupational training which are designed to coach students for their entry into the employment field. The post-seco9ndary stage is characterized by additional training of the students for beneficial employment. The last stage is the adulthood which involves growing occupational ability to lead into a satisfying career lifetime. Student Development Theory In understanding the concept of career counseling, one needs to comprehend the theory behind student development. This is an assortment of minute and more particular theories just like the life-space advance to career (Dawis, 2005). It is vital to comprehend the holistic, multifaceted approach to development of student if the counselor is to assist in that growth. Student development refers to the methods in which a student grows, or improves on his or her growth abilities due to admission in an institution of higher learning (Brown & Lent, 2005). It is developed from the basis of psychosocial, personality and lifespan growth. Majority of individuals’ life phases, dimensions, aspects of transition and other aspects play an important role into the student’s growth. Their social background has a strong effect on their growth such as decisions made by their guardians, friends, parents and co-curricular tasks. An increasing number of students are experiencing problems when addressing ethnic, personal and gender based identity doubts. Every student has an exceptional career choice and job preference which they should pursue and grow while in higher institutions of learning. Career options and social encounters can to a great extent be elaborated through the theory of social learning. The theory takes into consideration the inherited factors, particular capabilities and environmental aspects as part of the learning experience (Brown & Lent, 2005). Students experience other growth issues in their young stages of life that comprise of additional development of the whole individual. Normally students go through emotional growth which is found on Kohlberg’s theory of moral development that explains, “Development in form and structure of thought” (Brown & Associate, 2002) theology issues and faith growth is also viewed as appropriate constituent of student growth. They do mature, which in connection to theory of maturity it is something that should be seen, understood and then implemented into action. In development ego students acquire master trait which comprises moral growth, cognitive complexity and the growth of ability for interpersonal network. Stages of Career Development Career development comes into various stages. These include; career awareness, career exploration, career preparation and career placement. Career Orientation or Awareness Career awareness or orientation I the initial phase of the process which must start in the initial elementary years. In the real world this phase never comes to an end. It is significant for this phase to start early in the lives of children so that they can grow self-awareness and emotions towards self-confidence. This process will help the children in growing a career personality that enables them consider themselves as workers or employees. This stage will also help them have knowledge of other jobs available and their specifications. In addition career awareness helps the children to acquire work values, attitudes and other traits relevant to their exceptional capabilities and needs. In case the students with special needs are not in a position to obtain the skills at this phase, then adolescent and adult programs will be required to impact much more awareness to them (Palmer & Hotchkiss, 1999). Career Exploration Career exploration is the second phase of career growth. This phase must be stressed especially during the junior high period, even though; it also never comes to an end. At this phase the students must be given an opportunity to rediscover beforehand the number of careers classification such as office work, public services, agricultural work, industrial positions, economics and business. They must be given room to acquire different hands-on experiences and also allowed to have a chance to assess their own special set of talents and necessities as connected to the work environment, vocational interests, recreational pursuits, leisure and other associated duties connected to their entire career growth (Palmer & Hotchkiss, 1999). Career Preparation Career preparation is the third phase of career growth. This phase takes place normally during the senior high school years and addresses the student starting to have and elucidate individual, social and career knowledge and expertise. Particular interests, talents and experience of the student must be more openly delineated in this phase associated to the life style of the person’s desires. Courses must be picked on this foundation so that various experiences in and out of the learning environment can be given. A considerable experimental aspect must purport this phase of growth given the fact that numerous students with special need require an elongated period of time to acquire knowledge on particular vocational skills (Palmer & Hotchkiss, 1999). Career Assignment, Follow Up and Ongoing Learning Career assignment or positioning and ongoing learning is the fourth and the last stage of the career development and education process. This phase is characterized by the extensive participation of the societal representatives to give confidence of the person acquiring fulfilling leisure, vocational and autonomous living roles. It is normally anchored by guidance and counseling services which of late have become a necessity. All individuals vary at least somewhat in their preferences and objectives in life as they grow older. Therefore, career learning is a significant requirement of adults with special needs as they reshape their priorities and requirements. The phases of career growth and development overlie and are on-going in a person’s lifetime. The relevant time for developing each of the phases of career growth for students with special needs will be more autonomous on the level of development than on the grade level in the learning institution (Palmer & Hotchkiss, 1999). All said and done, career counselors experience numerous challenges in the process of providing guidance on the best careers to students with in different grades. The most eminent challenge concerns the issue with culture. Culture is manifested in different ways; some specific while others varying in different perspectives. As such these professionals must be supported, connected and cheered by their peers and managers to ascertain they do enjoy their job and experience in the long run hence fulfilling careers. Other challenges involved in the process of career counseling include (Creed & Patton, 2003). Lack of adequate managerial support is a great setback facing the career counselors. Based on individual experience of many researchers and high rate of turnovers, most researchers have a believe that genuine and consistent communication of support by managers to career counselors concerning career choices which will help them stay long school hours and have efficient careers. The counselors have to be provided with adequate support in their quest to execute their duties (Creed, Patton & Prideaux, 2006). New career counselors might at times feel overwhelmed by the numerous amount of paperwork they must put in files for their clients. Into the bargain to establishing career plans and exercise tailored towards students at different level of learning, career counselors must file counseling reports, multi-comp reports, establish at least three main objectives for every child on top of the extra reports required to be submitted. Upon completing the original paperwork, a custom is created; it gets simpler and takes the least time. On the contrary, in the initial weeks of counseling, the overload of the paperwork must be put in order with the school for the sake of parents, therapists and other stakeholders who participate in the life of the child is a great challenge. An extra impediment facing career counselors concerns the numerous amounts of commitments they have to take outside their normal work schedule. The career counselors must carry out additional assessment on each student in different stages of learning, accomplish huge amounts of paperwork and get involved in various meetings with teachers, therapists and other instructors (Creed, Patton & Watson, 2002). Whilst these meetings and strenuous tasks are relevant and even significant, career counselors convert into instructors to guide. Managers and administrators can develop their opportunities of sustaining career counseling and being facilitators to long and triumphant and mind-boggling careers by directing counseling time and ascertaining that counselors have time they require and need to really counsel and guide their students. Another main challenge concerns the process of encouraging the members or participants to get involved in the counseling. Majority of clients tend to refuse interventions by experts in career counseling hence opting to consult their peers or superiors within the preferred profession. Besides, it is noted that providing career direction or guide is something that is common via different formal and informal responsibilities. Moreover, career counseling is common with trainers, human resource managers and teachers to provide official support in choosing a career. In the modern days many people would prefer to choose the internet and social media in handling interviews and making their career choices which might exaggerate on some issues hence not providing the right guidance. References Arulmani, G., Van Laar, D., & Easton, S. (2003). The influence of career beliefs and socioeconomic status on the career decision-making of high school students in India. International Journal for Educational and Vocational Guidance, 3, 193–204 Brown, D., & Associate (Eds.). (2002) Career choice and development (4th Ed.). San Francisco, CA: Jossey-Bass. Brown, S. D., & Lent, R. T. (Eds.). (2005). Career development and counseling: Putting theory and research to work. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley. Creed, P. A., & Patton, W. (2003). Predicting two components of career maturity in school based Adolescents. Journal of Career Development, 29, 277–290. Creed, P, A., Patton, W., & Prideaux, L. (2006). Causal relationship between career indecision and career decision-making self-efficacy: A longitudinal cross-lagged analysis. Journal of Career Development, 33, 47–65. Creed, P. A., Patton, W., & Watson, M. B. (2002). Cross-cultural equivalence of the career Decision-making self-efficacy scale-short form: An Australian and South African comparison. Journal of Career Assessment, 10, 327–342 Dawis, R. V. (2005). The Minnesota theory of work adjustment. In S. D. Brown & R. T. Lent (Eds.), Career Development and Counseling: Putting Theory and Research to Work, pp p. 3–23. Hoboken, NJ: Wiley Palmer and Hotchkiss, (1999), Stages of career development, Colorado Department of Education, Special Education Services Unit Read More