Transcript Career & College Readiness - Wasatch County School

Career & College
Readiness
A Parents Guide
Why Career & College Readiness in Elementary School
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Between 2008 and 2018, 63 percent of job
openings will require post-secondary education.
But only 42 percent of Americans currently earn an
associate degree or higher by the age of 25.
Effective college and career readiness counseling
begins in kindergarten and continues through high
school.
Elementary school counselors create early
awareness, knowledge and skills that lay the
foundation for the academic rigor and social
development necessary for college and career
readiness.
Primary Reasons Why Students Drop
Out of College
 Lack
of Academic Preparedness.
 Poor financial planning & difficulties of
balancing work and college.
 A sense of not belonging; a sense of
isolation, homesickness.
 Lack of Parental support. (Only 39% of parents without a
college education made an effort to instill the value of a college education. 60% of
parents with a college education made this effort).
College Board and National Office for
School Counselor Advocacy (NOSCA)
Recommendations
 College
aspirations.
 Academic planning for Career and
College Readiness.
 Enrichment and Extra Curricula
Engagement.
 College and Career Exploration and
Selection.
 College and Career Assessments.
 College Affordability Planning.
College Aspirations
 The
Goal: Build a college-going culture
based on early college awareness by
nurturing in students the confidence to
aspire to college and the resilience to
overcome challenges along the way.
Maintain high expectations by providing
adequate supports, building social capital
and conveying the conviction that all
students can succeed in college.
College Aspirations
 Why
it Matters: Students who gain early
and solid foundations as learners are
more likely to attain the academic and
social rewards that indicate school
success. They also are more likely to
believe that college is a realistic goal and
to succeed. School communities that
intentionally raise the aspirations of ALL
students are preparing their students to
graduate college and be career ready.
Academic Planning for Career
and College Readiness
 The
Goal: Advance students’ planning,
preparation, participation and
performance in a rigorous academic
program that connects to their college
and career aspirations and goals.
*At the elementary level this means
building a solid academic foundation and
being on grade level in relevant subject
matter.
Academic Planning for Career
and College Readiness
Why it Matters: Students who acquire a solid
academic foundation are more prepared to
engage in rigorous and challenging course
work as they progress through middle and
high school. School communities that
intentionally focus on grade-level proficiency
in math and reading help increase the
likelihood that students will graduate college
and career ready.
* Follow your students academic progress closely
and attend parent/teacher nights. SSP
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Enrichment and Extra Curricula
Engagement.
 The
Goal: Ensure equitable exposure to a
wide range of extracurricular and
enrichment opportunities that build
leadership, nurture talents and interests,
and increase engagement with school.
Enrichment and Extra Curricula
Engagement.
 Why
it Matters: Engagement in enrichment
and extracurricular activities can enhance
students’ academic performance. Early
awareness and exposure to a wide range
of enrichment and extracurricular activities
form a foundation upon which students can
build their future aspirations and interests.
College and Career
Exploration and Selection
 The
Goal: Provide early
and ongoing exposure to
experiences and
information necessary to
make informed decisions
when selecting a college
or career that connects to
academic preparation
and future aspirations.
College and Career
Exploration and Selection
 Why
it Matters: Students who engage in
early and ongoing college and career
exploration opportunities are more likely
to participate in the preparation and
planning necessary for future goal setting.
College and Career
Assessments.
 The
Goal: Promote preparation,
participation and performance in college
and career assessments by all students.
College and Career
Assessments.
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Why it Matters: Introducing students to
developmentally appropriate interest
inventories and assessments can spark
curiosity about strengths and talents, build
self-awareness, and lay a foundation for the
ongoing exploration necessary for building
aspirations and goal setting. Students’ early
planning can grow into habits that are critical
for success in college and career readiness.
Career Town
College Affordability Planning
 The
Goal: Provide students and families
with comprehensive information about
college costs, options for paying for
college, and the financial aid and
scholarship processes and eligibility
requirements, so they are able to plan for
and afford a college education.
College Affordability Planning
 Why
it Matters: Understanding basic
finance and how to use and manage
money are essential skills that build a
foundation for financial literacy. Students
who apply their knowledge of everyday
financial decisions and engage in
meaningful activities related to finance
are equipped to increase and expand
their financial literacy and financial aid
knowledge in future years.
Which Type of Skills are Most
Important to Career Success?
Hard Skills
Hard skills are those skills that are specific, measurable and
poses teachable abilities. These are skills that are integral in a
given context for example, job application. Some hard skills
include typing, mathematical ability, calculus, software
development, operating machinery and speaking foreign
languages among many others.
Soft Skills
Personal attributes that enable someone to interact
effectively and harmoniously with other people.
Which Soft Skills are Important
to Career Success?
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Taking responsibility
Making effective decisions
Setting goals
Managing time
Prioritizing tasks
Persevering
Giving strong efforts
Working well in teams
Communicating effectively
Having empathy
Knowing how to learn
Exhibiting self-control
Believing in one's own self worth
Downing, Skip. (2005). On Course: Strategies
for Creating Success in College and in
Life.
Seven Habits for Happy Kids
Take responsibility for yourself.
Create a vision for the future and have a plan
Delay gratification doing the difficult things first so
we can do the things we want to do.
Cooperation with others knowing how to resolve
problems and conflicts with peers.
differences
then working
The ability to listen toValuing
others with
our ears,and
hearts
together
create a better solutions
and minds. Perspective
taking!to Taking
careachieve.
of body,
than one person could
heart, mind, and soul.
The Parents Role
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Become advocates for your children by
Identifying the resources available to help
your them become career and college ready
(School, Home, Community)
Support your children academically, help
them engage in school, chart their
knowledge and skill development, and
encourage social interactions that lay the
foundation for college and career readiness
Take your child(ren) to a college or university
campus and take a tour of the facilities to
help them visualize the college atmosphere.
The Parents Role
Create a positive and productive learning
environment at home, including translating school
expectations to fit your family structure and
cultural expectations
(Homework plan & study skills)
 Develop academic and activity calendars and
use portfolios to highlight student
accomplishments.
 Locate free and low-cost academic, enrichment
and extracurricular programs that provide
opportunities for students to receive praise,
encouragement and guidance.
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The Parents Role
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Support school sponsored enrichment and
extracurricular activities, such as field trips to
museums, colleges/career/ technical schools,
competitions, plays and concerts.
Know your role in early awareness in college and
career exploration.
Lay the foundation for early academic and
workforce readiness skills by creating consistent
routines that reinforce character and skill-building,
such as getting-ready patterns (e.g., homework
schedules, consistent meal and bed times, and
preparation of academic materials).
The Parents Role
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Cultivate your children’s interests by paying close
attention to their activities during non-school time
and talking with their children about how their
interests are related to school success and career
opportunities.
Create a positive home environment that helps
students plan for assessments while reducing test
anxiety, encouraging positive engagement and
highlighting students’ strengths.
Be aware of about potential college and career
assessments/inventories that are available on-line
and in middle school.
The Parents Role
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Help your children develop early awareness of financial
literacy and financial aid processes for future college
and career readiness options.
Know that your financial circumstances will not prevent
their students from applying for and/or receiving most
financial aid. *If there’s a will there’s a way!
Research and apply for age-appropriate academic,
merit and extracurricular engagement scholarships and
grants from various funders (e.g., federal and state
programs, postsecondary institutions, and private
foundations and organizations). *The Wasatch
Foundation
Start a college savings plan!
“You Don’t Have to be Great to
get Started, But You Have to get
Started to be Great!”
Les Brown