Unlock Career Exploration with Snapshots of Careers: Engage Students and Foster Collaboration

Career Exploration:

When it comes to career exploration, it's never too early to start! At my school, we have Career Vehicle Day for K-2 and Career Speaker Day for grades 3-5. During these events, students get to choose three speakers to learn about their careers. The sessions are 30 minutes long, and the kids switch between speakers.

Career Research Activity:

One year, I noticed some brilliant students taking notes during the career sessions. That gave me an idea! So, the following year, I created Snapshots of Careers Note Taking sheet for all the students to use. I printed it two-sided and folded it in half to make a Research Booklet.

Snapshots of Careers is such a helpful tool! Students using this tool pay closer attention and have a guide to asking important details about a career. Students can jot down facts about a career's description, education or skills needed, type of workplace, and cool facts they learned. 

What did the Teachers Think?

The teachers really liked this idea and used the students' research booklets to create bulletin boards and have students share with others in their class.

Benefits:

1. Enhanced Career Exploration: The Career Vehicle Day and Career Speaker Day events provide students with an opportunity to be exposed to various career options in the community. By allowing students to choose which career speakers they would like to learn from, students are actively exploring various careers and expanding their knowledge about different professions in their areas of interest.

2. Engaged Learning: Using the Snapshots of Careers Note-Taking sheet and Research Booklet fosters active engagement during each career session. Encouraging students to take notes and jot down important facts about careers helps them become active learners and promotes critical thinking skills.

3. Organized Information: The Research Booklet offers a structured format for students to collect information about careers. This not only helps students organize their thoughts but also enables teachers to assess their understanding and knowledge of different careers.

4. Classroom Sharing and Collaboration: Teachers can utilize the research booklets created by students to foster classroom sharing and collaboration. By creating bulletin boards or organizing sharing sessions, students can showcase the careers they have explored and share interesting facts with their peers. This promotes a collaborative learning environment and encourages students to learn from one another.

Overall, these ideas provide teachers with a comprehensive approach to career exploration, facilitating student engagement, organization, and collaboration in the process.

Ready to Use Resource:

If you are looking for an engaging career exploration activity, shop here for this resource:

Check out my other helpful posts about Career Education:

Cultivating A Growth Mindset: Handling When Life Gives You Sour Lemons

From Sour Situations to Sweet Lemonade: Squeezing Positive Thoughts, Words, and Actions

Teaching students to have a positive attitude or a growth mindset isn't always a piece of cake. It takes practice and guidance to help them turn sour situations into sweet ones. That's why I came up with a fun tool called the Flip Flap Book that my students absolutely love!

Kids are crazy about foldables, so I created this Flip Flap book to help them reframe their bad days. With this interactive book, students can identify their "Sour Situations" and transform them into "Sweet Lemonade" by changing their thoughts, words, and actions. They get to open each flap and see a comparison between a fixed mindset on one side and a growth mindset on the other. It teaches them that changing how we see things and using positive self-talk can help us deal with tough situations in a better way. And on the back of the book, students can keep track of their progress and see how far they've come!

The Zesty Benefits of a Positive Growth Mindset

I've been amazed by the results so far! My students have really grasped the idea that they have the power to turn their day around with a positive mindset. They've learned to see challenges as opportunities for growth and improvement. But let me tell you why having a positive growth mindset is so beneficial for students:

• Resilience: A growth mindset helps students bounce back when things get tough. They understand that setbacks and failures aren't the end of the world but stepping stones to success. They become more determined to keep going, adapt to new situations, and learn from their experiences.

• Increased Effort: When students have a growth mindset, they're willing to put in the effort required to overcome obstacles. They know that hard work and dedication can lead to positive outcomes. 

• Motivation: Adopting a growth mindset fuels intrinsic motivation in students. They strive for higher levels of achievement, knowing that they can improve and grow.

Savory Suggestions:

Now, if you want to help your students develop a positive growth mindset, here are some suggestions:

• Reflect on Thoughts and Reactions: Encourage students to reflect on their thoughts, beliefs, and how they react to challenges. Help them recognize when they slip into a fixed mindset and guide them in reframing their perspectives.

• Embrace the Power of YET: Teach students to add the word "yet" to their sentences. When they say they can't do something, remind them that they can't do it "yet." This simple addition shows them that their abilities can grow over time with effort and practice.

• Celebrate Progress: Instead of just focusing on achievements, celebrate the progress students make. Help them understand that growth is a continuous journey, and small improvements are valuable steps towards success.

• Lead by Example: Show a growth mindset in your own attitudes and actions. Share personal stories of how you've overcome challenges and emphasize the importance of perseverance and resilience.

Empowering Students to Turn Life's Lemons into Refreshing Lemonade

By using these strategies and incorporating fun tools like the Flip Flap Book, you can empower your students to develop a positive growth mindset. As they learn to approach challenges with optimism and resilience, they'll gain the skills needed to thrive academically and personally. So remember, with a growth mindset, students can truly turn lemons into lemonade!

Ready to Use Resource:

Ready to squeeze out the best in your students and make every challenge a lemonade-filled adventure? Shop here for this resource:

Looking for another lesson about attitude? Check this one out!

School Counseling Year-End Learning Review: Engaging Students with Surveys, Slides, and Superheroes

                                         

What a wonderful year it has been with our amazing students! They have learned so much and grown in so many ways. To celebrate their achievements and reflect on their progress, I decided to do a special activity with them in the last week of school. Despite the busy season, the teachers graciously accommodated an extra 45 minutes for me to engage with the students and recap our lessons from the year. 

I prepared a slideshow with one key slide from each lesson we did this year. I reminded the students of the main concepts and skills they learned and asked them to share their own examples and experiences. We had great discussions. It was great to hear how they applied what they learned in different situations and contexts.

Then, it was time for some friendly competition and excitement. I divided the students into small teams and gave each team a number and a superhero symbol to be represented on the game board.

I rolled a dice and the team with that number had to work together to answer a question from one of the 25 questions I prepared based on the lessons. If they got it right, I clicked on their superhero and it zoomed toward a superhero shield. The students were thrilled to see their superheroes move closer to the goal and cheered for each other. They also showed impressive knowledge and understanding of the topics we had worked on throughout the school year, which made me proud!

Top 5 Benefits of Providing an End-of-Year Review:

Reinforcement of Learning: Helps reinforce knowledge and skills.

Enhanced Retention: Improves long-term memory of concepts.

Identification of Knowledge Gaps: Identifies areas that need further attention.

Application of Learning: Reflects on real-life application of lessons.

Recognition of Progress: Acknowledges personal growth and accomplishments.

It turned out to be time well spent, and I plan to make it a regular practice!

Ready to Use Resource:

Looking for an interactive PowerPoint Review?  Add any lesson from any subject, personalize it, and make practicing review questions fun! Shop here for this resource:

Looking for other interactive PowerPoint Reviews to personalize? Check this one out: