Each year, Shell Knob middle school students are exposed to many different careers in the surrounding area. Years ago, Mrs. Reynolds began the lessons that include hands-on field trips. Now, this is Mrs. Givens, (SK School Counselor), sixth year to teach the unit.
The goal of career lessons is to help kids learn how to explore different careers and obtain information about their options after high school. There are so many different paths available. Mrs. Givens feels it is important to help students be aware that they have those options and how to learn more about them. She also wants kids to learn about all of the ways a career can impact their lives, beyond earning a paycheck. For example, some careers require working different hours or days, and some jobs are more hands-on, while others have you sitting behind a desk more. Kids need to think about all of those things when they start looking at careers. Because of that, there is a different approach for different grade levels. In Kindergarten through 5th grade, the focus is on helping kids learn about their likes and dislikes and how to use resources to find the best career for them. In middle school, the goal is to give them a more "real world" look at careers. Because of this, in 6th through 8th grade, students get to go on career field trips and attend career presentations from people in different careers in our community.
The goal is to find a wide array of careers that fit all kinds of different career paths, with different levels of education requirements so there is something for everyone. Gone are the days of trying to send every student to college. Instead, we really want kids to find what works for them, what will give them a life they want, and how to get there. One focus that is important to Mrs. Givens is looking at jobs that can be done here in Shell Knob so kids know that, if they choose to stay in Shell Knob, there are career opportunities for them. She have been very fortunate to be able to build a great roster of presenters that help out every year. This allows the students to be introduced to 12 careers/employers in our community by the time they leave SKS.
The students seem to enjoy learning about different options in our community. It's really rewarding to see them make a connection or learn something new that interests them about a career. The presenters are always great to work with, and many of them get excited about sharing their knowledge every year. "Having done this for six years, it is really neat to see how the presentations have evolved," reflected Mrs. Givens. Many that used to be presentations are now field trips, and each presenter has something that adds extra value that our students couldn't learn in a book or online. They are the key in helping kids think about the big picture and what type of lifestyle they would have with that career.
The main thing is helping get a foundation to learn what career will really serve an individual in life, from teaching them about resources, to helping them learn about real life in a career.