Discussion 4

.docx

School

Barton Community College *

*We aren’t endorsed by this school

Course

CAREER

Subject

Arts Humanities

Date

Jul 2, 2024

Type

docx

Pages

4

Uploaded by DukeScienceNightingale6055

Reflect on your own career development when you were in elementary and middle school. Looking back, answer the following questions: o What types of occupations did you think were possible for you? o Were there occupations that you felt were not be possible for you to pursue? o How did family, societal, and your career self-concept influence your perceptions of potential and unacceptable occupations? o Thinking back on your own pre-high school career development, are there career development interventions that would have been helpful to you? Looking back on my elementary and middle school years, I always had a strong inclination towards becoming a teacher. From a young age, I was drawn to the idea of imparting knowledge, helping others learn, and fostering a positive impact on students' lives through education. This aspiration was deeply rooted in my natural inclination towards leadership and a desire to contribute meaningfully to my community. Reflecting on the types of occupations I thought were possible for me during those formative years, teaching consistently stood out as a realistic and attainable career path. I saw teachers as influential figures who had the power to shape young minds and make a difference. Other occupations, such as those in STEM fields or healthcare, seemed more distant and less aligned with my interests and strengths at the time (Olsson & Martiny, 2018). There were certainly occupations that I felt were not within my reach or capability. Careers requiring highly technical skills or extensive scientific knowledge felt intimidating and unfamiliar to me as a young student (Olsson & Martiny, 2018). The lack of exposure and encouragement in these areas also influenced my perceptions of what was achievable for me. Family expectations and societal norms played a significant role in shaping my career self-concept during that period. My family valued education and respected the teaching profession, which reinforced my desire to pursue this path (Akosah- Twumasi et al., 2018). However, limited exposure to diverse career options outside of traditional roles like teaching or nursing somewhat constrained my awareness of alternative paths. Looking back, I believe early career development interventions focusing on career exploration and exposure to a wider range of professions would have been immensely beneficial. Programs that introduced students to various career fields
through hands-on experiences, mentorship opportunities, or career fairs could have broadened my perspectives and encouraged exploration beyond my initial interests. Overall, while I always knew I wanted to be a teacher from a young age, early career development interventions that encouraged exploration and expanded my awareness of career options would have enriched my journey and potentially opened doors to alternative paths I hadn't considered. Nonetheless, I cannot deny that being in front of the classroom is truly where I have been meant to be all these years. It reminds me of Proverbs 3:5-6 (NIV): "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight." This verse encourages trust in God's guidance and wisdom as we navigate our career journeys. It reminds us to seek His direction and submit our plans to Him, trusting that He will lead us on the right path. Akosah-Twumasi, P., Emeto, T. I., Lindsay, D., Tsey, K., & Malau-Aduli, B. S. (2018). A Systematic Review of Factors That Influence Youths Career Choices—the Role of Culture. Frontiers in Education , 3 (58). https://doi.org/10.3389/feduc.2018.00058 New International Version. (2011). Holy Bible (Updated ed.). Zondervan. (Original work published 1978) Olsson, M., & Martiny, S. E. (2018). Does Exposure to Counterstereotypical Role Models Influence Girls’ and Women’s Gender Stereotypes and Career Choices? A Review of Social Psychological Research. Frontiers in Psychology , 9 (2264). https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2018.02264 Response When I was in elementary and middle school, I thought that any occupation would be possible for me. I took a particular interest in artistic occupations such as being an actress, a singer, or an artist. I didn’t feel that any occupation was impossible for me to have because I was confident that I could be anything. Family influenced my perceptions of potential occupations by encouraging me to always believe in myself and to encourage me to be as successful as possible. However, when I would tell my family about my desires to go into acting or another artistic profession as a child, it was usually met with some scrutiny about how it’s rare that someone can become successful in that field. I think that as I entered high school, I started to realize that they may have been right and started to focus on more reasonable occupations. Society influenced my perceptions of potential and unacceptable occupations through media primarily. As a child I was always watching television and would dream about being on famous TV shows. In real life, society was encouraging to me to be whatever I want to be when I grow up. In contrast to this, society would also tell me that there are certain occupations that are looked down upon such as being a janitor or a maid. My career self-concept which eventually developed into wanting to be a counselor, has influenced me to think more rationally than I did as a child
Your preview ends here
Eager to read complete document? Join bartleby learn and gain access to the full version
  • Access to all documents
  • Unlimited textbook solutions
  • 24/7 expert homework help