| According Ediger (2000), elementary school | | | | Elementary school programs help students |
| career education is important. Ediger stated | | | | build connections between academics and real |
| that "the elementary school years are not too | | | | life situations. (9) Teachers and counselors |
| early to begin to achieve a vision of what | | | | use career education principles to stress the |
| one desires to do in life contributing to the | | | | importance of language arts, mathematics, |
| world of work". Without career education, | | | | social studies, and science. Language arts |
| students have unrealistic perceptions of | | | | have many uses in the workplace: Reading, |
| careers due to a lack of knowledge and poor | | | | writing, and listening skills. The uses for |
| decision making. Students have limited | | | | Mathematics include: Addition, subtraction, |
| knowledge and exposure to careers. (2,3) | | | | multiplication, and division skills to solve |
| When students look at the different | | | | problems. In Social Studies, students gain |
| industries e.g. sports, media and | | | | understanding about other countries, |
| entertainment, most students underestimate | | | | languages, cultures, and the aspects of |
| the skills and time required to have | | | | living in a global marketplace. Students |
| successful careers. (3) | | | | learn the importance of Science having skills |
| | | | to solve problems as well as understanding |
| The Basics for Elementary School Career | | | | how science is involved in different |
| Education Programs | | | | industries, such as food, media, |
| | | | agricultural, and automotive industries. (8) |
| In career awareness programs, students do not | | | | |
| make premature career choices. Elementary | | | | Guidelines for Elementary Education Career |
| school career education is not career | | | | Resources - National Career Development |
| exploration or career preparation. | | | | Guidelines |
| Elementary students remain open to new career | | | | |
| ideas and possibilities. (7,8,13,15) | | | | The NCDG Guidelines is a career knowledge, |
| Elementary students build awareness of self, | | | | skills, and decision-making framework. The |
| personal interactions, school, and the | | | | NCDG framework has three domains, goals, and |
| workforce. (2,15) Elementary school | | | | indicators. Teachers and counselors use the |
| counselors and teachers build self-awareness, | | | | domains, goals, and indicators as guidelines |
| family awareness, school awareness, community | | | | to design and create career resources. The |
| awareness, career/ work awareness, attitude | | | | three domains are: Personal Social |
| development, skill development, decision | | | | Development (PS), Educational Achievement |
| making strategies, and self-worth. (2,4,11) | | | | and Lifelong Learning (ED), and Career |
| | | | Management (CM). Each domain represents a |
| Career awareness programs use age appropriate | | | | developmental area in a career education |
| materials that match the developmental levels | | | | program. Under each domain are goals or |
| of the students. Age appropriate activities | | | | competencies. Under each goal, indicators |
| expose students to a variety of different | | | | highlight the knowledge and skills needed to |
| jobs, career information sources, and the | | | | achieve the goal. The National Career |
| reasons why people work. Programs also | | | | Development Guidelines (NCDG) is the |
| incorporate academic career pathways into | | | | foundation for career education products, |
| classroom activities. According to CareerTec | | | | research development, tests and tools. (14) |
| (2000), the preliminary career education | | | | |
| skills serve as foundations for future | | | | Summary |
| skills. As the students progress, previous | | | | |
| skills are reinforced, developed, and | | | | Elementary school career education programs |
| expanded. (2,4,11) | | | | build self-awareness, family awareness, |
| | | | school awareness, community awareness, career |
| As elementary students get older, the | | | | work awareness, attitude development, skill |
| students modify career visions and goals. | | | | development, decision making strategies, and |
| After completing an elementary school career | | | | self-worth. Elementary school career |
| awareness program, students have higher | | | | awareness programs use age appropriate |
| grades, higher academic achievement, improved | | | | materials that match the developmental levels |
| school involvement, as well as an increase in | | | | of the students. As a results of career |
| career awareness exploration, personal, and | | | | education, schools reported that students had |
| interpersonal skills. (1,15) In addition, | | | | higher grades and academic achievement, |
| the students complete more complex courses | | | | improvement in school involvement and |
| and have a higher graduation rate from high | | | | performance, as well as an increase in career |
| school. (9) | | | | awareness exploration, personal, and |
| | | | interpersonal skills. Career awareness |
| In summary, in career programs, students: | | | | activities include Individual Career Plan |
| | | | (ICP), Individual Career Develop Portfolio |
| Learn and apply the academic material | | | | (ICDP), Career Days, Career Fairs, Field |
| | | | trips, information interviewing, and library |
| Know and value self | | | | book report. |
| | | | |
| Build self-esteem and confidence | | | | References |
| | | | |
| Identify interests and build relationships | | | | 1. American Counseling Association, Office of |
| between the school environment and the work | | | | Public Policy and Legislation. (2007). |
| force | | | | Effectiveness of School Counseling. |
| | | | Alexandria, VA: Author. |
| Build academic, communication, problem | | | | |
| solving, and social skills | | | | 2. Angel, N. Faye; Mooney, Marianne. (1996, |
| | | | December). Work-in-Progress: Career and Work |
| Increase awareness of the need for future | | | | Education for Elementary Students. |
| jobs skills | | | | (ED404516). Cincinnati, OH: Paper presented |
| | | | at the American Vocational Association |
| See the connections between learning in | | | | Convention. |
| school, academic skills, job related skills, | | | | |
| and careers | | | | 3. Benning, Cathleen; Bergt, Richard; |
| | | | Sausaman, Pamela. (2003, May). Improving |
| See career possibilities | | | | Student Awareness of Careers through a |
| | | | Variety of Strategies. Thesis: Action |
| See themselves as a future contributor to the | | | | Research Project. (ED481018). Chicago, |
| job force | | | | Illinois: Saint Xavier University. |
| | | | |
| Receive empowerment | | | | 4. Career Tec. (2000). K-12 Career Awareness |
| | | | & Development Sequence [with Appendices, |
| Build self-determination (2,7,9) | | | | Executive and Implementation Guide]. |
| | | | (ED450219) .Springfield, Il: Author. |
| Examples of Elementary School Career | | | | |
| Education Resources | | | | 5. Carey, John. (2003, January). What are |
| | | | the Expected Benefits Associated with |
| Career awareness programs widely use tools | | | | Implementing a Comprehensive Guidance |
| are the Individual Career Plan (ICP) and the | | | | Program. School counseling Research Brief |
| Individual Career Develop Portfolio. | | | | 1.1. Amherst, MA: Fredrickson Center for |
| According to the Ohio State Department of | | | | School Counseling Outcome Research. |
| Education (2000), Individual Career Plans | | | | |
| (ICP) are essential for the development of | | | | 6. Dare, Donna E.; Maddy-Bernstein, Carolyn. |
| self-awareness, employability skills, | | | | (1999, September). Career Guidance Resource |
| decision making and goal setting, community | | | | Guide for Elementary and Middle/Junior High |
| involvement, economics, and the reduction of | | | | School Educators. (ED434216). Berkeley, CA: |
| bias. Students use the Individual Career | | | | National Center for Research in Vocational |
| Plans as they identify and explore initial | | | | Education. |
| career goals and educational plans. | | | | |
| Elementary students use Individual Career | | | | 7. DuVall, Patricia. (1995).Let's Get Serious |
| Plan (ICP) to develop skills and to prepare | | | | about Career Education for Elementary |
| to make future educational and career | | | | Students. AACE Bonus Briefs. (ED386603). |
| decisions. (12) | | | | Hermosa Beach, CA: AACE Bonus Briefs. |
| | | | |
| Another important tool is the Individual | | | | 8. Ediger, Marlow. (2000, July). Vocational |
| Career Develop Portfolio. Individual Career | | | | Education in the Elementary School. |
| Develop Portfolios are collections of the | | | | (ED442979) Opinion Papers |
| career awareness activities and experiences | | | | |
| that have occurred during the school year. | | | | 9. Gerver, Miriam, Shanley, Judy, O Cummings, |
| (12) Other elementary school career | | | | Mindee. (2/14/02). Answering the Question |
| awareness activities include: | | | | EMSTAC Extra Elementary and Middle Schools. |
| | | | Washington, DC: Technical Assistance Center, |
| Artistic displays | | | | (EMSTAC). |
| | | | |
| Career Days | | | | 10. Hurley, Dan, Ed.; Thorp, Jim, Ed. (2002, |
| | | | May). Decisions without Direction: Career |
| Career Fairs | | | | Guidance and Decision-Making among American |
| | | | Youth. (ED465895). Grand Rapids, Michigan: |
| Career research | | | | Ferris State University Career Institute for |
| | | | Education and Workforce Development. |
| Career videos | | | | |
| | | | 11. Maddy-Bernstein, Carolyn; Dare, Donna E. |
| Collages, murals | | | | (1997,December).Career Guidance for |
| | | | Elementary and Middle School Students. Office |
| Community speakers | | | | of Student Services Brief, v9 n1. (ED415353). |
| | | | Berkeley, CA: National Center for Research in |
| Educational games | | | | Vocational Education. |
| | | | |
| Family group discussions | | | | 12. Ohio Department of Education, Division of |
| | | | Vocational and Career Education, Ohio Career |
| Field trips | | | | Development Blueprint, Individual Career |
| | | | Plan, K to 5 (ED449322). Columbus, Ohio, |
| Information interviewing | | | | 2000 |
| | | | |
| Job shadowing | | | | 13. Splete, Howard; Stewart, Amy. (1990). |
| | | | Competency-Based Career Development |
| Library book report | | | | Strategies and the National Career |
| | | | Development Guidelines. Information Series |
| Mentors | | | | No. 345. (ED327739). Columbus, Ohio: ERIC |
| | | | Clearinghouse on Education and Training for |
| Poetry | | | | Employment & Ohio State University |
| | | | |
| Phonics | | | | 14. U.S. Department of Education Office of |
| | | | Vocational and Adult Education. (1994, 2004). |
| Pictured dictionary | | | | National Career Development Guidelines |
| | | | (NCDG). Washington, DC: Author. |
| Puppets | | | | |
| | | | 15. Williams, Jean A., Ed. (1999, January). |
| Role playing | | | | Elementary Career Awareness Guide: A Resource |
| | | | for Elementary School Counselors and |
| Scrapbook | | | | Teachers. (ED445293). Raleigh, NC: NC |
| | | | Department of Public Instruction, NC Job |
| Story reading | | | | Ready. |
| | | | |
| Student group discussions | | | | 16. Woal, S. Theodore. (1995). Career |
| | | | Education--The Early Years. AACE Bonus |
| Word search and comprehension activities | | | | Briefs. (ED386603). Hermosa Beach, CA: AACE |
| (8,9,11,12,16) | | | | Bonus Briefs. |
| | | | |