Beasley

I have completed a Plan of Action for the Antioch High School Media Center's possible options for promoting and creating new options for all students to research careers. After researching students' attitudes regarding their interest in versus their experience with using the library and the Pathfinder I created to help guide them, I realized this method was not appealing to the majority of the group I tested. Hence, I have come up with a few options and ideas which may help students explore careers in a more visual and engaging way.

 The information presented in the findings of the needs assessment suggests that senior students are very concerned about their career future after high school. Before having been presented with the career Pathfinder, many of the students had not used the media center in their career research. On the other hand, after using the Career Pathfinder there was certainly some disparity as to whether they would like to know more about how to use the library for career research. This leads me to wonder if a Pathfinder is a useful tool for seniors. It would beinteresting to conduct this same needs assessment for each grade level and compare the results. The findings suggest we could be doing more to promote career research in the library, and perhaps present various methods to appeal to a wider range of students in the school.  As instructional partners and consultants for the goals of the school and its students, it is important to play a role in career education. It is vital for the school media specialist to assist in teaching skills and strategies students need to learn and achieve. We need to take an active role in helping direct high school students toward becoming effective users of ideas and information relating to their career futures.  There are many ways the librarian can promote the exploration and interest in career fields in the library. My plan of Action regarding career planning is the career education should definitely start in 9th grade for the simple fact that this time in a student’s life is what makes high school different from other phases of one’s life; they learn to //know themselves.// Often students respond to visual stimuli which appeal to their sense of curiosity and interest. I would set up career cluster posters in a section of the library. Included with these sample occupations clusters would be school subjects and some interests and skills needed for a career in that cluster. I feel these posters would give students important information to help sort through their own interests and goals.  In addition to visual presentations, students need to have access to detailed reading material about various career opportunities. Part of my Plan of Action would be to purchase a set of Career Opportunities Series books. The price is rather steep at $1,245.00, but each of these volumes contains in-depth profiles of 60-100 jobs, including thorough information about the salary, advancement, future trends, experience needed, and unions. The profiles give overviews of the duties and features of the job along with information giving routes to and from the position, and descriptions of certification, education skills, and any training which would be needed. The volumes also give appendixes listing graduate and undergraduate programs, internships related to the occupation. This 28 volume set of books definitely holds pertinent information for the high school student as he or she considers her future. I would house this set of book in a prominent area of the library where they can be noticed and accessed easily.  Since scientific literacy is so important in our society today, part of my Plan of Action would be mentoring girls who choose to pursue careers related to the physical sciences and mathematics. This would take the form of a visual project of posters set up in a designated area of the library. I feel this would make an enormous impact on girls who are influenced visually more than by the written word.  Another part of my Plan of Action would include collaboration with teachers in the school to assist students in creating a college and career research portfolio. This project would be a semester long endeavor which would count as at least 30% of their total grade for the class. The librarian would be there to assist in directing their individual research. The projects would culminate in a final exhibition for the class in a designated part of the library.  Finally, an important aspect of a Plan of Action would need to include the organization of specified College and Career Speakers who would be hosted in the library. Students would be welcome and encouraged to attend the speaker sessions of their choice with a pass from their teachers. Teachers would use their discretion to release a student from class if the student is passing the course and is not scheduled to miss a test or lab. Dates and times of the speakers would be scheduled at the request of the presenter and I would display dates, times, and topics of each presenter in a specified area of the library. The speakers would be videotaped and archived as an electronic resource available for download and review at any time.  There are many ways the librarian can promote and assist in the career research endeavors of students. With a little creativity, thought, and the use of technology, students can be allowed access to career information which would have been virtually unheard of in previous years. Opening the door to the best method for teaching and helping students discover themselves often requires just listening.