Exploring Personal Attributes and Understanding the Importance of Setting Goals

Jim McKay                                                                                        Melissa Sparks

Professional School Counselor                                                          MSU, M Intern 1998-99

MACCRAY H.S.                                                                               MACCRAY H.S.

Clara City, MN                                                                                  Clara City, MN

Description of the Unit

Exploring Personal Attributes and Understanding the Importance of Setting Goals is the first unit of five units developed at MACCRAY high school by Jim McKay and Melissa Sparks to assist ninth grade students in career investigation. This particular unit may be completed in four phases. The unit begins by assessing and interpreting the results of two inventories. The results of the inventories are then used to get students thinking about their future careers and to begin the goal setting process. References for the related exercises are below. The time needed for each phase of the unit is based on a 55-minute class period.

Phase One

Administer a minimum of two inventories (1 class period for each inventory)

The MACCRAY district administers the IDEAS (Interest Determination Exploration and Assessment System) and the DAT (Differential Aptitude Test). Other inventories to consider might include COPS (Career Occupational Preference System); CAI (Career Assessment Inventory); CDM (Career Decision-Making Systems); SII (Strong Interest Inventory) or COPES (Career Orientation Placement and Evaluation Survey).

Phase Two

Interpret the results of each inventory with students as a class (1 class period for each inventory)

Phase Three

Help students envision what their future career/job might be like by using a future day fantasy exercise (1 class period) (see sample).

To prepare students for this exercise ask them to sit quietly in their desks and close their eyes. Tell them to try to block out today’s hassles and deadlines and just concentrate on a daydream to you will read to them. When you are finished reading the daydream give the students a worksheet instructing them to answer questions about their fantasies. The questions on the worksheet should be designed to help students (a) define their lives (b) identify characteristics needed to fulfill their ideal career (c) determine obstacles to their ideal job and (d) determine supports to achieving their ideal job. Once the students have finished the worksheet have the students pair with one another to discuss their ideal job. Were they surprised at what they dreamed about? Did the inventories that they took in class confirm or disconfirm what they envision their future career to be?

Phase Four

Help students understand the importance of setting goals (1 class period).

Begin the class by asking students to do a self-audit for goal setting. Create a self-audit goal setting worksheet by using an example from a book as a guide and then tailor your audit to meet the needs of your students. The book College Success (Moore, Baker, & Packer, 1997) has an excellent example that MACCRAY used as a model when designing their own self-audit for goal setting. Once the students have completed the self-audit ask for volunteers to share their scores with the class. Next lead the class into a discussion about the importance of goal setting. Point out that without goals we have no direction. Ask the students to generate a list of goals that might have to be accomplished in order to obtain a career. Goals students may list might include to finish high school, to graduate from high school with good grades, to be accepted in to college etc. Additional class periods might be spent on helping students refine these goals so that they are specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and timely.

Connections to Related Standards, Competencies, and Domains

Exploring Personal Attributes and Understanding the Importance of Setting Goals directly relates to Minnesota Graduation Content Standard - Decision-Making: Career Investigation, specifically the Personal Portfolio of Career Investigation package. This unit also relates to Career Development Competencies for the High School Student from the National Career Development Guideline Handbook. This unit helps students understand the influence of a positive self-concept through identifying and appreciating their personal interests, abilities, and skills and it helps students to understand the relationship between educational achievement and career planning through understanding the importance of goal setting. With regard to the Minnesota School Counselor’s Model of Developmental Guidance and Counseling this unit relates directly to the personal and social domain in that students are able to explore their self-identity through the assessments given.

Sample Future Day Fantasy Exercise

It is a weekday and you are waking. Imagine that it is five years from now. Where are you? What time is it? You are getting dressed for work now. What are you wearing? Do you stay at home or work outside of your home? You are ready to work. Where are you? Are people around? Animals? Plants? What is the first thing that you do at work? Next? Are people working together with you? What will you do for lunch? Do you take a break? Now your workday is over. What time is it when you leave for home? Now, slowly bring your awareness back to the classroom. When you are ready open your eyes.

References and Resources

Minnesota Department of Children, Families and Learning. Information available at: http://www.educ.state.mn.us

Moore, R., Baker, B.A., Packer, A.H. (1997). College Success. New Jersey: Prentice Hall.

Rief, J.M., Enestvedt, J.K. (1993). Minnesota School Counselor’s Model of Developmental Guidance and Counseling. Minnesota School Counselor’s Association.

For Further Information

Jim McKay, Professional School Counselor or

Melissa Sparks, MSU, M intern

MACCRAY H.S.

Clara City, MN 56222

320-847-2154