Measuring
Their Future
School
Counselor MSUM
Intern 2000-2001
Le
Sueur Henderson High School Le
Sueur Henderson H.S.
Le
Sueur, MN Le
Sueur, MN
Description
of Lesson-
This lesson of 48 minutes would be a class activity
relating to middle school students (eighth graders). It could take up at least another class period, depending on
the depth at which one allows the students to explore. It focuses on the choices they can make
as they take a snapshot of their past, present, and future. This look into their life would be done
with the aid of a tape measure. It
would begin by the teacher asking for a volunteer. The counselor would have the student hold the end of the
tape measure. With the tape turned
and the numbers visible to the audience the counselor would begin to explain
that each inch represents one year of life.
The counselor would talk about his or her life
experiences. What happened around
the seventh inch (began school) might be of some importance. As the counselor
explains what he or she has done or will do there will begin to permeate
throughout the class a sense of preparation, opportunity, excitement and maybe
even fear. By the time the counselor has finished the tape would span 65 inches
long. This is the day when
retirement arrives and everything after that is a bonus. The tape measure would
be quite long and students will begin to understand that there is something
that lies ahead. They see that after
a foot and a half there is this great unknown. What will they do between the 18th and 65th
inch? It is a great illustration
of what they are doing in school and why they need to get ready for what lies
ahead of them. The emphasis can be on all of the areas of ones life. By using this tape measure they can
identify all their education, personal life, and career life plans. Keep in mind that the students will be
making a snapshot of how they see their life today. It could all change by tomorrow.
With that said they
could start making their own tape measure. They will need some rulers, paper, tape, and pens, pencils,
or markers. They could also be
provided old magazines and scissors if they want to really be creative. They could also be provided with Career
books to explore some possibilities. They can then map out their life with what
they have done already and what has yet to come. Planning for this will allow them to peer into the future
and begin to understand for themselves what they may want to do. Eventually this activity would call for
volunteers to come up to the front of class and explain their tape measures.
The Minnesota High
Standards that would be explored by this lesson include from learning area 8,
Career Investigation, learning area 2, Interpersonal Communication and learning
area 3, Literary and Arts Creation and Performance. Obviously it depends on how
much the students look at career books for the learning area 8 piece: however
the preparation and future planning would be present. As they share their tape measures they are communicating
interpersonally and their work could be viewed as artistic. Ultimately, it depends on the direction
the counselor or instructor wants to lead the students.
The domains of the Minnesota
School CounselorsŐ Model of Developmental Guidance and Counseling that are
reflected in the lesson are the Career Development and Academic Development
domains. The students would be
becoming aware of their interests and beginning to plan, albeit brief, their
educational future. They would
also begin to ask questions about colleges and who knows what else? The bottom line is that it will be
their own questions and they will listen intently for the answer. This entire process could have far
reaching effects in these two areas.
The Career Development
Competencies by Area relates to the lesson in the areas of Educational and
Occupational Exploration and Career Planning. The area of Educational and
Occupational Exploration is looked at by the lesson when looking toward work
and learning. The students would
also acknowledge the benefits of educational achievement to career
opportunities. The Career Planning
area would allow the students to begin to understand the process of career
planning, to begin to identify life roles and begin to see how they change over
a lifetime. By leading the
discussion and lesson in such a way that these areas are focused on would
ensure the success of them.
Villagomez, T. High School Counselor. (2001) Le Sueur Henderson
High School
High School Counselor
Le Sueur Henderson High
School
Le Sueur, MN
507-665-3305 ext156
tvillago@isd2397.k12.mn.us