The middle school years are an important time for your child to start thinking about their future career. It can be difficult to make the transition from being a middle school student and having fun with friends, to realizing that they have big decisions ahead of them.
Shamrck presents t
hese five tips
to
help middle school students think about their future careers in a way that is engaging and exciting!
Games:
One of the best ways to engage middle school students is through games that help them think about their future careers. A fun way to do this is by playing a game called, “Who Am I?” In this game each player writes down three words describing themselves and then picks one word out of two options given in order to find out who they are on paper. They can see what type of career fits them best based off whether or not they enjoy physical labor vs mental work, socializing with people all day vs working alone most days, etc.
Quotes:
Quotes from
professionals
about their career choice are sure to make middle school students think about what they want for the future
.
One way you could do this is by asking your middle schooler, “What are some quotes
from
people who work in these types of jobs?” For example, if your middle school child wants to explore being an artist
,
ask them for any words of wisdom from artists they know like family members and friends. You also might try looking up quotes on Google images since it gives plenty of options
and may even say
the person’s age at the time of the statement
.
Future Career Day:
One day during the year (perhaps near your child’s birthday) find an opportunity for them to visit people who work in a career they might be interested in exploring. This way they’ll get a better understanding of what it means to work
in that profession
because seeing is believing! For example, if your son wants to explore being an artist
,
take him to an art museum for a day and then ask the
people
who work at the museum what their favorite part of working there is.
Famous People:
Another way that is engaging
,
but also educational
,
is finding out what famous people have
had experiences similar to your
middle-school
er’s experiences
.
It may help your child feel that their goal is more attainable if they are able to relate to others who have tackled similar obstacles and succeeded.
Drawing:
Middle schoolers love drawing! If you’re looking for an easy but engaging project for your middle schooler try asking them
to
draw pictures showing where they see themselves in ten years. This can be done with a traditional sketch or by using markers and coloring pencils to create something more colorful.
Bonus:
If your middle schooler feels out
of place
in a world surrounded by adults
,
you can read about
fictional characters
who have been through similar experiences and felt that way too
.
One option is reading things like Calvin & Hobbes
because those are middle school titles with protagonists who still manage to do great things despite feeling different from other kids their age. In addition, Dr Seuss’s “Oh The Places You’ll Go” is another middle grade book that talks about a middle schooler’s worries and how to work through them.
In addition to these tips it’s important to find middle schoolers’ interests and help them explore those! For example, if your middle schooler wants to be an artist
,
introduce her to different types of art and different ways to be creative
. If
he
want
s
to be a doctor
,
take him on a tour at the hospital
and help him to
start exploring this career path by
having him volunteer
there first.
Shamrck is able to recommend extracurricular activities and other local resources like these that are specifically aimed at your child’s unique interests.
Go to the Shamrck Dashboard
today for a personalized career plan and access to local opportunities that will help set you on the path for success.