What I want to be when I grow up is...

We've all heard and probably repeated this phrase at some time in our lives. But now more than ever, parents and their children are learning the importance of these words.

As the marketplace changes and the economy shifts, traditional jobs become increasingly difficult to find. There is a greater need for educators to better prepare students for the workplace -- a fact that many schools throughout Canada and the U.S. are beginning to recognize.

"I wish I had been better prepared," says Linda Coss. She is president of Junior Achievement B.C. Junior Achievement is an international nonprofit organization that teaches young people about business and economics through activities that complement class curricula.

"It's important to be aware of the variety of choices available because we're in such a changing market," says Coss.

But how do children find such information? Often, young people don't have the foresight or the incentive to consider long-term planning.

Counselors and teachers can provide students with guidance. But without parental involvement, many students will not seek out their help.

Parents can offer the needed encouragement. They can also provide their child with the wisdom of their own experience.

That's why many schools are now trying to actively involve parents in their child's career development.

One way that's done is through the Rutgers LEAP GEAR UP Pre-College Initiative. Rutgers University and the LEAP Academy came together for this program. (GEAR UP stands for Gaining Early Awareness and Readiness for Undergraduate Programs.) It's designed to provide career awareness and readiness to students, starting in the fifth grade.

"Traditional schools don't recognize how critical parents' roles are to the process of learning," says Gloria Bonilla-Santiago. She is a LEAP Academy trustee and chair.

LEAP has been educating parents to build their child's career awareness for years. One of their goals is to help parents become full partners in the education of their children. The school offers certificate training courses that provide parents with practical knowledge and skills that will allow them to help prepare children for college.

Santiago adds that children need the endorsement of their parents. She says "you see miracles happen" when you assist parents who otherwise might not have had the resources or the capability to help their children.

"Parents may not be aware of what they can do to help, which is why we need to educate them along with their children," she says.

How do teachers and counsellors involve parents in their child's career development? They can start by encouraging parents to take an active interest in their child's learning -- early.

"The seeds for enhanced learning and post-secondary education have to be sown early. If not, kids don't aspire and don't have the opportunity to know what options are available," says John Lucas. He's the director of guidance and counseling at Zapata High School in Texas.

At Zapata High School, parents are active participants in school activities. Career development strategies are worked into the curriculum. The school's guidance team provides students with occupational information as well as job placement and a follow-up performance evaluation.

Such strategies seem to be effective. Despite the school's location in an economically disadvantaged area, it boasts small dropout and high attendance rates.

According to Lucas, it's important for parents to help children set goals. "Kids have to know that yes, it is possible."

Children learn to value education if their parents value education, says Lucas.

It is therefore important for teachers and counsellors to encourage parents to become involved in the school community. It shows the child that their parents deem their education important and sends the message that school counts.

Showing an interest in your child's studies is key, says Santiago. "In our school of 500 children, we had a 99 per cent attendance rate due to parental involvement, in part because parents were willing to come at night to help with the child's learning and development."

Donna Fillion is the western vice-president of the board of directors for the Canadian Home and School Federation (CHSF). She agrees. "By becoming involved with their child's school, the parents show that they are interested. And this gets the child more interested," says Fillion.

The CHSF is a national nonprofit organization that represents parents committed to improving the quality of education available to their children.

According to Fillion, students may have limited ideas of what career path they wish to pursue. "A parent can help broaden their child's horizons by introducing ideas that never occurred to the child."

For instance, if a child is really good at science, the parent could suggest becoming an engineer, says Fillion.

Such parental involvement provides the child with more career options. It also demonstrates that parents are taking an active interest in their child's future.

Counsellors can also advise parents to become involved with their child's education outside the classroom. At home, parents can teach their child to relate school to everyday life and help them plan for the future.

Parents can also be encouraged to take their kids to work. Exposing children to a professional environment will teach them what a particular job entails on a daily basis. This can help spark a child's interest in the parent's career. It can also give the child the skills needed to compete in today's marketplace.

Jeanne Keller is the president of Keller & Fuller, Inc., a consulting firm that provides educational program evaluation, communications and advocacy. She says children are more likely to see the benefits of learning if they are shown how the courses they take in school relate to jobs outside of class.

"They're taught how what they learn in school is applied in the real world and how a particular course will be useful to them," says Keller. She recalls instances where an engineer from a manufacturing company came to help a science teacher instruct the class, for example. On another occasion, a social worker attended a social studies class.

STW is a U.S. nationwide initiative that helps students direct their education and encourages them to consider a wide variety of career options. "It's a great example of business working hand in hand with teachers," Keller adds.

Ultimately, involving parents in career awareness can be a productive and rewarding experience for educators, parents and their children. A student who sees the practical benefits of learning is more likely to take more challenging courses and to go on to college, says Keller. They are also more likely to show an interest in and work harder at their studies.

 

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