Career Help for High School Students

As a high school student, youre probably thinking about graduation and what comes next. Youve got many
important decisions ahead of you. What are you going to do after graduation? What are you going to study in
college? What do you want to do with your life? These are just a few of the many questions high school students
face. Finding the answers begins with choosing a satisfying career.
It's a big decision! With so many choices and so much to consider, finding the right career path is a challenge
for many high school students. You're not alone! The information on this page will give you a few useful tools
and some valuable information to help you choose the career thats best for you.
What Career is Best for You?
The first thing to consider when choosing your career path is YOU. Your interests, strengths and personality
play a big part in determining which careers will provide you with the most personal satisfaction. There are
many free resources available help high school students figure out which careers theyre best suited for.
Online career assessment websites give you the opportunity to answer questions about yourself and your
interests, and then get immediate feedback about the careers that best fit your personality. Career counseling is
also a useful tool in choosing a career: Here are some free career counseling resources available for you:
Online J ob-Search Systemenables you to search for employment opportunities online. Plus, you can
post your rsum(s) to make it easy for employers to find you.

MyPlan An interactive program that helps you discover which occupations would appeal to someone
of your temperament, career interests, personal work values, as well as leisure pursuits. You can also
find out about salaries, what preparation would be necessary, trends and environments in which the
occupation can be found.
Finding Information about Careers
The Internet is a great place to find free, detailed information about any career you might be thinking about.
Lots of important factors must be considered when choosing your career including how much money you want
to make, how long you plan to attend college, and where you plan to attend college.Click here for a list of
career websites.
Paying for College
Finding a way to pay for a college education can be pretty scary. Dont let the cost of your education keep you
from pursuing the career of your dreams. Youre not alone. There are a number of options for funding your
college education.
Post Secondary Enrollment Options (PSEO)
Scholarships
Financial aid
Getting off to a Great Start
Lorain County Community College can get you started on the career path of your dreams. With over 85
certificate and associates degree programs, and many bachelors and masters degree programs through
LCCCs University Partnership, its easy to get started on your career path right here in Lorain County. Click on
the career categories below to find more information about LCCCs programs.
10 Things for High-School Students to Remember
by Randall S. Hansen, Ph.D.

Believe it or not, if youre in high school right now, youre at a great point in your life. You have your whole life
in front of you. And now is a good time to start thinking about your future, to make some initial plans; just
remember that plans can be easily changed. Remember too, that experts predict that the average person will
change careers -- not just jobs -- more than five times in his or her lifetime. Now is the time to pursue your
dreams!

And as you start thinking about one or more potential educational and career paths, here are 10 things to
remember in the days ahead.

1. Take time to think about what you like to do; dream and imagine ideal careers. There are so many
opportunities, so many different types of jobs and careers in a wide variety of industries - and there are also
other career paths that are just emerging. Even if you are fairly sure of a career choice, take the time in high
school to explore similar (or even vastly different) careers. Explore all your options. Examine your likes and
dislikes and take a few career-assessment tests. Answer the question, if you could have any job right now,
what would it be -- and why? Dont let any barriers hold you back from finding the perfect career.

Example: Take the time for some________________and ______________to expand your vision of potential
majors and career paths.

2. Challenge yourself in high school, but dont overwhelm yourself. Do get the most out of high school as
possible. When you can, take the tough and challenging schedule of classes; youll learn more -- and it will look
good to the college admissions staff. Obviously, you need to stay focused on getting good grades, but dont
overload your schedule -- or yourself -- so that it makes you sick or burnt out. Be sure to include at least one
fun course in your schedule.

Example: If you have a passion for something, such as photography, find a way to schedule a photography
course along with your other tougher college-prep courses.

3. Work, volunteer, or otherwise gain some experience. As with your education, the more you are exposed to,
the more options will open to you as you search out careers. There are even a growing number of internship
opportunities for high-school students. Seek work and volunteer experiences in and out of school. And from a
practical standpoint, work experience looks good on college applications -- and on future job applications and
resumes. And one other benefit if you are working in a paid position: spending money! Just remember that
school and grades have to come first, so only work if you can balance your schedule, manage your time.

Example: If youre interested in a career in journalism, start writing for your school newspaper and look into a
part-time job at a local newspaper.

4. Get as much education as you can. We are now a society in which many jobs and careers require additional
education or training beyond high school. Some careers even require a graduate degree before you can work
in the field. Take advantage of all educational opportunities that come your way, such as summer educational
opportunities and educational trips abroad. If financially possible -- and there are many ways to help make it
so -- attend college; college graduates make a much higher salary, on average, than high-school graduates.

Example: If you have a passion for science or math, instead of spending a summer goofing around the
community pool, consider a ___________________________.

5. Talk with as many adults as possible about careers and colleges. The best way to find out about different
careers is to ask people -- family, neighbors, friends, teachers, counselors -- to tell you about their career and
college experiences. If you have not already, begin to build a network of adults who know you and are willing
to assist you in your educational and career endeavors. And for careers that truly interest you, consider asking
each person if you can shadow him/her at work. You could also consider conducting informational interviews
at the same time as the shadowing, or as a less intrusive method of learning more about jobs and careers.

Example: If you have a passion for history and are considering a career as a college history professor, contact a
local college and ask one or more of the history professors if you can
__________ or conduct an __________________

6. Remember that everyone must follow his or her own path in life. Dont spend too much time worrying what
other people in your high school are doing -- or letting their opinions about your dreams and ambitions affect
your decision. And dont worry if you leave high school with no clear career path - thats partly what college is
all about, discovering who you are and what you want to do in life. Everyone develops/matures/grows at their
own pace, so dont feel the need to rush to make a decision now but dont use the fact that you have plenty
of time to make a decision as an excuse not to at least start learning and researching potential career options.

Example: Many colleges offer special discovery programs for entering first-year students who have no real
idea of majors and careers. These programs expose you to a wide variety of classes, events, and speakers to
help lead you onto a path of career discovery.

7. People change; dont feel locked into any college or career now. Its great to have an ideal plan for your life,
but remember that things happen, and your plans may need to change so keep an open mind -- and keep
your options open. Some of your friends -- or perhaps you -- already know, or think you know, what you want
to do in life. If so, thats fantastic, but dont become so myopic that you lose sight of other interesting
opportunities. There are career paths that have not even started today that may be big in five or more years.

Example: One of my college students, whose parents are both lawyers, is certain his fate is to be a corporate
attorney, and his plans currently include law school after his undergraduate education; however, he is also
taking a full set of business courses, as well as some interesting electives, in case things change by the time
he graduates.

8. Dont let anyone control your dreams and ambitions. You will be horribly miserable at best if you let a
parent or other family member dictate your major or your career. Students often feel pressure to follow in an
adult family members career path, especially if s/he is footing the bill for college, but the worst thing you can
do is choose a career to please someone else.

Example: A former student of mine came from a family of accountants, and everyone was supposed to join
the family CPA firm. The problem, however, was that she had no aptitude for numbers and hated accounting -
yet could not summon the courage to tell her family. When she finally did confess her dislike, the world did not
end, and her parents actually encouraged her to follow her passion.

9. Its never too early nor too late to get organized and begin making plans. No matter where you are in high
school, now is the time to plan the remainder of your high-school years -- as well as your plans after high
school. Research your options for after graduation -- technical schools, community colleges, four-year
universities, etc. Start or continue your preparation for the various standardized tests (such as the SAT and
ACT). Start thinking about teachers who might be willing to write letters of recommendation for you -- and
approach them when the time is near. Finally, make plans to fill any gaps in your plans -- such as striving for
better grades, taking tougher courses, gaining experience, or earning community-service hours.

Example: Many teachers get swamped with last-minute requests for letters of recommendation for college
admission, so the earlier you approach the teachers who can write the best recommendations for you, the
better off youll be. Read more in our article,


10. Never stop learning read, grow, and expand your mind. Dont pass-up opportunities to learn and
experience new things. Many teachers offer or assign summer and supplemental reading lists -- look at these
as opportunities for growth rather than a drag on your summer. The more you read, the more youll know. Its
a cliche, but knowledge is power.

Example: One high-school student was sure he wanted to be a teacher, but the more he read about cutbacks
in educational spending and the decline in the educational experiences in many parts of the country, he
decided he would be better off becoming a political activist for educational reform than as a teacher stuck in
what he saw as a decaying system.

Final Thoughts
High school is a real transition time for teens, as you move into adulthood and the more adult issues of work,
careers, and college. It should be a time of growth as well as a time of challenge. Have fun, but get the best
education you can so that you are positioned to take advantage of further educational opportunities and no
matter where you go after high school, never stop learning and growing.
PROJECT CHILD
Project CHILD educators in grades K-5 are engaged in a quiet revolution to tap technology's
potential. Through a triangulated team teaching/learning station model, CHILD teachers incorporate
computers and hands-on activities into daily classroom instruction. The current school year finds more
than 450 teachers and 12,000 students implementing this unique teaching and learning system.
Computers as an Add-On in Traditional Classrooms
For most teachers in elementary schools, technology remains a mere distraction. Even initiatives to
link every classroom to the Internet have generated little enthusiasm from America's teachers. Lack of
training, lack of access, and lack of technical support are often cited as the reasons for educational
technology's failure to live up to its promise.
However, I see a more fundamental reason. The problem is that schools keep trying to retrofit new
technologies into an outmoded instructional model. It's like trying to drive a high-powered car on a dirt
road. It's possible to make the journey, but you can never take advantage of the speed and
excitement of operating the car on a properly designed highway.
In most schools, didactic teaching remains the dominant instructional model. Children are expected to
listen passively while the teacher instructs the whole class and then to work quietly at their desks
when the teacher is working with small reading groups. This leaves little time for computer activities,
except for those lucky few who may finish their textbook lesson and then get to "play" on the
computer.
Most classrooms have only a few computers available, so access is very limited. Teachers are
reluctant to let children work collaboratively on the computers (which would increase access) because
of the distracting noise being generated. Furthermore, elementary teachers who must cover multiple
subjects have a daunting task to keep current with software for reading, writing, mathematics,
science, and social studies. And few teachers are trained to integrate this wide array of software into
the curriculum.
On the other extreme are the "classrooms of tomorrow" and "model technology schools" that have
sprung up from state to state. These pilot programs are very technology-intensive and use
constructivist learning strategies that are off the radar screen of the average teacher trying to manage
25-30 diverse students. Using another highway analogy, it's like having a superhighway with few cars
to use it.
What has been missing is an instructional model to bridge the gap from the traditional "sit and git"
learning model to the constructivist, self-paced learning that technology can facilitate. That is what
Project CHILD is all about. Project CHILD is the bridge to the futurethe perfect fit for the multimedia
school.
The CHILD Model: How It Works
The CHILD model changes the traditional elementary school instructional model, but not so radically
that conventional teachers can't cope. CHILD provides a well-developed system of materials, training,
and coaching to help teachers get started on their journey into the 21st century. Here's how it works.
Three cross-grade classrooms form a CHILD cluster, K-2 for primary and 3-5 for intermediate. Each
teacher in the cluster teaches one of the core subject areasreading, writing, or mathematics for all
three grade levels.
Students rotate through the three cluster classrooms for instruction in each basic subject. Each
CHILD classroom is set up with six learning stations: a Computer Station for learning with instructional
software; a Teacher Station for small-group tutorials; a Textbook Station for written work; a Challenge
Station for learning in a gamelike format; an Exploration Station for hands-on activities and projects;
and an Imagination Station for creative expression.
After a brief whole-group lesson, students work at the stations to practice and apply the lesson
content. The teacher assigns students to their beginning stations, but they move independently at
their own pace as they finish the assigned task. Students spend 1 hour in each of the cluster
classrooms, returning to the cluster classroom that serves as their "home base" for instruction in
science and social studies.
The Power of Three
The triangulated CHILD instructional model takes team teaching and looping to a new level.
Triangulation taps the "power of three" to enhance academic performance by having:
three subject-focused expert teachers
three grade levels for standards-based skill articulation and curriculum coordination
three hours of in-depth diversified learning at six learning stations
three types of learning modes (technology, hands-on, paper/pencil)
three years to work with students
CHILD transforms classrooms from rows of desks into multi-dimensional learning stations that
promote collaborative active learning. CHILD classrooms contain skill-based and exploratory learning
stations for in-depth practice in each subject area. Students have multiple opportunities to learn a
particular skill or concept using computers and hands-on activities along with textbook work.
Specially trained teachers use research-based CHILD Planning Guides that correlate a wide array of
instructional software with lesson objectives. The guides also coordinate instruction across the three
grade levels, offering numerous suggestions for standards-based, hands-on station activities.
While whole-group instruction is still appropriate, it does not dominate as in the didactic classroom.
"Seatwork" becomes enriched and broadened as station activities and engaging software encourage
children to think creatively and apply the skills the teacher has presented.
The teacher moves around the classroom, interacting with students at the stations. Noise becomes
less of an issue as teachers become more comfortable with the low hum of active children engaged in
collaborative station work. And as teachers begin to feel more comfortable working alongside the
children and away from the spotlight, they move toward constructivist teaching.
A Student's View
A fourth grade student describes a day when her dad visited her classroom, concerned that she was
having "too much fun" at school.
We got my dad an extra chair so he could sit at our table. Ms. Bronson started off with a lesson about
measurementwe'll be studying about different ways to measure things for this unit. We all brought in
different measurement tools for homework. What a collection! We had lots of rulers, a bathroom
scale, a metric stick, two yardsticks, three kinds of balance scales, and a couple of measuring tapes.
We talked about all the different tools and what we could use them for. We made a big chart with all
the different measuring terms: centimeters, decimeters, meters, inches, yards, pounds, ounces, etc.
Then we made a list of ways we use measurement tools. I never knew you measured so many things.
Dad whispered to me, "You're right, there is a lot of learning going on. I had forgotten how little a
centimeter was." Ms. Bronson asked Todd to put all the tools in the Exploration Station for us to use
for a measuring activity.
I show my dad the six different stations that we go to. We have work to do at all these stations.
There's a task card that tells you what to do. You can't just mess around. It's good to practice at
stations because we can learn more about measurement in lots of waysusing the computer
programs, working on our textbook pages, using "manipulatives" (that's a math teacher's word for
math equipment), and getting lessons from the teacher.
I go to the Computer Station first and work with my partner, Anna. We're working on a program where
we have to estimate height and length. It is a challenge and we get better each time! I show my dad
how I record the work I'm doing in my Passport. I record "estimating using centimeters." He said it
looks like I'm learning how to be responsible and he likes that.
Ms. Bronson tells us that tomorrow we will begin our class measurement graph. We will measure
everyone in class using three different measurement systemsthe American, Metric, and Greek. She
said for homework find out all you can about the Greeks' measurement system. I don't have a clue!
I love working at stations. I tell my dad that Project CHILD is all about spending more time learning
and less time waiting around for everyone else to get done with their work.
Conclusion
More than 10 years of evaluations across numerous school sites have demonstrated that CHILD
students consistently perform significantly higher on standardized tests, have far fewer discipline
problems, and have high rates of attendance. Parent satisfaction is always extremely high. Numerous
groups, including the National Diffusion Network, the Florida Department of Education, and the
Georgia Department of Education, have validated the effectiveness of the CHILD program.
CHILD works for all types of students, whether identified as gifted, at-risk, or average. The CHILD
model also works very well as an inclusion model for children with special needs and speakers of
other languages. Visit our Web site at http://www.ifsi.org for evaluation reports and more
information.
Project CHILD is not for every school. It requires hard work, a commitment to meaningful change, an
ability to work as a cooperative team member, and an abiding faith in young children. CHILD teachers
firmly believe that children can be trusted to make good choices when guided by a caring team of
teachers.
All it takes to get started is three innovative teachers with committed leadership from their principal. If
you think your school is the perfect fit, we'd love to hear from you.
Project Child
Here at Imagine Charter School at Broward we are happy to follow the Project CHILD
curriculum. This means the K-5 school follow this curriculum; the middle school does
not.

"Project CHILD (Changing How Instruction for Learning is Delivered) is a research-based
teaching and learning system for grades K-5. The emphasis is on reading, writing, and
mathematics. Science and social studies topics are incorporated throughout.
CHILD is a three-dimensional model that differs from the one-dimensional traditional
model designed around a single teacher in a single grade. The CHILD triangulated design
changes the traditional classroom in several dynamic ways.
Three teachers form cluster teams -- one teacher for reading, one for writing, and one
for mathematics. Clusters teams work across three grade levels - K-2 for a primary
cluster and 3-5 for an intermediate cluster. Teachers work with the same students
for three years.
After direct instruction from the teacher, students work independently at three types of
learning stations within their cluster. Students rotate to thethree classrooms in their
cluster. Each classroom has a Computer Station for technology-based work,
a Textbook Station for paper/pencil work, and three Activity Stations for hands-on
work. There is also a Teacher Station for small group tutorials and individual
assistance.
The original research began in 1988 at Florida State University. Dr. Sally Butzin is the
senior author. Since then there have been annual updates, along with numerous
independent studies that document the effectiveness of the CHILD instructional system.
CHILD students have significantly higher academic achievement and better behavior
than their peers in traditional classrooms. Parent support and enthusiasm is also very
high."