Nurturing Future Professionals
Posted by PLB · 2 Comments
Blogs and social networking encourage people to “bare it all” in front of people they don’t know. A private party experience could become an interesting photo to comment on in just a few minutes. In the midst of today’s high technology culture, we need to encourage our students to start thinking about their “professional” image and identities.
Companies are no longer looking for people with only good school grades. They are looking for a host of other skills including leadership, team skills, and experience in a variety of activities. I came across this interesting blog recently , and it triggered so many ideas.
Getting students to create their own creative resumes, could be beneficial for them in the long run. This type of activity can help students to start thinking of their future professional images and identities while encouraging more carefully “controlled” interactions they share publicly on the internet. It can encourage students to pursue activities and opportunities that would help them grow in the areas that they are interested in. It could also help them learn more about assessing their goals and presenting their ideas to others. And, finally, it will give them an opportunity to be creative and present their strengths in a unique way.
How are you helping prepare students to present themselves in a differentiated, yet strong, manner?
I teach Kindergarten and of course we are constantly telling the children to “Use their words.” I try to take this a step further by first having the child take a big deep breath, then encouraging the child to talk calmly about how he/ she feels. I believe that this practice is vital for controlling emotions and impulses that we frequently feel when we’re upset. This is a life-long skill these children will need as adults and we all know that their home environment might set some of these emotions off. Self-control is a MUST!
Thanks for the comment Sashi!