Amazing to think that things in the careers world have not changed very much, since the days of Frank Parsons in 1909! Careers Scotland still use the word 'diagnosis' to try and find out more about the client, just as Parsons was advocating when he suggested obtaining a 'clearer understanding of self.' It's also interesting that the 'trait and factor' models still seem to survive, despite many efforts to try and kill them off!
While Carl Rogers views are a bit too 'cuddly' for me! I agree that the most important thing in guidance is the relationship with the client. This should be at the centre and the career counsellor should definitely show empathy, acceptance and genuiness.
Finally, as regards Career Education in schools. I don't agree with the use of Careers Box (although I can understand why it's been introduced, to try and ensure a standardisation of Careers education) However, I believe that the organisations should have more faith in the professional ability and artistry of the career advisers to develop their own lesson plans, materials etc which are wholly appropriate to the areas/schools where they are based. Thereby making the lessons much more relevant for the pupils and the job much more interesting and challenging for the adviser!
Inspiration from Graduation!
16 years ago
I actually think the concept of Careers Box is a really good thing providing that it gets to be used in a flexible way (which seems to be the case in practice whether or not this is actually deemed as being allowable). I think the concept is great as its so much easier to write teaching material based on something that's already there rather than starting from scratch. There really doesn't seem much point in each adviser having to re-invent the wheel to teach. It seems like its a great tool for those without the time to design a lesson plan, or for school teachers who don't have much knowledge of the main themes and age appropriateness of career education.
ReplyDeleteIdeally career advisers should be able to comment on how good they've found the material, what adaptations they've made that have worked well, and make suggestions for innovation so that the whole product can evolve into something better and better as time goes on. It would also be good if there were some guidance notes for which particular lessons/adaptations work well for different groups of pupils.
I do know where you're coming from though, I really hate the idea of lessons having to be delivered by the book so to speak!
I agree, Career Box is a good starting point, but just that. The more experience we gain, the better able we shall (hopefully!) become at customising the material, and adding more of our own, to suit the different groups of children we might be working with. I think some career advisers already share their ideas informally at least at local level, but agree, it would be really helpful to have a more organised way of doing this.
ReplyDeleteI have been one of the biggest advocate’s of Careerbox for year’s and thought up until recently it was ‘the best thing since sliced bread’! The growing frustrations I had with it being so prescriptive have now been fuelled by my observations of other career advisers delivering career education by other means!
ReplyDeleteWhilst on my recent placement I witness school advisers not delivering ‘career education’ through groupwork, using tools such as Careerbox, but they were delivering it in different ways? Such as all year group assembly’s, only at key transition stages and utilising guidance teachers who were actively covering the basics within PSE classes before pupils had one to one interviews with their adviser.
I saw one strand of a company actually put their faith in their staff’s professional ability, which is monitored and measured but definitely improves advisers confidence. Oh and it seems to be working too, I am now in a huge dilemma!!!!
I agree that Careers Box should be used only as a guide or a basis for careers education lessons but that individual creativity of advisers should be encouraged in order to tailor lessons to their particular group of pupils and their particular needs.
ReplyDeleteI do agree, that good practice should be shared so that, in particular, less experienced advisers do not have to 'reinvent the wheel' every time they have to create a lesson - perhaps the worst career box lesson is better than the worst inexperienced adviser lesson!
However, as I mentioned above, creativity should be encouraged and successes shared.