Kindergartners at School 18 completed the “Paws in Jobland” interest inventory with some help from their fourth and fifth grade reading buddies as part of the district’s College and Career Already initiative.
Wednesday morning at School 18, Kindergarteners in Mrs. Stinson’ and Mrs. Durivage’s classes completed an interest inventory through the program “Paws in Jobland” with some help from their fourth and fifth grade reading buddies from Mr. Modan and Miss Stinson’s classes.
It’s all part of Troy CSD’s #CollegeAndCareerAlready initiative – making college and career readiness a priority for all students in grades K-12.
“It’s about exploring with our students and offering them the chance to learn about what they might like to do. We are working to help our students articulate what they like and what they dislike, what they are good at. Do they prefer to lead their friends, or do they prefer to play or work independently? Do they like helping people, coloring or doing math or science experiments? The details come later as we work with them to explore different career paths, knowing of course that these interests or strengths can, and usually do, change over time,” said School 18 Principal Virginia DonVito-MacPhee.
The earlier students are exposed to career pathways, encouraged to think about college, and deliberately build skills such as teamwork, problem solving, critical thinking and more, the stronger foundation they will have as they continue through their educational careers and look to begin higher education or a career (or both!).
It is important to work with students starting in Kindergarten to begin the process of finding out not only what they like and don’t like, but helping them discover how that can translate into a successful career – even if it’s in a field they may know nothing about.
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