Thursday, 5 March 2015

L’Été Molnar "School to Work Transitions"

Blog Eight

            I found this chapter focused on the transition from the education system to the work force to be informative.  It is apparent from figure 8.2 on page 234, that there are so many paths an individual can choose to engage in when leaving a school career and entering the work force.  I have always been fascinated with the stigma towards individuals who choose to pursue a career in trades, and wondered why a majority of society perceive it to be inferior to an occupation that requires a university degree.  Personally I believe positions in the trade field are extremely vital to maintain a functioning society, and that the individuals who dedicate their lives to trade professions deserve greater recognition for their skills.  There is discussion on page 236 in box 8.1 that talks about the “forgotten half”; students who do not hold interests in attending a post secondary institute are not being provided with the tools or opportunities to explore options that they value or have a passion towards.  As a future educator, I would like to ensure that my students are provided with diverse options, from various fields, so that stigmas towards specific facets of the work force are not conceptualized and embellished.
            Reading the segment on the “transition to adulthood” beginning on page 248 was interesting to me.  There are many stages that youth encounter which shape who they are as an adult and prepare them for independence, and as the text mentions, there is no specific cut and dry moment when these steps occur.  In my opinion today’s youth, including my generation, are overly entitled and to be put frankly they are coddled.  Of course the is a generalization, since every situation is unique, but I believe there needs to be a shift pertaining to the accountability and expectations placed on young adults.  As we are aware, children are quite capable, but when we dote on them and reinforce hyper dependence we strip them of their ability to think critically and make individual decisions.  I am not a parent, so I cannot speak from experience, but I think we need to allow adolescents to make their own decisions, make mistakes, and gain perspective, if we hope to shape successful adults; and as parents and educators we can be in the wings waiting when they truly need our support.  As a future educator I believe it is my role to provide guidance for the pursuits that every student intends to pursue.

Discussion Question:  How did your transition to adulthood unfold; or is it still unravelling?


L.

No comments:

Post a Comment