|
|
|
Welcome Parents!
Your child is about to embark on an exciting adventure! In a game-like learning environment, ScholarShop's Options for Kids can help your child build academic and life skills while at the same time strengthen the awareness and value of his or her personal qualities. With Garfield as the guide, the activities on this journey will promote positive youth development and instill life-long skills as your child gathers information regarding careers, postsecondary educational opportunities, and the relevance of school as it relates to future goals. The activities were designed for young people in grades 4-6 but children both younger and older may find them valuable too. You are encouraged to join your child on the journey through the following four modules: Module One: You Are 100% Smart Young people fly through the brain to discover that they are 100% Smart. They explore their unique interests, talents, and abilities utilizing the concept of Howard Gardner's Multiple Intelligences. The activities are designed to facilitate young people's thinking about their future, to assist students in the discovery of their unique personal qualities, and to enhance feelings of confidence. This module emphasizes three important points: 1. People possess different types of "smarts" or intelligences. 2. All of these intelligences contribute to present and future success. 3. People can develop or increase any of these intelligences. Module Two: Exploring Careers Young people tour a city as Module Two focuses on the general notion of the world of careers. The activities provide information about jobs and preparation for the world of work. They demonstrate how unique interests, talents, and abilities can be indicators of possible career directions or areas of further career exploration. The activities also introduce young people to the concept of a "career path" and guide them in thinking about the necessity of long- and short-term planning to achieve potential career goals. They are asked to look at "the big picture" in terms of where they are now in the educational realm and where they need to go to fulfill their career goals. Module Three: Educational Opportunities To overcome misconceptions and obstacles to accessing postsecondary education, the activities in Module Three provide young people with basic information about the nature and purposes of education after high school. Activities also link educational requirements to possible career choices and reinforce the ways students' present performance in school impacts what happens in the future. Module Four: Back to Basics While it is too early for young people to commit to a specific career choice, it is not too early to reinforce the idea that present school success, behavior, and performance influence future career options. While engaging young people in a treasure hunt, the activities in Module Four emphasize the importance of education and link school performance with job performance. Through motivational activities, students are invited to inventory their school work habits, improve study skills, and have fun enhancing basic academic skills including reading, writing and math. In the end, young people will see that the treasure they seek is not only within them, but the treasure IS them. Your child can then print off a certificate signed by Garfield the Cat certifying that he or she is 100% Smart and is prepared to succeed in school and in life. You are encouraged to share with your child your personal hopes and dreams, career goals and future plans as examples to help them progress through the various modules and activities. The question mark on the panel to the left of the activity screens will link you and your child to additional information or ideas on the topic related to each activity. In the end, you will have learned more about the wonder that is your child as well as yourself! Have fun! |