Class 1/ Chapter 1 Discussion

     One of the most interesting discussions that struck me from class on the 28^th was the P – E concept, relating knowledge of the self, the world of work, and the mechanism by which the two are connected. It was not surprising to find that this important concept was not only emphasized in class, but also highlighted throughout chapter one of the text! One tries to relate one’s self (needs, desires, goals, etc.) to the environment around one’s self (peers, government, culture, etc.) (Brown, 2012). Most people refer to early goals, remembering single-minded dreams. “I want to be a veterinarian because I like to play with cats and dogs.” This was my initial thought process as a child setting career goals. However, as an intellectual adult, I comprehend the need to incorporate my personal career goals (P) with the environment in which I live (E), while exploring the mechanism by which my two systems are connected (-). Using the P – E model, I can ask myself questions such as, “What does the job market look like for this occupation? How can I obtain the skills to become a competitive employee in this field? How will my contributions within this field shape my own life and the environment around me?” The answers to these questions will help me navigate along my career path.

     Brown (2012) mentions a new model of career development. Brown (2012) proposes “that linear logic, objective truth, and emphasis on empirical proof for career development practices be replaced with recursive thinking, relativism, and the subjective reality of postmodernism.” Brown’s (2012) statement supports the P-E ideal of thinking outside of one’s self, stressing the importance of relating to the world around one’s self, while exploring one’s own career expedition. It is very important to explore individual goals within the context of one’s life (Brown, 2012).

     In relation to social justice, discussed in Brown’s (2012) text, it is important to recognize if one’s living environment is conducive or ideal for kindling career dreams. Many studies have revealed the connection between environment and personal experiences. Kunter et al. (2013) explored the links between teacher-student relationships. The researchers found teachers’ knowledge about the subject, enthusiasm while relaying information, and awareness regarding instructional quality were all factors influencing student outcomes (Kunter et al., 2013). Is it fair that some students receive competent, enthusiastic teachers while others may receive instructors that are less qualified? Brown (2012) describes these obstacles one faces when searching for social justice. Other issues mentioned were health care, education, and affordable Internet (Brown, 2012). Considering my interactions with future clients, I will encourage my students to reflect on the words of Brown (2012), remembering that “successful workers are also aware of the relationship between education and training and job success” It is imperative to consider the relationship between the self and the field of work during the process of career development.

Brown, D. (2012).  Career information, career counseling, and career development (10^th ed.). New York: Pearson Education, Inc.

Kunter, M., Klusmann, U., Baumert, J., Richter, D., Voss, T., & Hachfeld, A. (2013). Professional competence of teachers: Effects on instructional quality and student development. Journal Of Educational Psychology, 105(3), 805-820. 

Chapter 1 Blog

     The statistics and discussion regarding poverty caught my attention in the readings this week. As a teacher at Milton Hershey School, 100% of my students come from socially, emotionally, and financially disadvantaged backgrounds. They receive an outstanding education and are given extensive opportunities to be successful and live a self-sustaining life as adults. The sad reality is, however, that for every student sitting in my classroom, there are many more like them who will not receive the education and resources to guide them to success. This makes my call as a teacher even more important to me.

　

     At one time I'm pretty sure I believed the myth that "escaping poverty is as easy as getting a job (Brown, 2012, p. 9)." Then, about ten years ago I started spending a lot of time serving meals to the homeless on the streets of Philadelphia. I started listening to their stories and started changing my understanding about people in poverty. Six years ago I started teaching in Philadelphia and broadened my understanding a bit more. I spent time in the homes of my students. I helped students find homes. Suddenly math and science test scores became a lot less important when I was fully aware that many of my students were going home to no food or inadequate housing. Three years ago I began working at Milton Hershey School and I continue to discover the long term effects of poverty on education and eventually careers. The status attainment model (Blau and Duncan, 1967) supports the argument that individuals begin their career journeys in very different places (Brown, 2012). I have begun to learn this in a very personal way as I try to prepare twelve and thirteen year old students for their futures. The reality that I am learning - and trying to teach my students - is that success comes by focusing on the present and setting attainable goals for the future, not from dwelling in the past.

　

     This first reading definitely gave me a new found interest in learning about the theories and best practices regarding career development. It has given me a new passion and purpose within my daily agenda as well. 50% (or more) of my students could be classified as minorities, which already sets them behind their peers statistically in unemployment rates, median family income, and poverty percentages (Brown, 2012). The questions we asked and discussed in class last week helped me begin to think of ways to start asking my students these same questions within the context of a math class. It is never too early to start preparing our children for their futures. I want to be the kind of teacher that does not just get students ready for important tests and the next grade in school, but that helps prepare people for life.

　

Brown, D. (2012). Career information, career counseling, and career development (10^th ed.).  New York: Pearson Education, Inc.

Week One/Chapter One

Reflecting on last week's class, I realized I have never really been exposed to career counseling or career development as a formal process.  I do not think it was for cultural reasons, and my high school guidance counselor was never a reliable or helpful resource.  Learning about the process makes me disappointed that I never had such resources.  I enjoyed the in-class activity of forming questions and asking our classmates.  It helped me identify what I think I already know or what would be helpful in a career counseling situation and what my peers find important as well.  

Brown’s (2012) first chapter integrated the current economical status of our world today with personal requirements in career counseling.  This context of career counseling did not coincide with the questions I prepared for my classmate.  Many of my questions reflected the subjective, not objective.  They did not take into account the economic situation in our current society.  While I did ask about specific skills and education, I did not take into account asking about specific cultural or socioeconomic barriers.

Brown’s explanation of the global economy, social barriers, and job market future was insightful, yet slightly depressing for someone in my generation to read.  The way he expressed the material made me feel as though we are doomed to live in a socially unequal society that has a withering job market with increasing debt.  I think this is one of the reasons I felt so disappointed that I never had career counseling as an adolescent or young adult to help me understand our nation’s economy and job outlook and how to integrate that with my skills, desires, and barriers.  When I think of career counseling, I generally associate it with integrating someone’s skills set, goals, and abilities to help them find their own path within their worldview.  I never took into account how the world may affect or hinder that path.  I think I may disregard this or block it out because I have chosen a path that does not lead to financial gains or possibly even pay for my college loans.

The final piece I would like to comment on is the section on “Why People Work” (Brown, 2012, p. 17).  Brown explained that people work for financial reasons, but that there other reasons people works as well (2012).  He explained religious reasons, how one connects to society, and personal gains such as self-esteem (Brown, 2012).  If I won the lottery and had all the money in the world, I might work a few hours a week if I like what I do.  If it happened to me right now, I would quit my job and stay in school.  I think it is important to understand the worldview of others, so I find it important and educational when information like this is in the text and class.  

Brown, D. (2012).  Career information, career counseling, and career development

            (10^th ed.).  New York: Pearson Education, Inc.

Chapter 1

When I first began reading this chapter, I really thought I was in for it. I sat there attempting to read and understand the facts about global economy, "flattening", outsourcing, etc. and honestly thought to myself, I really hope this entire book isn't about this confusing stuff. That might sound ignorant or just plain dumb, but I hope some of my classmates were feeling the same way. That being said, I was definitely more intrigued with the topic of social justice and the concept that not every American is blessed with equal opportunities to excel in their career development. One of the reasons I wanted to go into school counseling was to attain the skills to advocate for those less fortunate "at-risk" students who do not think they have a chance at college or a fulfilling career and according to our society, they don't, which I believe is an attitude that needs to change.

Brown (2012) goes on to say that current career practitioners or those striving to be, like myself, need many skills including the design and implementation of psychoeducational experiences and transitional experiences for a wide array of clients, including at-risk or special education students. I wondered to myself what these types of experiences look like and note their importance in such advocacy. I also understand the importance of looking at the individual in their social context, not just objectively. I was not surprised to find out that the need for career development services is at its highest point since the Great Depression. I think Brown is trying to say that social justice will help foster career development, however it seems so unattainable. Brown (2012) states "social justice cannot be fully realized unless people have meaningful jobs" (p. 6). So my question is what do meaningful jobs look like? What makes a job meaningful to someone?

These questions led me to think about our class activity and the questions that we had to come up with to help understand our partner's stage in career development. I found myself asking questions about strengths, weaknesses, and adjectives to describe oneself. I now notice the important of asking questions about what makes someone happy and what sort of work would be meaningful to them. Because we're all in majors of the helping professions it is easy to assume that we get fulfillment from seeing others grow and prosper. It is essential, though, as future career practitioners to stress questions such as these to our students and clients alike when assisting in career development. Maybe if our society wasn't so wrapped up in measuring success with money rather than fulfillment, social justice could be reached.

Brown, D. (2012).  Career information, career counseling, and career development

(10^th ed.).  New York: Pearson Education, Inc.

Chapter 1 Blog

I must admit that after leaving class on Wednesday, I still had no idea what we were going to learn throughout the semester. I was still under the impression that this course would entail learning about theories as to why individuals choose their career paths and factors (racism, discrimination, culture etc.) that shape one’s occupation. I was still unclear about the roles of professionals in the field of career development. In my mind a career counselor ultimately relies heavily upon objective measures to determine personality traits of an individual in order to find jobs that would be suitable for that person. I was intrigued during class when we started to discuss subjective experiences (values, motivation, interests, etc.) that can also be used to aid in the career development process. This discussion already started to shift my perspective of this course and I find myself more curious about this subject matter.

After reading this chapter, I not only had a better idea as to what the field of career development entailed, but also became aware of the encompassing and possibly global roles that individuals in this field may fulfill. I did not realize that career counseling/development extends to education and laws (IDEA), advocacy, and social reforms. I was also unaware that there is a plethora of career interventions that are currently utilized within this field including career guidance, education, counseling, information, and coaching (Brown, 2012). Even though these interventions are currently used for career development, they can ultimately be used in other disciplines and will be increasingly needed within the future as the job market changes. Brown’s (2012) discussion of future job trends further puts into perspective the necessity for the career development field to continue to evolve and enhance practices to better serve changing populations and the evolving job market. At first I was a little confused as to why this course was a requirement but it is becoming clear that this course is necessary to augment the core of our current education.

I was rather disheartened and shocked by the statistics of social injustice that were stated in this chapter. I did not realize that there is still a large discrepancy that persists between salaries, employment rates, and poverty levels of Caucasians and minorities in the United States (Brown, 2012). I was also perplexed and outraged by the percentage of individuals that fall below the poverty line including those that are classified as working poor. I understand that there are many factors that contribute  to the millions of Americans living in poverty including education, international trade and business policies, economics, and social reforms but I cannot help but wonder if poverty, social injustice, and the working class are even noted when new legislation and business transactions occur.

 

Brown, D. (2012). Introduction to the Global, Economy, and Social Justice, and Career Development. In Career Information, Career Counseling, and Career Development (10th ed., pp. 2-23). Chapel Hill, SC: Pearson.

Blog 1

          As I was reading this week’s chapter I didn’t realize how our economy here in the United States can have such an impact on other nations as well. I never really gave a thought to how our poor economy would affect other nations’ unemployment, it kind of shocked how much power one nation can have on other economies. I also knew that offshoring was becoming a popular business practice because of how much money companies can save in labor costs. I was amazed to see that workers in the Philippines are willing to work for $1.10 an hour (Brown, 2012). I just find this completely unimaginable because there is no way that anyone in our country could survive on that type of wage. People in the United States who work minimum wage jobs full-time are still having a hard time staying above the poverty line. Along this line I was also intrigued by the differences in the ethnic groups who are living below the poverty line. I wasn’t surprised that whites are the lowest category but I was surprised to find out that African Americans have the highest number of individuals living below the poverty line. I really thought that it would more so be Mexican Americans, but I did learn something new.

            Also, as being a woman I was really unimpressed to see how much of a difference there is in how much a man makes on a yearly basis compared to women. I felt like that at this point in our country we would have more equality in the workplace. If a woman has the same credentials and holds the same position as a man there should be no discrepancy in their salaries. But I can also see how women may choose careers that would pay less than the typical “men” careers. I think this shows that as counselors if we are working with individuals on career development we need to make sure that our clients know that they are capable of doing any job that they want to do. I think it is important for us to start breaking down the stereotypes that have been developed over the years. The work field should now be an open playing field to all genders and ethnicity.

            As I was reading over the section about why people work I couldn’t help but think about my dad. He has a very strong work ethic and has always been working as long as he has been allowed to. My dad continues to work even though he has enough money to take care of himself for the rest of his life. He has talked to me why he continues to work and some of his reasoning is because he feels like he is a valued member of society when he is working. He feels that working is his only way that he contributes to society. I think this is important to also remember when working with clients who may be unemployed because they be feeling like they are not useful to society and that may be contributing to some of the issues that they are having. I found this chapter very interesting and I am looking forward to what this class has to offer.

Brown, D. (2012).  Career information, career counseling, and career development

            (10^th ed.).  New York: Pearson Education, Inc.

Week 1

Considering we just passed the 50^th anniversary of the “March on Washington,” I found it only appropriate to analyze social justice in the United Sates as it relates to career development.

Martin Luther King Jr. spoke not too long ago about the need for an equal and just nation. While our nation has improved, there are long strides ahead of us particularly when it comes to economic equity (Brown, 2012).

The disparity seen in economic equity is largely associated with the digital divide; 30 percent of students who do not graduate (and many others who do) do not have accessibility to computers or internet (Alliance for Excellence in Education, 2009).  These technologies not only provide fundamental skills for work placement in the United States, but across the globe, too.

While Brown (2012) places an emphasis on the financial division among ethnic groups (e.g., lower income for African American and Hispanic individuals when related to the White population), I believe it’s also important to discuss gender and its relation to social justice within career development. It is especially valuable considering the fact that the gender divide was only briefly mentioned in class on Wednesday, August 28.

In a society where few resources are provided to new mothers (other than a limited amount of time for maternity leave), it is not surprising that these new moms can also expect to take home less than their professional equal of the opposite sex. In academe alone, it was found that women’s salaries (at the age of retirement) are 29% lower than men’s (Mason, 2013). Please note that this study related to male and female full tenured professors with comparable credentials and experience. Is it not concerning that the women, many of whom are left to provide for their children on their own when separation and divorce takes place, earn a starkly different wage?

Moreover, women with fewer resources are having more children while women with more resources are having fewer. It was recently found that one in 20 women with low income are childless as compared with one in eight women who have a high income (Sandler, 2013). There is no question that where there is more financial backing there will be more opportunity. The previous statistic supports the research of Brown (2012) who found minorities were poorly equipped to appropriately set their children up for success in the working industry.

The reason I felt the distinct difference in income between men and women was important to discuss, is to drive home the point that inequality is everywhere and that the social injustices are multi-faceted. Not only are varying ethnicities discriminated against, but whole genders are as well. As more and more children are born into poverty, it is safe to assume their resources will be scarce, which feeds into the downward spiral of social injustice. Consequently, this inequality will continue the gap in economic equity and career development. 

So, more women who are less financially equipped (married or not) are having more children and these women are more than likely going to earn less money than their male counterpart. [I forgot to mention it costs approximately $235,000 per child through the age of 18 (Sandler, 2013).] As per the above information, when there are fewer resources, there will be less technology, which in turn will provide fewer opportunities. It is apparent that learning how to appropriately communicate with high risk children of parents -- or single parents -- whom have very few resources when it comes to career choice and career development, becomes even more essential.

-Brielle Elise Valle

Alliance for Excellence in Education (2009). Fact sheet. Retrieved from
             http://www.all4ed.org/files/GraduationRates_FactShet.pdf

Brown, D. (2012).  Career information, career counseling, and career development

            (10^th ed.).  New York: Pearson Education, Inc.

Mason, A. M. (2013, August 5). The baby penalty. Manage Your Career. Retrieved from

            http://chronicle.com/article/The-Baby-Penalty/140813/

Sandler, L. (2013, August 12). None is enough. Time, 182 40-45.