When I was in Middle School, we talked a lot about what careers we thought we might go into. We took personality tests to see what we would be right for. In eighth grade, we even researched and presented our then-chosen field of interest in the career market. I chose to be an actress. I have since changed my goals a bit, but maybe if I had been a little more realistic then with my goals, I’d have graduated already, or at least have had a better plan in college. I don’t think Middle School is too early to start thinking about the future. My little brother has a few ideas already and he is in fifth grade. Of course he isn’t obligated to stick to his descision now, but he wants to be a psychologist and a teacher. I thought that was a pretty grown up aspiration, he didn’t say an astraunat or a race car driver.
If I had known then, what I know now, I would have taken school more seriously in Middle School and High School. And it’s the daily class work in those various disciplines that helps build a strong work ethic and racks up points when it comes to applying for scholarships and grants, Kyle said.
“You can’t underestimate the day-to-day work in the classes,” he said. “It’s so important and it has a long-term effect on their performance on the SATs.”
Yea, in middle school I wanted to be a singer. Whenever I was asked “what do you want to be when you grow up?” it was either a singer or I don’t know. I can’t remember taking a personality test though (even though I’m sure we did). My goals have changed a lot too but there’s no way I could have ever knew that I wanted to be a teacher back in middle school. I couldn’t even pick a favorite band (come to think of it, I can’t really do that now either) let alone a profession of college. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that I’m an only child but I really didn’t even think about colleges until my junior year of high school. I mean, I knew I was going to go but where and what for was a completely different story.
I guess what I’m trying to say is, I do think that middle school is a bit early. It’d be great if kids did think about these things so young, but I also think its okay to just let them be a kid and let them concentrate on being a kid in middle school. Yes, grades matter to an extent, but I couldn’t even tell you my GPA when I graduated high school. I believe too much focus on the picky details will only further crush kids and make them think that school is stupid. Thinking is one thing, but preparing is another.
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I agree that it is definitely not too late to think about one’s future in middle school. Some students have already decided to drop out of school as soon as possible. Really, middle school is the last opportunity for some to be forced into school, so why not force them to consider the possibility of college or examine possible fields of study. It seems really sad that students consider quitting school so young. What do they really gain in leaving? Answer: not so much anymore. I remember wanting to be a teacher in middle school. It actually worried me for a while because I was not sure if that was really the profession I wanted to pursue or if I wanted to be a teacher because I had always wanted to be a teacher. I almost wanted to be one of the students who went to school undecided because there were so many choices. I guess when encouraging students to think about their future it is important to ask why. The answer to that question seems even more important than the initial question “what do you want to be when you grow-up?”
we need no education !