Motivating Students to Plan Realistically for the Future

How many times as a parent or teacher do we hear, “Why do I have to learn this?” And some of the time, we don’t have the right answer. We sort of fake it and come up with something on the fly to make learning it all worthwhile. 

Wouldn’t it be so much better to have a great response that would motivate the child into wanting to learn something?

Future Planning
If we could tie together what they are learning in school with what they want to become later on in life, students would be much more excited to learn authentically. 

There are a few ways parents and educators can accomplish this task. 

Set Goals Early
Even in primary grades in elementary, most students have an idea about what they would like to become later on in life. The trick is to have all students figure out three possible careers they would like to pursue throughout their schooling and then begin to narrow it down if needed. 

Bring in Guest Speakers
If you are a teacher and have several students interested in becoming an architect later on in life, invite a local architect to come and talk to them about what the job entails. Again, if you have a few students questioning whether they would like to become an artist, have an artist or two come in and tell them about their experiences. As a parent, you can do the same thing. A simple email or phone call to someone local could lead to your child’s eyes being open about their future possibility.  

Being able to show the students what could be in store for them in specific careers will get them excited and motivated to learn much more than just presenting them with textbooks and telling them they need to know this stuff to graduate someday. 

Use EdTech Software
Unfortunately, about 67 percent of educational software is never even used in the classroom, even though the district has spent a lot of money purchasing it. Billions of dollars are wasted because schools do not choose the right software that teachers and students want to sample. 

There are a few future planning software programs that students seem to be loving as much as the teachers. With this software, students will input their likes and dislikes, what careers interest them, and the skills and abilities they already possess. The program will then recommend the classes and topics they need to focus on to make their dreams a reality. Plus, the software will keep track of all of their information and keep them up to date on the tasks they need to complete every year. It’s like having your own guidance counselor lead you down the path to achieving your educational and career goals. 

Contact Us When the Time Comes
College planning is a free presentation that iAchieve offers to help both parents and students get ready for higher learning success. From finances to standardized exams, we will help you make a plan for these crucial years. 

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