Suggested Syllabus for Career Exploration
- Some of our teens completed the Career Exploration Bundle in half a semester (earning them 1/4 credit).
- Some of our teens went more in-depth and completed the the Career Exploration textbook with some extra activities for a full semester (1/2 credit).
- Some of our teens then added apprenticeships, internships, research papers and/or projects. These varied according to the student, earning them an additional 1/2 credit-full credit.
Start out your Career Exploration experience by reading this post in our Authoritative Guide series: Authoritative Guide to Career Exploration.
Many homeschooling families do 7Sisters Financial Literacy, Career Exploration and Apologetics. Did you know you can save a lot of money when you purchase together in the Curriculum Bundle to Prepare for Independence?
BTW- When your teens are ready to take a Career Exploration course, 7Sisters also has a:
Class Title: Career Exploration and Job Preparation
Goals: Give teens a solid Career Exploration experience so that they:
- Come to know themselves better
- Gain a sense of God’s callings, gifts and purposes for them
- Build experiences that help them gain confidence
- Build experiences that help them eliminate career choices or explore career choices (each is good)
- Are better prepared for life
Week 1 – Chapter 1: God and Career Exploration (Extra: Supplemental Chapter A: Career Exploration in the Bible, just for fun)
In class: Class discussion on the Introduction (How to Use this Book) and Chapter 1: God and Career Exploration.
- Teens may discuss any of the five ways they have seen God work in their lives.
- For inspiration, watch a couple of videos on unusual careers, not for job suggestion but for starting teens thinking about the many kinds of careers are out there.
- Check out a couple of videos from this site, for instance: Dialect Coach. Watch this short video about a dialect coach from Great Big Story.
- Show some practical videos from CareerOneStop.org.
Homework: Read over Chapter 1, answer the questions. Optional: Also do Supplemental Chapter A: Career Exploration in the Bible, just for fun.
Week 2 – Chapter 2: Role Model Questionnaire
In class: Chapter 2: Role Model Questionnaire
Students fill out workbook as they go through the discussion.
Homework: Finish the Role Model Questionnaire. Have any of those role models inspired you to investigate their careers?
Optional homework: Write a one-page reflection paper or create a 5-slide Powerpoint about important role models in your life.
Homework: Download Personal Discovery Links freebie from Vicki Tillman Coaching, do the first test (Jung Typology Test) to class, along with the description of your results (4 letters) that from Keirsey.com (type keirsey.com and your 4 letters into Google).
- Do 2-5 of the other personality tests from the Personal Discovery Links. Bring results to class.
- Write a one-page reflection paper about your personality or create a 5-slide Powerpoint about your personality.
Week 3 – Chapter 3: My experiences
In class: Discuss Chapter 3: My experiences. What job, volunteer, and other involvements have you experienced?
Homework: Complete Chapter 3.
Optional homework: Write a one-page reflection paper or create a 5-slide Powerpoint about your personality about your various experiences or one particularly meaningful experience.
Week 4 – Chapter 4: Preliminary List of Jobs
In class: Chapter 4: Preliminary List of Jobs. Look over the list of jobs. Circle any jobs that catch your interest.
Work together to discuss jobs that caught your eye. Look up job descriptions for those on CareerOneStop.org.
Homework: Complete looking over the preliminary list of jobs. Make a list of jobs that caught your eye. Write a quick job description of one to three jobs that seem interesting.
Week 5 – Chapter 5: Recognizing Your Strengths, Gifts, and Talents
In class: Chapter 5: Recognizing Your Strengths, Gifts, and Talents.
- Do section 1, choosing an adult and a peer.
- Discuss what you find.
Homework: Finish Chapter 5. Do one or more sections per day. (Note: there is more work than other weeks in the workbook this week!)
Week 6 – Chapter 6: Know Your Career Values
In class: Discuss Chapter 6: Know Your Career Values.
- Do Chapter 6 Section 1 together. Discuss the similarities and differences in each person’s career values.
Homework: Complete Chapter 6 Section 2.
Week 7 – Chapter 7: Clarifying Your Interests
In class: Discuss Chapter 7: Clarifying Your Interests.
- Discuss and write answers for Chapter 7, first question.
Homework: Complete Chapter 7, second question.
Week 8 – Chapter 8: Do Some Assessments
In class: Discuss Chapter 8: Do Some Assessments.
- Work on one or two assessments per person. Discuss (compare and contrast in non-judgmental way.)
Homework: Complete the assessments and section 3.
Optional homework: Write a one-to-three page reflection paper about what you have learned during this chapter.
Week 9 – Chapter 9: Putting it All Together
In class: Chapter 9: Putting it All Together.
- Discuss creating a project or paper about yourself. Would a paper or powerpoint work best for you? Discuss together on what you choose.
- Note: This project can be a short, one-page paper or 5 powerpoint slides OR longer. Longer papers may require adding several weeks to the schedule. Discuss this together.
- Optional: Read this post: How to do a Research Paper for Both Career Exploration and ELA.
Homework: Work on this project.
Week 10 – Chapter 10: Investigating Some Careers
In class: Chapter 10: Investigating Some Careers
- Using CareerOneStop.org, fill out the at least the first questionnaire.
- Discuss your findings in the group.
Homework: Complete the questionnaires on two more jobs.
Week 11 – Chapter 11: Trying on Hats
In class: Discuss all the sections except Section 1 in Chapter 11: Trying on Hats. This is a big chapter, so feel free to spread it out over one to three weeks.
- Brainstorm together ideas for internships or apprenticeships.
Homework: Complete Section 1 of Chapter 11. Begin thinking about internships or apprenticeships you can apply for.
Week 12 – Chapter 12: Job Hunting Skills
In class: Discuss Chapter 12: Job Hunting Skills. This is a big chapter, so feel free to spread it out over one to three weeks.
Homework: Create your experiential resume, a sample cover letter, study interview skills. Take one to three weeks for this, if you need to.
Optional Week 13 – Supplemental Chapter B: Writing Your Personal Mission Statement
In class: Discuss Supplemental Chapter B: Writing Your Personal Mission Statement.
- If there is time, begin writing it.
Homework: Complete the personal mission statement. If you need more than one week for this assignment, go for it.
Hi! I got this for my high schoolers, but I’m confused about something on the suggested syllabus – it says for week 2, “In class: Discuss Part 2: Describing Yourself,” but I don’t see anything with that label. Chap 5 and your strengths maybe?
Hi Christie, Good question. You have a syllabus that needs to be adjusted to the new textbook. Come back next Monday and it will be updated. Thanks for the heads up!
Here’s the updated syllabus, Christie: https://www.7sistershomeschool.com/suggested-syllabus-for-career-exploration/
Hi Chandi! Great question. Using this curriculum (or any of our titles in a co-op) requires a copy for each student in your group in order to honor copyright. We offer a 33% discount on those student copies for co-ops to make this more affordable. Just email [email protected] and request a co-op discount. We’ll set up a discount code for you to share with your students’ families.
Another bonus: if your group has siblings in it, they only need to purchase one copy of the curriculum for their family. Our copyright always allows for more than one copy WITHIN YOUR OWN HOMESCHOOL so that siblings and parents can each have easy access to curriculum in use that year.
If I do this for a co-op, do I buy the bundle and the workbook pdf and that’s it? Then I print the workbook for each of my students? I will have a mixed class of junior highers and high schoolers.