One career exploration class ended last week, another one has begun this week. Every 8 weeks, I get to start again. I usually resolve to add bigger and better content, revise the schedule, add more speakers. I don’t always get to do it, but sometimes I’m able to tweak this or that.
That is right up my alley. I love starting new things and coming up with new ideas. My MBTI profile is ENFP. As a “perceiver”, it’s natural to want to continue to change. Structure is sometimes stifling. I like structure that gives me parameters, or objectives to meet. Then I strive to make it even better. It’s my nature. Always has been.
When I first took over this class, it was 16 weeks long. The class is only 1 credit, so the students only met for 1 hour a week. There was very little community, class acclimation, or interaction. The students were bored. And I was bored. So I got and received permission to change it up. So I shortened it, we meet 2x’s a week now. 8 weeks gives them a sense of rushing to meet a goal. They pull together quicker because they see each other more and know they have a shorter time to network and interact.
While I miss the camaraderie of the last class, I am excited by the prospects for this new group. I already have new ideas based on the makeup of students. There are 4 football players in there, so I want to try some new curriculum ideas I have found to see if they might appeal to athletes. Last spring I had some International Students, so I varied the curriculum to meet their needs. Yet still working to meet the needs of all the students I’m working with.
This is a fun rush. I enjoy working with students who are exploring careers. I hope I never lose the enthusiasm for meeting the needs of each new class.
Career Geek 