The course selection period in Secondary III and IV can make students quite anxious, as they often feel, wrongly, that the choices they make will impact the rest of their lives. As their teacher, your students may very well confide in you and ask for your support when they need help or advice. Alloprof has teamed up with a guidance counsellor to come up with four essential tips that will help you navigate this difficult time.
Choosing a math or science course may seem like a permanent decision, but that’s not necessarily the case! In fact, if a student changes their mind and wishes they had chosen a more advanced math class or registered for chemistry or physics, they can still take these prerequisites over the summer, remotely, or even in CEGEP. It can be reassuring for students and parents to learn that adjustments can always be made later on.
Having a natural talent for one of these subjects will naturally influence their decisions, but a student’s interest in a particular subject matter is just as important! We need to remember that students are young, that they’re still learning who they are, and it’s a little early to be making choices based on a hypothetical future career. For these reasons, choosing electives based on their strengths and interests can be a good strategy. It’s better to guide students toward realistic success than to watch them fail because they expected too much of themselves.
The course selection period forces students to reflect on potential career paths for the first time. It’s a great opportunity for them to explore different professions! You can encourage them to start learning more about academic and professional paths they might take. You can also refer them to your school’s guidance counsellor, or even invite such a professional to speak to your class. You can also consult the Academic and Career Guidance Content, which is a fantastic resource that most educational institutions have already implemented.
Your most important ally during this challenging period is your school’s guidance counsellor. They can help students get clear about their key personality traits, their aspirations, and come up with realistic projects they can get excited about. Among other things, guidance counsellors have the expertise to assist young people throughout their journey and support students with special needs. They can also provide you with tips to help students with their course selections and help you get familiar with the many educational paths available to students.
We urge you to take advantage of this excellent resource!
Did you know? The Alloprof team has developed a number of articles to help parents navigate the challenges of helping their children with their course selections.
Writing : Alloprof Teacher's team
Scientific review : Mireille Moisan, guidance counsellor, OCCOQ
For more information, visit the Espace parents website.