Facilitating factors

Some subject teachers may not find life planning education relevant to their teaching. They think that life planning education should be shouldered by career teachers only. However, to facilitate students in life planning or career development, Maryknoll Secondary School planned and implemented life planning education and career guidance service in a comprehensive manner. Subject teachers played a role to prepare students for their future. They related the themes or learning focuses in their teaching units to the real world contexts and needs. As students saw the coherence of what they learned in the classroom with the world of work, they were much more eager to take part in the learning activities.

This is undoubtedly a win-win situation. For enterprises, they promoted the related profession and business to students and teachers, had a better understanding of the mindset of the young generation and enhanced the public image of the enterprise. For the school, they supported students in career exploration, life planning and actualisation of their career or academic aspirations. For students, they widened their vision, understood individual capacity and potential to better plan for future studies and careers, and acquired knowledge, skills and attitudes to make wise study or career choices in accordance with their interests and abilities.

Way forward

English teachers of Maryknoll Secondary School see the importance of preparing students for their future. They have gained practical experiences in organising career exploration activities and integrating life planning education into the school-based English Language curriculum. They will continue to organise such meaningful experiential English learning activities for their students. However, technology is rapidly changing our world, including the world of work. We cannot predict what jobs will fade out and what new jobs will be created. Other than focusing on jobs, teachers will place more emphasis on integrative use of generic skills and development of positive values and attitudes inside and outside the classroom to enable students to meet new challenges in a changing world.