COM 505: Career Goals And Learning Plan

Career Goals and Learning Plan
Justin B. Gillispie
COM- 505
James Ryan

Career Goals and Learning Plan
Personal/Potential Career Goals: * Teacher-Postsecondary: Ultimately a PhD is required to teach at the university level; however, I pursue to teach either at a community college or at a vocational school. The Masters is Psychology I am pursuing at University of Phoenix will help me get my foot in the door at a local community college or vocational school. * Human Resources: This would also be a potential career path with the degree I am pursuing. Helping an organization attract, motivate and ultimately keep employees is the main foundation of this career goal. My psychology background will prove valuable in understanding
employee/employers relations in the work force. * Counselor: Being a counselor at a community college would also be a possible career goal after obtaining my Masters. True, most counselors hold licenses and are certified by most states; this could be something to look into in the future. Honestly, I do not wish to get into the clinical side of psychology; however, guiding others in their educational pursuits could be very rewarding. * Social Worker: With a Masters in Psychology this career could be rewarding and challenging as well. Understanding family behavior and the dynamics of the working relationship would be keys in this field. Also, helping the less fortunate and guiding them through tough times would make a huge impact in today’s society. Plus, making the world better for children, and making sure children are fed and educated would be wonderful. Figure 1.1

Key factors in my scores (refer to figure 1.1) to multiple pathways of learning include the following that will prove helpful in my studies at University of Phoenix: 1.
Bodily Kinesthetic: I scored a 20 on this scale. Being able to use my hands when learning will be most beneficial for me throughout my studies. For instance, writing down key terms and walking around when reading my textbook would be my ideal study situation. Moving fingers under words while reading will assist me in comprehending the material. Also, learning by doing would also be preferable in this type of intelligence. Applying the concepts learned to real life situations would make learning more enjoyable for me. 2. Verbal-Linguistic: Scoring a 19 on this scale references my ability to learn through communication through language (listening, reading, writing, and speaking). Reading text and limiting highlighting would create an active learning environment when studying. Rewriting notes will help me remember what is being learned throughout the course. Also, being able to remember terms easily will help me gain a larger vocabulary of psychological terms. Discussing topics that interest me, such as abnormal psychology, will also play a huge part in my learning the
discipline. 3. Intrapersonal: This was the highest scoring intelligence being a 21. Having a quiet place to study and think with no interruptions is a beneficial learning environment for me. This tells me that I prefer to think about issues before discussing them. Being interested in self improvement is a factor in this scale; improving me is my number one goal. 4. Interpersonal: My score for this intelligence was a 19. Basically, this scale rates my social skills and my ability to interact with others. Enjoying working with others on projects is a key factor that will help me succeed in learning teams here at the University of Phoenix. Being able to understand people is a key factor in being a good psychology major; getting inside people’s heads and understanding there problems. Helping others and giving something back to the community is the whole reason I am in the psychology program. Teaching someone else what I have learned would help me master the material as well.

Time Management Strategies: * Never lose sight of my long-term goals. The list on my refrigerator reminds me that this Masters degree will pay off. Being able to teach at community colleges across the United States, especially California, is keeping my nose to the grindstone. * Keeping a schedule: Writing down when assignments are due on my desktop calendar will help me prioritize my deadlines. Scheduling study times and break times will help me to avoid burn out. * Breaking assignments down: Working on an assignment a little bit each day will not only save time but reduce stress.
For instance, I plan to spend 2 hours each day on course work; that way it does not pile up at the end of the week. * Being my own Boss: Realizing that I am responsible for my assignments and my GPA; it is up to me to do the work. Only I can make my dreams come true. Learning is a two way street: You get out what you put in.
Stress Management Techniques: * Eat Healthy: A healthy diet reduces stress and also makes your body more alert. Certain foods (comfort foods) can reduce stress. For example, warm chicken noodle soup, calms me down and soothes me in a stressful situation. * Exercise: Taking a brisk walk when feeling stressed also helps. Knowing when enough is enough, and to step away from the situation is essential. * Attitude: Keeping a positive attitude never hurts anyone. Being confident in my ability to earn this degree will keep me on track. * Staying Motivated: Never lose sight of my main motivators. Knowing that a good career is possible after obtaining my degree keeps me
focused. * Prioritizing: Never wait till the last minute to finish a project/assignment. Keeping on track with my assignments is essential for my success. Working on projects a little bit each day reduces stress. Procrastination is the enemy!

Going back to school later in life is a huge challenge; however, I feel that the dividends will pay off in the long run. My ultimate goal is to be a lifelong learner. When your brain rests; it rusts. Learning does not have to stop after obtaining a degree; learning goes on throughout your entire life span. Becoming a college professor is my ultimate goal; giving back the gift of knowledge and making an influence is my dream. Actually, this paper taught me a very important lesson: You get out of education what you put into it. Never take a good education for granted and never stop learning.