During our 3 way learning conversations we asked the boys what they would like to be when they grow up. It’s a simple way of encouraging students to aspire to greatness and aim for the best they can be and more.

My gratitude and thanks to Linda who has used her amazing computer skills to visually show us how the boys will look as adults in that profession. It was lovely to see their faces and hear their comments when they came in this morning to hang up their backpacks. Comments such as ‘ Are you kidding me?’, ‘How am I that big?’ and lots of ‘Awesome’ were heard and well as beaming smiles.

We’ve looked at the specific skill set for each career and how we can work towards achieving some of those skills right now. I’m sure having opportunities like this, allow students to dream big and share their thoughts and hopes with us all. As educators knowing students aspirations allow us to link the curriculum to tasks they are learning that are specific to their future needs.

Longitudinal studies show aspirations have a substantial effect on educational outcomes as they influence whether students will complete Year 12 and go on to study at university, according to a recent study by the National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER).

Researchers found that educational aspirations have a substantial effect on educational outcomes. Individuals who plan to complete Year 12 are 20-25% more likely to do so, while individuals who commit to attending university are 15-20% more likely to see this through,” said Rod Camm, NCVER’s Managing Director.

“The results of the study suggest that if it is possible to increase the aspirations of individuals, that this should translate across all individuals into increased educational outcomes,” said Mr Camm.

Linda sneakily added each image as a screen saver to each boys computer.

So think big – If Your Dream Doesn’t Scare You, It Isn’t Big Enough!