From the first year of secondary school, young people are encouraged to think about their abilities, character traits and values. Their interests are increasingly emerging, but choosing an occupation is far from a priority for them, which is normal. It is however relevant for them to start asking questions and reflect on certain aspects of their personality.
Some courses allow this kind of reflection and promote this self-awareness. In some schools, younger students get to meet a guidance counsellor, while in others these meetings are more common in Secondary 3, 4 and 5.
At this age, they often begin to:
- wonder about who they are, their qualities and their weaknesses.
- identify habits and attitudes in their schoolwork that are specific to their way of functioning.
- identify environmental influences (family, friends, educators, television, internet, etc.) on their attitudes and behaviours.
Inspired by: the writings of Marcelle Gingras, guidance counsellor and retired professor, Université de Sherbrooke.