Name:
Week #:
Date:
How to use this page. Each week, fill out this journal to reflect on what you explored and how you are moving toward your personal and career goals.
- Answer the questions in your own words. There are no wrong answers — this is your story.
- Every part has a Clarify hint. Try the question first; read the hint only if you get stuck.
- You can write, draw, or talk it out with a mentor if that works better for you — any format counts.
PART 1
The Job I Explored
The job of this part is to describe WHAT you looked at and WHO does it every day.
1.What career path or job did I explore today?
2.What do people in this job do every day?
3.What kind of training, education, or skills are needed for this job?
Clarify — Not sure what a day looks like? Picture the workplace: where are they, who do they help, what tools do they use? You can draw the scene or talk it out with a mentor — any format counts.
PART 2
What Interests Me
The job of this part is to say what YOU think and how you FEEL about this kind of work.
4.What part of this job sounds interesting to me?
5.Is this something I might want to do in the future?
☐ Yes
☐ Maybe
☐ No
Clarify — There is no wrong choice here. "Maybe" is a great answer — it just means you want to learn more. If it is easier to say your reason out loud or sketch it, do that first, then circle your pick.
PART 3
My Next Steps
The job of this part is to turn your ideas into ACTION — small steps you can take now.
6.What steps can I take this summer to move toward this kind of work?
7.What did I work on today that helps my resume or my independence?
8.One thing I still have questions about:
Clarify — A "step" can be small: ask someone about their job, practice a skill, or look something up. Stuck on the words? Draw an arrow to where you want to go, or talk it through with your mentor — any format counts.
💡 Tips for You: Making the Most of Each Week
- Be honest. This journal is for you. "I did not enjoy that job" is just as useful as "I loved it" — both help you learn what fits.
- Use "because." Every feeling has a reason. "That job interests me because…" turns a note into a real reflection.
- Any format counts. Write it, draw it, or talk it out with a mentor. What matters is that the idea gets captured.
Mentor Notes (optional)
Space for a mentor to add an encouraging note, a next-step idea, or a strength they noticed this week.
Keep this page in your binder or folder each week to build your career story!
FOR MENTOR USE — REFLECT ON THIS TOGETHER
Mentor Guide
How to run the weekly Professional Development check-in with your student
1. What this page builds
It builds a reflective habit. Doing the same short journal each week trains a student to notice what they explored, name what interests them, and set one small next step. The goal is not a perfect page — it is the growing ability to think about their own path. Momentum and honesty matter more than spelling.
2. How to run the weekly check-in
- Keep it short and predictable — the same 10–15 minutes each week builds the habit.
- Read Part 1 together, then let the student lead through Parts 2 and 3 at their own pace.
- Ask open follow-ups ("What made that interesting?") instead of yes/no questions.
- End by naming one concrete next step for the coming week.
3. Using the Clarify hints
Let the student attempt each part first; point to the Clarify box only if they stall. The hints coach strategy ("picture the workplace," "a step can be small"), never the answer. Over time, ask the student to predict the hint before reading it — that is the skill becoming their own.
4. Supporting the student
- Accept a drawing or an oral answer first. A sketch of the workplace or a spoken reason is a complete response — capture it, then help write a few words if they want to.
- Offer a small word bank for feelings (curious, unsure, excited, proud) so Part 2 is not a blank wall.
- Do not correct spelling mid-reflection. Protect the ideas now; tidy later if the student wants to.
5. Tracking growth over weeks
- Keep the pages together in a binder so the student can see their own career story build up.
- Every few weeks, look back together: Which jobs came up more than once? What steps got done?
- Compare each page to the student's own earlier entries, not to anyone else's. Progress is the measure.