When I Grow Up...

In Kindergarten we read the book The Dot by Peter H. Reynolds.  In this story, the main character, Vashti, is frustrated because she thinks she isn't a good enough artist.  Her teacher tells her to try something on her paper and all she can muster up is a dot.  She is asked to autograph it and finds it framed in the classroom the next day.  This inspires her to make more dots, even better than her first one, until she creates an entire art show.  She meets a new friend at the end of the story that has a similar problem, and asks him to autograph his work (to start the cycle over again). 

This book really highlights the theme of believing in yourself.  With just a simple dot, you can do anything!  This book was the springboard into our discussion of our futures.  I pulled out my graduation cap and showed them the tassels from my college graduations.  I explained how I wanted to be a ballerina, a teacher, an architect, a fashion designer, and a mom when I was younger...and now I'm a school counselor!  If you put your mind to it, you can accomplish anything.  I had students draw pictures of what they would like to be when they grew up and share them.