Get totally Real!: a journey of life planning for 21st century teenagers

21st century life is becoming more and more complicated and challenging, yet no where in our education system do we effectively and concretely address, council or support our children in the complex task of transitioning into adulthood successfully. Everyone everywhere is talking and talking about how our schools are failing to prepare our children to compete in the evolving global economy. Everyone’s talking but what is being DONE? There is a huge lack of communication due to the busyness of lives and parents are unaware of the swift changes occurring in colleges and future job markets. No one has time to research and effectively council kids on how to make the best choices available to them. We all want our children to have happy, successful lives and we know that selecting the right career pathway is critical to that. Parents are concerned so they encourage their kids to get good grades, graduate high school and attend college so they can get a better job. That’s easier said than done. Designed by a veteran classroom teacher and parent of three, Get totally Real! a reality project takes teens on a journey of self-discovery and life planning. Created out of desperation to fight the wall of apathy and lack of interest or motivation in her classroom, Get totally Real! evolved over a twelve year period with hundreds of high school students. Through Get totally Real! a journey of life planning for 21st century teenagers, teens explore areas of who they are now and who they want to become. They contemplate issues from what they believe and where those beliefs come from, to how they use their time and effective goal setting, as they mature into adulthood. They also gain knowledge of real world information about what it takes to build successful lives in this complex 21st century, while learning and practicing foundational, research based reading skills to better prepare them for independent college and career learning. One of only two curriculum programs to meet standards for successful transition by George Washington University's Freshmen Transition Initiative, Get totally Real! can be used in classrooms (recommended for grades 8-11), home school students, youth groups or by teens on their own at home. Topics covered: Who You Are and Who You Want to Be Your Past and Your World Now Habits that Build Success Dreams and Beliefs Goal Setting and Priorities Dealing with Challenges and Stress Education and Independent Learning Skills Employability Skills for 21st Century Character Building College and Career Planning Cost of Living and Budgets Building Strong Relationships Happiness!