Your Dream Job
Photo by Amiee Stubbs
The AbleVoices ‘Photography for Self-Expression’ course is our flagship program and we offer it in-person or virtually. I am thankful to have conducted this class in partnership with Williamson County Schools (WCS). And at the end of this Spring semester, I will have taught this course to all WCS Transition 2 special education classes over the past five years. And I have enjoyed every minute of it!
During the very first session of this course (after we introduce ourselves), I remind the students that they will soon be transitioning to "the real world" (life after high school). A discussion develops and they share the options that they will have such as a job, volunteering, enjoying hobbies, and even continuing their education (thanks to the more recent development of post-secondary programs for young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities).
After we discuss the sometimes daunting idea of transition to adulthood, I ask the students to think about this question and then share their answers with the class. “What is your dream job? If there was nothing to get in the way of more schooling, where you could live, how much money you had, or what you could do… what job would YOU LOVE to do the most?”
This question really gets the students thinking and they begin brainstorming with their peers. As we go around the room one by one, answers range from “police officer” to “influencer!” Student dream jobs are often those that serve others (such as veterinarian, teacher, and doctor), those that are creative (Disney animator, video game creator, fashion designer) or those that are less of a job and more of a lifestyle (millionaire and world traveler).
Fellow students giggle, emphatically nod or shake their heads, and comment on the answers shared. Having just met these students, I love seeing how fond they are of each other to compliment, joke around, or share their surprise.
Next, it is my turn to share my dream job with them. I especially enjoy nature photography and being outdoors. I was a biology major in college and love learning about all forms of life- flora and fauna. I further share that I am a mom (and have been for almost 21 years), I work each day, and because of these things I am unable to do much traveling. BUT since there are no barriers for our dream job game, I can choose to be whatever I want. And so I share with them, “My dream job is to be a National Geographic photojournalist!”
Students usually recognize National Geographic as a Cable TV or streaming channel. I hold up a copy of National Geographic magazine, point out the uniquely identifiable and bold yellow border, and share how I have enjoyed reading this magazine since I was a kid and am always fascinated with the stories from all around our world and the accompanying photographs. I would love to explore new areas, meet people from other cultures, and photograph life and land all around the globe. But the students agree with me, due to my current limitations, I can’t live the life of a National Geographic photographer.
Then I begin to pass some large photo prints around the room for students to hold and see up close. I raise a photo of a big cat with water dripping from its whiskers and ask if anyone knows what this animal is? Many of the students answer, “cheetah or leopard“ but students who have been to the Nashville Zoo, shout, “clouded leopard!” I share with them more photos of animals; a scarlet macaw, a wild-haired emu, two sleeping pigs, a Galapagos tortoise, a spider spinning a web, a hungry tiger, a grumpy looking gorilla, a red panda, a great-horned owl, a very cute opossum and others. The students enjoy the test of their animal knowledge!
I explain to the students that my kids, Aidan and Eleanor, love visiting zoos, aquariums, local parks, county and state fairs and even those unruly safari parks. I use these opportunities as a way to “fill" my dream job desires. Visiting these places allows me to learn about animal and plant life, photograph them in native-like environments (hopefully), and still be with my family and do my job! I enjoy challenging myself to make a creative composition or be more patient for that right moment. I meet new people such as docents, fellow photographers, and visitors from all over the world. So you can see, there are many aspects about these activities that are similar to my dream job.
Thinking about a dream job can be a fun and valuable way to think about our passions, strengths, and interests. Most of us like to do jobs we feel we are or could be good at. You can help others see their skills and interests by following up on that description of the dream job. What is it about that dream job that you are good at? What part of that dream job is it that really interests you? Helping young adults think through strengths and interests can help them see themselves as capable and agentic. But building a bridge from skills and interests to employment, might take additional guidance. Asking questions that highlight a strength and tie it to a possible job can help - “you’re really friendly and great at telling stories, have you ever thought about being a docent at the park welcome center?” You can then come up with a strategy for exploring the job by shadowing someone or asking questions of someone in the job.
Let’s all talk about those dream jobs because our dreams often point to the ways we can make our realities more meaningful and enjoyable!
