Summer!

Now, that the snow is melting and I can hear the birds chirping outside, I am praying that spring is finally here and summer is on the way! (Knock on wood) With summer on the way, I am one step closer to a trip that my best friend and I have been planning since Grade 9 - we are going to backpack through Europe from the beginning of July to the beginning of September. We have rough plans so far to begin in Germany, where I have a cousin and my friend, April, has family. Next, we will be moving through France, to Italy and ending in Greece.... Neither of us has ever travelled to Europe, or outside of North America. I seriously can't wait, and the thought of both summer arriving and our fabulous trip approaching makes it harder than ever to concentrate on the final few assignments of these last weeks as a student.

WebQuest Proposal

I plan to create a WebQuest on Building a Resume for secondary students. This unit would take approximately one-two weeks.

ELA 20
· Building a resume would meet the following ELA 20 objectives: students use language to learn, think, and communicate effectively, and to understand the functions and forms of language, recognize writing as a process of constructing meaning for self and others, choose a method of development and organization suitable for a particular purpose and audience, prepare final copy using appropriate conventions of publication, and create a resume. (http://www.sasked.gov.sk.ca/docs/ela102030/obj.html#obj)
· It fits nicely into the Anticipation: On the Threshold theme, which focuses on self and what it means to be human, in the subtopics of “Roles and Responsiblities”, “Choices and Commitments” and “Values and Goals”.

Entry Level
Requirements
· Previous Career Guidance 8 & 9 classes are not necessary but highly recommended so that students have already explored career options, self-awareness, interests and achievements. With this experience, students would have some direction when they create their resume and the Career Development Record created in earlier classes can be used as a base for their resume (if they have not taken the classes, additional instruction may be provided beforehand, extending the unit to help prepare them)

Higher Order Thinking Q
· Can you design a resume that effectively communicates your experience and skills to a potential employer? (Synthesis)

Rationale
· Resume building is an essential skill that many people struggle with. It is important that students learn how to create a resume that implements effective word choice, structure and appeal and is tailored to a specific position or career goal. Therefore, students can carry these skills with them into the workforce.

Brief Outline/ Activities
· Choose a career goal/objective
· Respond to an advertisement (real life or fictional)
· Create a tailored resume – categories, format
· Effective Resumes – tips/techniques/examples
· Individual/Group Revisions
· Publish
· Conclusion: Interviews, Apply for the job

Summary of Resources/
Internet Links

· Career Goal: a) http://www.bls.gov/k12/index.htm
(OOH) b) http://www.bls.gov/k12/azlist.htm
Skills Profiler c) http://www.careerinfonet.org/skills/default.aspx
Uncertainty d) http://camosun.ca/international/docs/student-support/Career-decisions.pdf
CHOICES e) http://www.fldoe.org/workforce/pdf/cruiser.pdf
· Job Search depends on local area – bring in newspapers, internet websites such as http://www.jobbank.gc.ca/ and show students how to use them, etc or even create fictional ones.
· Resume Building – U of S resume guide http://www.students.usask.ca/support/employment/resume/guide/
Resume Builder Online (create a draft) http://www.myfuture.com/toolbox/createresume_all.html

http://www.mymommybiz.com/telecommute/makeyourownresume.html

Provide students with a format like this to get started: http://inside.lambton.on.ca/documents/admissions/CICE_Resume.pdf

Skills Lists
http://www.uwrf.edu/ccs/skills.htm
http://www.quintcareers.com/job_skills_values.html
· Templates: Microsoft Word has several template choices
Template Samples if doing own formatting: http://www.landjob.com/Sample-Resumes/Sales-Marketing/Executive-Sales.aspx
http://www.career.vt.edu/jobsearc/resumes/softtemp.htm
- May scan a couple of resumes as examples
· Tips: http://www.free-resume-tips.com/10tips.html
http://142.103.75.152/GCDIP/documents/Resume_Building_Workshop%20PPT.ppt
http://www.resume-help.org/resume_writing_tips.htm
Good vs. Bad Resume:
http://www.nelsonjobs.com/CareerCenter/ResumeBad.aspx
http://www.nelsonjobs.com/CareerCenter/ResumeGood.aspx
(Finding good resources on the Internet for this WebQuest is ongoing - there are many resources but it is very difficult to find ones that are relevant to Canadian students and are of good quality!)

Evaluation
· I would use a rubric, posted to the WebQuest, to evaluate the process of resume building and the published final product – this means students will submit their chosen career goal, the advertisement they used and their rough drafts with the published resume.

The Eagles

Last night I ended up going to the Eagles concert and I am so happy I did. Originally, my boyfriend John bought a ticket for me because he assumed I would go, but, because I'm an extremely broke student, $160.00 for a concert ticket didn't really fit the budget. However, John's friend, who was to go in my place, bailed out less than 24 hours before the concert. As a result, I felt bad and bought the ticket. It turns out, this was a great decision on my part.

Growing up, the Eagles were and still are, my parents' favorite band. Therefore, songs like "Life in the Fast Lane", "Hotel California" and "Life's Been Good" are intertwined with my childhood memories. In addition, "Boys of Summer" is one of my all-time favorite songs.

Hearing the songs on the radio or on a CD, in no way compare to hearing them live. The Eagles' musical talent is ridiculous. The guitarist, Joe Walsh, was incredible to watch. I couldn't believe his skills - it was worth the money just listening and watching him play the guitar. Not only is Joe Walsh insanely talented, the rest of the band was moving around the stage, moving from instrument to instrument. The harmony they can produce vocally and instrumentally is something I've never experienced at a live concert before.

Overall, I was very impressed and so lucky I had the chance to experience a concert like that, especially since this is their first time to Saskatchewan - the chance of seeing them here again is unlikely.

Job Search

I'm interested in working overseas for a year after I graduate, but I'm having trouble making any solid decisions on where I want to work. It seems like every day, every week I've got a new plan - I swear I've never been so indecisive in my life! Anyways, I had finally made a decision last week that I would apply for jobs in London, primarily through the agency Impact Teachers. The agency seemed supportive and teachers get one week off every six weeks which would be ideal for travelling Europe. Then, yesterday I decided to research the Internet and see what I could find about overseas teachers working in London and there were tons of classroom management horror stories and tales of new teachers from London quitting because of the pressures of the education system there. I found a blog called "An American Teacher in London" which follows a young teacher from Tennessee who chose to teach in London. Although she was told she would teach in London she was dumped outside of London in an extremely challenging school, finding little support from her agency once she was already there. The blog is quite interesting, and she talks about her experiences in the classroom, as well as her entertaining adventures in the culture. Furthermore, her blog gives people like myself who are thinking of teaching overseas some things to think about before jumping in. Here is a link to her blog: http://www.travelblog.org/Bloggers/apelton4/

Addiction

Three days ago, my best friend and her boyfriend of two and a half years ago broke up. She told me she's "learned her lesson the hard way", since she left her friends and life in Saskatoon for Regina. And as I listen to her grieve, I can't help but make connections - we've all been there at some point or another. However, the more I think about it, the more I realize that she's going through withdrawal, revealing all the symptoms of an addict. An addict experiences "adaptive changes in the brain that lead to tolerance, physical dependance, uncontrollable craving, and all too often relapsing" (http://www.medterms.com/). In my own experience, it's scary to acknowledge the fact that I've also experienced every single aspect of that definition. I remember, before ever experiencing a serious relationship, pointing the finger at others who foolishly tolerated rude and disrespectful behavior, and then, at times, becoming a hypocrit to my own criticisms. The physical dependance and uncontrollable cravings surface at lonely and insecure moments. My friend explained her withdrawal as a physical feeling. She said she actually feels a sickness in her stomache when she really misses him or experiences a memory trigger. Another friend said she mourned her relationship like she would the death of a loved one. And many of my close friends have had relapses after breaking up - not just the weaker personalities, but strong willed people.
However, I'm not inferring that everyone in a relationship is an addict. Like any substance that can be abused, moderation and balance are key. This means maintaining your own identity and having a life outside your significant other. Yet, balance is sometimes abstract to me. People always say you have to find a balance without ever really stating what that balance is or what it means. Is balance even ever really possible or is it something that we can only continue to strive for?

Research Proposal - Virtual Communities

Last week on "The Fifth Estate", they played a documentary on virtual communities, such as Second Life, where people were creating avatars, and becoming their ideal self. Many of them became so obsessed with their avatars they would spend 12-15 hours a day living a virtual life. The implications were that many people were not acting ethically on Second Life, but they believed it was ok because "it's not really them". One mother neglected her family, including her husband and two children because she became more interested in her Second Life than her real life. In addition, one man left his wife for a woman he met on Second Life because their avatars fell in love. But "it's not really them", right? I always think it's funny how we worry about our students and our children using the Internet improperly or making bad choices - that adults and parents know better. Furthermore, for my research paper, I would like to write about students and interactions in virtual communities. I know that these sort of virtual communities are being used in the classroom. During my Student Teaching, Harvard had chosen the Grade 6 class I was teaching for a study where students had to create their own avatars and learn in a virtual community for Science class. They had to create experiments, interact and collaborate with other students (in their classroom and around the world), and propose a hypothesis as to why they believed the people in the virtual community were getting sick. As a teacher, it was both interesting and boring. I got to watch students learn on the Internet, but I found that all I was doing was watching - after the third class I was so bored because the students didn't really need me. Consequently, the subject of virtual communities poses many questions, not only for our students but for everyone using them.

Using Blogs as an Educator

1. Possible ways in which blogs can be used in education:

- journal/reflection/freewrite
- promotes writing in general - anyone can be an author
- group work/discussion
- report on an event/conference
- share resources/knowledge
- debate a topic and voice your opinion
- running resume

2. Reasons teachers should integrate blogs into their classroom:

- the teacher can inform students about what is coming up in class and even post assessment tools and criteria/expectations for assignment. The students can then give the teacher feedback.
- so students can interact amongst each other, sharing and learning.
- helps students gain an understanding and enjoyment of using technology and if used in the classroom they can learn with guidance from the teacher.

3. Three ways to use blogs for teaching/professional development:

- interact with other professionals about different instructional strategies/activities to try
- can help teachers keep open lines of communication with the community, parents and students
- helps you gain a better understanding of the Internet and how to use technology in an efficient, effective and safe way.

4. Blogs are more effective than static websites in the sense that you can have ongoing, constant feedback and create interactive community relationships; however, at times the opinions shared in blogs are not always professional. A blog is more personal, whereas static websites are more representative of the whole school or division.

5. Blogging will make teachers more technologically savvy and allow them to create relationships with people who may not have had the opportunity for a formal meeting. It allows for a larger sense of community where the teacher is getting more feedback from more people rather than just the students and parents and this may result in emerging partnerships.

6. Disadvantages of using blogs in education: As a teacher, you would have to be careful about who the students are communicating with, what kind of feedback they are getting from others, and that they are not promoting prejudices or revealing personal information that is not appropriate. Similarly, blogs would have to be supervised to ensure that cyber bullying is not taking place.

Jenna Palmer, Lisa Eger & Gillian McPhail