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/