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FRESHMAN SEMINAR

TEACHER’S ED IT ION TEACHER2011-2012

STUDENT NAME

R O O M N U M B E R

About the authors

Tina Shepherd is a native of Mississippi and received her masters from Mississippi State University. She has been with Metro Nashville Public Schools since 2001 with 8 of those years being in high school. This is her 3rd year as freshman academy counselor; She loves it.

James (Jay) Michael Salato, Jr. is a teacher at Hillwood High School. He teaches French I, French III, and French IV. He is the varsity boys cross country head coach, the junior varsity basketball head coach, and the varsity basketball assistant coach. Coach Salato received his master’s degree in secondary education from Vanderbilt University in 2009 and his bachelor’s degree in French also from Vanderbilt University in 2007.

Tara Baker is a teacher at Glencliff High School. She teaches English I, English I Honors, and Freshman Seminar. She is the lead teacher of the 9th grade Cliff Academy at Glencliff.

Tiffany Littlejohn and Shemeka Rush are freshman counselors at McGavock High School. They are very involved in their student’s lives and assist teachers, students, and parents in the high school experience.

Max Meyers is a teacher at Stratford High School. He teaches freshman seminar.

The authors would like to extend a special thank you to the following people:

Sara Spanos, McGavock HS

Angela Boone, Glencliff HS

Melissa Jaggers, Alignment Nashville

Troy Grant, CollegeforTN.org

Table of ContentsChapter One: Who Am I?.........................................................................................................5

Chapter Two: What makes me ME?.........................................................................................8

Chapter Three: Strategies to help me reach my goals..........................................................13

Chapter Four: What I need to know about high school..........................................................22

Chapter Five: What’s important to me?.................................................................................35

Chapter Six: My budget.........................................................................................................44

Chapter Seven: How do I get a job?......................................................................................56

Chapter Eight: Careers in Film...............................................................................................86

Chapter Nine: Career Research.............................................................................................88

Chapter Ten: How can I pass my exams?............................................................................103

Additional Activities ............................................................................................................104

What is Freshman Seminar?Welcome to Freshman Seminar! This course

was designed to successfully transition students from middle school to high school. Students enrolled in this course will be given strategies for effective time management, study skills, goal setting, organizational techniques, communication skills, and technological skills that will aid them on their path to graduation. Additionally, freshman seminar students will embark on a self-discovery mission to uncover personal values, goals, and attributes that will shape decisions when choosing a career academy for the tenth grade. Furthermore, each student will conduct career and college research to facilitate their career plan. Students will fill out applications, create resumes, participate in interviews, and attend a career fair to allow them to anticipate the requirements and necessities for their success in their desired field.

Chapter One: Who Am I? At a glance

In this Chapter. . .Teacher Resources

http://ghsbaker.wikispaces.com/freshman+seminar

What is Freshman Seminar? Welcome to high school Get to know your students Computer safety test Syllabus

Guest Speaker Topics: How you survived high schoolTips on being successful in high school

Computer Safety Test (online)Sample Syllabus (online)

Personal Metaphor sheetI am from activity

Student Activities Reminders Binder set up ME Bag I am from poem Personal Metaphors

Chapter three requires lab time. Don’t forget to schedule it now!

Lesson Plans:

What is Freshman Seminar: 20-30 minutes- DiscussionNeeds: Post it notes/scratch paperHave each student recall their best and worst class. Students should record one good thing about the class they like and one bad thing about the class they did not like. Items cannot be based on personalities in the room (meaning I liked my teacher or I didn’t like my classmates); everything is based on content only.Everyone’s likes and dislikes are grouped by common issues. Discuss why freshman seminar is different from these classes. Explain that the curriculum will be different for everyone based upon his/her interests.

Me Bags: 20-40 minutesNeeds: Magazines, newspapers, crayons, glue, scissors

Each student should create a ME bag. The bag (brown lunch bag, piece of copy paper, or construction paper) should have the following:

5 adjectives that describe the student 5 pictures of items that are important to the student 5 goals for the year 5 hopes for the student’s future

Students may use the magazines to obtain pictures or words.When finished, each student should tell the class what is on the bag and why it is there.

Binder set up: 10-20 minutesNeeds: 3 ring binder, dividersStudents should organize their binders based upon their current schedule. Explain the following: why they should keep a binder, why a binder helps with organization, why organization is helpful.

Name: ___________________________ Date: _____________

“It's always good to remember where you come from and celebrate it. To remember where you come from is part of where you're going.” - Anthony Burgess

Read the poem and create your own.

Where I'm From Where I’m From Page

5

By:George Ella Lyon

I am from clothespins, from Clorox and carbon-tetrachloride.

I am from the dirt under the back porch.(Black, glistening, it tasted like beets.) I am from the forsythia bushthe Dutch elmwhose long-gone limbs I rememberas if they were my own.

I'm from fudge and eyeglasses, from Imogene and Alafair. I'm from the know-it-alls and the pass-it-ons, from Perk up! and Pipe down! I'm from He restoreth my soul with a cottonball lamb and ten verses I can say myself.

I'm from Artemus and Billie's Branch, fried corn and strong coffee. From the finger my grandfather lost to the auger, the eye my father shut to keep his sight.

Under my bed was a dress boxspilling old pictures, a sift of lost facesto drift beneath my dreams. I am from those moments--snapped before I budded --leaf-fall from the family tree.

by: ______________________________

I am from ________________________________,

From _____________ and ___________________

I am from _______________________________

_________________________________________

I am from ________________________________

_________________________________________.

I’m from _____________________________________

_____________________________________________

From ___________________________________

__________________________________________

I’m from ____________________________________

_____________________________________________

______________________________________________

____________________________________________

_____________________________________________

Discussion: Do we have any common experiences? What are our unique experiences? How do these common and unique experiences affect us in the classroom? How do they affect our performance or behavior in school?

Name: ___________________________ Date: ______________

Personal Metaphors Directions: Complete the following statements.

1. If I were an animal, I would be a (n) ________________________________________because ____________________________________________________________________________.

2. If I were a car, I would be a (n) ____________________________________________because ____________________________________________________________________________.

3. If I were an article of clothing, I would be a (n) _______________________________because ____________________________________________________________________________.

4. If I were a day of the week, I would be _____________________________________because ____________________________________________________________________________.

5. If I were any type of food, I would be a (n) _________________________________________because ____________________________________________________________________________.

6. If I were a color, I would be a (n) ___________________________________________because ____________________________________________________________________________.

7. If I were a type of movie, I would be a (n) ____________________________________because ____________________________________________________________________________.

8. If I were a type of building, I would be a (n) _________________________________because ____________________________________________________________________________.

9. If I were a type of sport, I would be a (n) ___________________________________________because ____________________________________________________________________________.

10.If I were a musical instrument, I would be a (n) _______________________________because ____________________________________________________________________________.

11.If I were a geometric shape, I would be a (n) _________________________________because ____________________________________________________________________________.

12.If I were a piece of furniture, I would be a (n) ________________________________because ____________________________________________________________________________.

13.If I were a type of song, I would be ________________________________________because ____________________________________________________________________________.

14.If I were a season of the year, I would be ___________________________________because ____________________________________________________________________________.

15.If I were a cartoon or comic character, I would be _________________________________Because ______________________________________________________________________.

16. “Always remember that you are absolutely unique. Just like everyone else.” -Margaret Mead

What does this mean to you? _______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Chapter Two: What makes me ME? At a glance



Roles of students Personal Mission Statements My Road

Guest Speaker Suggestions: describe how knowing what you want drives you

Student Activities Reminders Roles Personal Mission Statement My Road

Chapter 3 requires lab time! Schedule it now!!!Students will also need a collegefortn.org login and password before the next chapter!

Lesson Plans:

This chapter is about self-discovery. Students can’t plan for their future unless they know and understand their roles and a direction for their lives.

Activities:Roles Sheet: Students fill out the sheet, and teacher engages the students in a class discussion about the way roles affect life and decisions. Knowing which roles are most valued, one can make better decisions in life.

Personal Mission statement: Students focus on certain elements of their life and plan a way to success

My road: This allows students to see what they value and appreciate in life.

Name: ____________________________ Date: ______________________

R O L E S : What Role do you play in your life?

A role is defined as function performed by someone.

1. Think about your life at home; what roles or functions do you play in your family? (I.e. brother, sister, mother, father, etc.) ___________________________________________________________________________________2. Think about your life at school; what roles do you play there? ___________________________________________________________________________________3. Do your roles at home ever cause a conflict with your roles at school? Why? _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________4. Think about your friends; what roles do you play for them? _____________________________________________________________________________________5. Do these roles ever conflict with your school or home roles? Why? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________6. Think about your future. What roles do you predict you will play in society in the next 20 years? _____________________________________________________________________________________7. Reflection: Which roles do you feel are the most important THROUGHOUT your life? List three and explain why each role is important to helping your reach your goal for your adult life.

Use this information to help create your personal mission statement on the next page.

Name: ____________________________ Date:________________________

Personal Mission Statement Page

9

Purpose: A personal mission statement is a brief description of what you want to focus on, what you want to accomplish and who you want to become in a particular area of your life over the next one to three years. It is a way to focus your energy, actions, behaviors and decisions towards the things that are most important to you.

A mission statement doesn’t have to be long. Use 3-5 sentences to set a goal for the roles of your life. Use the sentence starters below to help you.

I want to . . . (what you want to become) so that (why it is important). I will achieve this by (put your action plan here. How will you do this?)

I value the role of (insert role here) because (reasons why this role is important). Therefore, I will (outline your action plan here.)

Name: __________________________________________ Date: ___________

MY ROAD

1. Think of a person who made a positive difference in your life. What qualities does that person have that you would like to develop? __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

2. Imagine 20 years from now- you are surrounded by the most important people in your life. Who are they and what are you doing? __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

3. If a steel beam (6 inches wide) were placed across two skyscrapers, for what would you be willing to cross? A thousand dollars? A million? Your pet? Your brother? Fame? Think carefully… ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

4. If you could spend one day in a great library studying anything you wanted. What you study? __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

5. List 10 things you live to do. It could be singing, dancing, looking at magazine, drawing, reading, or daydream –anything you absolutely love to do! 1.___________________________________________2. ___________________________________________3.___________________________________________4.___________________________________________5.___________________________________________6.___________________________________________7.___________________________________________8.___________________________________________9.___________________________________________10.__________________________________________

6. Describe a time when you were deeply inspired. _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

7. Five years from now. Your local paper does a story about you and they want to interview three people….a parent, a brother, or sister, a friend. What would you want them to say about you? ____________________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

8. Think of something that represents you… a rose, a song, an animal… Why does it represent you?___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________

9. If you could spend an hour with any person who ever lived, who would that be? Why that person? What would you ask? ____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Good with numbers working well with people Dancing

Good with words Memorizing things Listening

Creative thinking Predicting what will happen Singing

Athletics Decision making Humorous

Making things happen Building things Sharing

Sensing needs Accepting others Music

Mechanical Speaking Trivia

Artistic Writing

10. Everyone has one or more talents. Which of the ones above are you good at? Or write down ones not listed.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Chapter Three: Strategies to help me reach my goals

At a glance



Time Management Goal Setting Study Techniques Learning Styles Test Attitudes

Guest Speaker Topics: Use of time management in the workplacesImportance of organization

See lesson plan for website on learning styles test

Student Activities Reminders Journals Time management Sheet Goal Setting Sheet College for TN activity Ethics/Attitudes sheet

You will need the lab for this chapter!

Go ahead and request that your freshman counselor visit your freshman seminar classes for the next chapter to discuss transcripts, gpa, credits, and graduation requirements.

Lesson Plans:

Journals:Think about your 8th grade year. Did you earn the grades you could have? Why/Why not? You have started over now in high school. What have you done to be successful here?

Worksheets:Time Management: How do you use your time? Students use this paper to analyze how they spend their time each day. Challenge students to replace idle time with useful things!

Goal Setting Sheet: Short and long term goals an d developing a plan for reaching them

College for TN activity (you will need lab time) : Study techniques. Follow the directions on the page.YOU MUST HAVE A LOG IN FOR COLLEGEFORTN.ORG before this lesson!

Ethics/Attitudes Sheet: Use this sheet to have an open and frank discussion with students about the affect ethics and attitudes can have on students and people in the workplace.

Learning style test: available at the following web addresswww.odessa.edu/dept/govt/dille/brian/courses/1100Orientation/Learningstyleinventory_survey.pdf

Example Time MonitorDoes your plan match the way you use your time? During the course of the day, take a few minutes every couple of hours to write down what you have done or each time you change activities record a note. Compare the two and see how wisely you have used your time.

MONDAY__8/18_____ TUESDAY________

http://www.odessa.edu/dept/govt/dille/brian/courses/1100Orientation/Learningstyleinventory_survey.pdf



PLAN MONITOR PLAN MONITOR6:00 Get up and shower Sleep6:30 Walk to bus stop Get up and shower

WALK TO BUS STOP7:00 School Walk to class7:30 English I8:008:30 Advisory9:00 P.E.9:3010:0010:30 Lunch11:00 World Geography11:3012:0012:301:00 Algebra1:302:002:30 Go home Go home3:00 Eat snack Eat snack3:30 Take a knap Watch TV or play video4:00

4:30 Homework/study/text5:005:306:00 Take a brake/ text Study /work on project6:30 Eat dinner Eat dinner7:00 Watch TV Watch TV7:308:008:309:00 Study Talk on phone/

text/facebook/twitter9:30 Prepare for school10:00 Go to bed10:30

MONDAY_______ TUESDAY________ PLAN MONITOR PLAN MONITOR6:006:307:007:30

8:008:309:009:3010:0010:3011:0011:3012:0012:301:001:302:002:303:003:304:00

4:305:005:306:006:307:007:308:008:309:009:3010:0010:30

Does my use of time assist my goals for my life? Explain.

What do I need to change about my use of my time? Explain

Name:________________________________________ Date: __________

Goal Setting: Long and Short term goals “Time is free, but it's priceless. You can't own it, but you can use it. You can't keep it, but you can spend it. Once you've lost it, you can never get it back.”—Harvey MacKay

DEFINITION: A goal is something we want to accomplish. Some of our goals or some things we want to accomplish are long-term and may take us a while to accomplish-- even years. Other goals are short-term and can be accomplished in a shorter amount of time—maybe within a day.

Example—

o Long –term goal: “I want to graduate from high school and go to college”.

o Short-term goal: “I want to get a passing grade on my test today:

It takes skills and determination to set goals. To accomplish my goals I need to:

set a goal that is not too hard or too easy,

write a plan on how my goal will be achieved,

persistently apply myself with real effort, and

evaluate the end result(s).

SETTING LONG-TERM AND SHORT-TERM GOALS

Practice Exercise # 1:

Set a long-term goal that is not to easy and not too hard: _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Write a plan describing how you will achieve your goal:

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Practice Exercise # 2:

Set a short-term goal that is not to easy and not too hard: _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Write a short plan describing how you will achieve your goal:

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Practice Exercise #3:

Set a school related short term goal for the first nine weeks:

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________


_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Practice Exercise #4

Set a behavior short term goal for the rest of this year:

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________


_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Name: _____________________ Date: _______________Study Techniques for High School

Part 1: Getting Started

1. Log into your www.collegefortn.org Account 2. Click on the High School Planning Tab at the top of the page, then click High School Planning Timeline 3. Select your grade level and click on the article Successful Study Techniques.

4. Read the article and answer the questions below

Part 2: Successful Study Techniques

1. List the four main techniques that you can use to ensure that you know what you need to study a. )

b. )

c. )

d. )

2. What 3 things does the ability to concentrate depend on?

3. How often should you review you class notes and readings?

4. Why should you create a study schedule?

5. Describe 2 methods of developing a study schedule

6. What is the best study environment?

7. List five ways that you can study actively

a. )

b. )

c. )

d. )

e. )

8. Create a mnemonic device (a rhyme, sentence, word or phrase – review the article for examples) that will remind you of the five active study techniques that you just listed.

Create a Study Schedule In the article, Successful Study Techniques, you learned that developing a study schedule will help you to break up your studying into manageable chunks and will help you to better manage your time. Fill out the following

schedule below by filling in all of your required activities (school, work, practices, rehearsals, etc.) and then scheduling a specific time to study for each of your classes. You can schedule social events in the time that you have left.

Ethics: How they affect your workEthics: Moral decisions: what is right/wrong? Good/evil?

Read the following situations and decide if the person made the right decision or the wrong one. Be prepared to explain your answer.

Citlally is a waitress at the local restaurant. There is a 45 minute wait for a table, but a man comes in with a business party. He offers her $30 to place his group at the top of the waiting list although he was the last person to enter. She refuses his money. Did she make the right decision? Why?________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Joey has 30 Algebra I problems for homework. He doesn’t want to do them, so he “borrows” his friend’s. He copies the answers, and he submits them as his own. He continues to do this, but when it is time for his chapter test, he fails. Did he make the right decision? Why?________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Samantha is a cashier at the local Wal-Mart. She accidentally gives a customer the wrong change from her purchase. She has other people in line, so she doesn’t run after the woman. Since no one other than herself will know about the money, she puts it in her pocket. Did she do the right thing? Why?________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Ali is trying to sell his car on Craig’s list. He claims that nothing is wrong with the car, and sells it to a family in Nashville. The family takes the car home to find that it is leaking oil and gasoline. The family brings the car back to Ali’s house, and he refuses to refund their money. He says, “All sales are final.” Did Ali do the right thing? Why?________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Attitudes also affect the way we perform at work or school.

Carly hates school; she sleeps during class and doesn’t do her homework. Will she be successful? Why/why not? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Page

19

Antonio doesn’t like coming to school every day, but he works hard. He makes B’s and C’s, and comes to every tutoring session he can attend. Will he be successful? Why/Why not?________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

There are other factors that can affect your work or school performance.

Kathy comes from a big family that runs a large restaurant. After school, she works as a waitress and cook. This seriously limits her time to complete her homework and study for tests. When she goes to school, she is tired because she has to work so late each night. What is the problem? How can she fix it? How could this affect her school work? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Johnny’s parents are in the middle of a bitter divorce. They fight constantly, and he comes to school angry. His grades are slipping, and he snaps at anyone who attempts to help him. He has been sent to the office numerous times for his behavior. What is the problem? How can he fix it? How could this affect his school work?________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

List some other things that can happen away/at school that can affect your attitude or performance. Discuss these with your classmates and find a way to solve the issue.________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Chapter Four: What I need to know about high schoolAt a glance



Terms GPA Credits Graduation

Requirements High School Tests Resources for students

Guest Speaker: Freshman Counselor

Student Activities Reminders GPA Sheet What is a credit? Graduation Requirements High School Tests Resources for students

Lesson Plans:

Go over the terms with students and explain what transcripts, credits, gpa, and gpa calculations are. Use the first worksheet to demonstrate the way to add credits and figure gpa.

Use the My graduation grid to teach students about graduation requirements and when they will take each class.

It is recommended that you invite your freshman counselor to come in and go over the graduation requirements with students prior to this. A pre-made PowerPoint can be found on the freshman seminar website.

Name: __________________ Date: ____________________

Transcripts, Credits, GPA, and GPA calculations

Transcripts: A written record of a student’s academic record

A credit is given to students for each class that they pass. Thus, you get “credit” for passing the class; however, if you don’t pass, you DO NOT receive credit. One half of a credit is given each semester. Use the following chart to discover how many credits Mary has earned in high school so far.

Fall Semester(.5 credit per passing class)Remember: F = no credit

Spring Semester(.5 credit per passing class)

Remember: F= no credit

Add fall and spring semesters for

TOTAL CREDITS PER CLASS

English I A English I CAlgebra I D Algebra I FPhysical Science

F Physical Science F

World History B World History AP.E C P.E FFreshman Seminar

A Freshman Seminar C

Art F Art CGuitar I F Guitar I C

GPA stands for Grade Point Average. Each letter grade is assigned a point number.

A= 4 points B= 3 points C= 2 points D= 1 point F= 0 Points

Assign points to Carlos’s report card.

Class Grade PointsAlgebra I CFreshman Seminar AArt BP.E. BPhysical Science CWorld History DGuitar AEnglish I B Sum: _______

Now that you know what Carlos earned, you need to average his grades. This means you add up the points and divide by the number of grades you have. Since you have 8 classes, you will divide by 8.

What is Carlos’s GPA? ____________________

Now analyze your grades! Write down your schedule below. Estimate your achieved grades for your classes. Figure out how many credits you will earn, and you need to figure out your GPA.

Fall Semester(.5 credit per passing class)Remember: F = no credit

Spring Semester(.5 credit per passing class)

Remember: F= no credit

Add fall and spring semesters for

TOTAL CREDITS PER CLASS

Now figure your GPA:

Class Grade Grade Points

Sum = _______________________

Now, take your sum and divide by 8. This equals your GPA. What is your estimated GPA for your ninth grade year? _____________________

MY GRADUATION GRID

Graduation Requirements:

Math 4 credits Algebra I, II, and GeometryEnglish 4 credits English I, II, III, and IVScience 3 credits Biology, Chemistry or Physics, 3rd lab scienceSocial Studies 3.5 credits World History or World Geog., US History,

1/2 Governments, 1/2 Economics, & ½ Personal FinanceWellness 2 credits 1 in Physical Education

1 in Health & Wellness, 1/2 Personal Finance

Foreign Language 2 credits Fine Arts 1 creditElective Focus 3 credits Career & Technical Pathway of StudyAdditional Electives 5.5 credits

Total # of Credits 28Electives are school specific and may be selected from a variety of courses: Band, Piano, Guitar, Chorus, Leadership, Freshman Seminar, Avid, Sociology/ Psychology, 3rd Year of Foreign Language, Peer Tutoring, Art, Drama, additional core classes or CTE classes.

Freshman Year: 2010-2011 Example: Fall Semester

Course Credit Earned Course Credit EarnedEnglish I .5 Physical Education .5Physical Science

.5World History

.5Algebra I .5 Art or ELL .5Freshman Seminar

.5Reading / Carr

.5

Total Credit for Semester: 4.0________

Use the charts below to fill out the classes you will take during your high school career.

Fall Semester Course Credit Earned Course Credit Earned

Total Credit for Semester: _______________

Spring Semester Course Credit Earned Course Credit Earned


Total for Year: (Add Fall & Spring Semester credits) = ____________________

Sophomore Year




Total Credit for Semester: _______________ Total Credits for Year: _________

Total Credits Earned: ___________________ (freshman + sophomore)

Junior Year





Total Credits Earned: ___________________ (freshman + sophomore + Junior)

Senior Year:





Total Credits Earned: ___________________

The Role of the Freshman Academy Professional School Counselor

The Freshmen Academy was designed to assist with the middle school to high school transition

by presenting a smaller cohesive environment for students to work within. The Freshman Academy

Counselor is to provide a comprehensive counseling program that focuses on the academic, social, and

personal needs of students as well as career exploration activities. Classroom sessions pertain to all of

these areas, with topics being focused on creating success in high school and beyond. This school

counseling program is aligned with the topics and ideals of the Freshman Seminar course. Student,

parent, and teacher needs will be assessed to establish priorities for meeting the needs of freshman

students. Counselors will also be available to provide teachers and parents with in-depth information on

the personal, academic, social, and behavioral needs of freshman students. The freshman school

counselor will provide innovative school counseling strategies to students in efforts to promote the

development and achievement of freshman students. The counselor will also maintain accurate student

records including cumulative folders, 4 year plans, transcripts, grade verification sheets, testing data,

IEP, 504 Plans and other reports as related to freshman students.

Examples of Counseling Focus Areas:

Social Academic Career PersonalConflict Resolution Organizational Skills Career Interest Inventories Goal SettingPeer Relationships Study Skills Professional Skills Defining SuccessCharacter Education Testing/EOC How H.S. relates to Careers ResponsibilityDecision Making Graduation Requirements Job Shadowing Time Management

Post High School InternshipsTSSA/NCA requirementsWhat is GPA/QPA?What is a credit?What is a transcript?College Exploration Support

Resources:

Answer the following questions

1. How can your counselor help you socially?

2. How can your counselor help you academically?

3. How can your counselor help you personally?

4. Other than your counselor, who can you talk to if you have a personal issue that needs to be addressed?

5. List all of the teachers/counselors/other staff at school that you can talk to if you need help with a bullying issue?

6. Who can you talk to if you have questions about your credits or transcripts?

Finding & UnderstandingMy GPA

Date: _____________________ Grading Period: _____________________

Part I: Define. What does GPA stand for? ___________________________________________

Part II: Apply

Step 1: List my classes Step 2: List my grades___________________________ _____________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________ __________________________

Step 3: Count & Multiply!How Many I have Multiply ByPoints Earned

A x4B x3C x2D x1F x0

Add my total points here: ____________

Step 4: Plug & Play

Formula: TOTAL Points Earned ÷ # of classes = My GPA

Find Mine: ________________________ ÷ _____________ = _________

Part III: Think.

(1)Look at the table in “Step 3” above. Why is working to make an 85 instead of an 84 so important, for example?

(2) Look back at your class grades; on which classes should you focus?

Part IV: Reflect

1. What was my GPA on this progress report/report card? ______________________

2. What are my feelings about my grades?

3. What are 2 specific achievements I had during the past grading period (in class or outside of class)?

4. What is one disappointment I had during the past grading period?

Part V: Plan.

1. My GPA goal for the next grading period is: __________________________

2. What academic goals am I setting to help me achieve this GPA? (i.e. studying, time management, taking cornell notes, tutoring, using an assignment log, doing my homework, etc.)

3. What personal goals do I have for the next grading period?

(read more, watch tv less, attitude, friendship, etc.)

College Admissions Tests At-A-Glance

Sometimes standardized tests can begin to feel like a can of alphabet soup. It can get hard to tell the TCAP and PSAT apart – are they cousins? Should I act, plan, or explore? NMSQT … I think that’s a function on my calculator …

Here are a few profiles to help you pick out the usual suspects that are especially important for college-bound students.

Test Name: PLAN

When to take: 10th Grade Fall

Why? Predicts ACT score

Test Name: PSAT

When to take: 11th Grade October

Why? Prepares for the SAT; qualifying test for National Merit Scholarship, hence known as

Test Name:

When to take

Chapter Five: What’s important to me?Maslow’s Hierarchy

At a glance



Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs

Student Activities Reminders Would You Rather? Maslow’s Hierarchy of needs Hierarchy activity Quiz over Maslow’s hierarchy

Don’t forget to revisit student’s binder

Schedule lab time for chapters 7 and 9.Lesson Plans:

Week Six OutlineUnderstanding Maslow’s Hierarchy

materials: poster paper (5 sheets), markers

objective: students can apply their understanding of Maslow’s categories of needs to evaluate real-life decisions.

vocabulary: value, hierarchy, survival, security, belonging, esteem, self-actualization

introduction activity (2 choices)o Minute Debates/Would You Rather . Have students answer the following questions

personally, then open to “1-minute” class debates on the topic. Students may only provide up to 3 sentences explanation so that there is time for everyone. Would you rather …

Marry the person you love but not have enough money to eat everyday OR have the best food available but live alone forever?

Live in a nice house or be popular (have the nicest clothes, go to all the parties, etc.)? Work right out of high school or go to college?

o Gallery Walk . Put 5 posters around the room with the category labels on the top. Draw a line down the middle of each poster. Instruct students to write what they think of when they hear each word OR guess what they think it means (definition or example).

Cornell notes. Have students take notes on the following five terms (intentionally in alphabetical – not hierarchical – order).

o Belonging: To be accepted by or identify with a group (formal or informal); tofit in.

o Esteem: To have the respect of your peers or community; to be recognizedfor what you have done.

o Safety : Having what you need to stay alive today.o Security : Protecting what you need to stay alive tomorrow.o Self-Actualization: Fully becoming who you really want to be; achieving the

lifestyle and identity you had always envisioned.

gallery walk: check for understanding. Have students walk back around and fill in the other half of the poster with an example of each category (e.g. you might belong to a church, a sports team, etc.). Alternative: have a scribe write at each poster.

Test Name: PLAN

When to take: 10th Grade Fall

Why? Predicts ACT score

Test Name: PSAT

When to take: 11th Grade October

Why? Prepares for the SAT; qualifying test for National Merit Scholarship, hence known as

Test Name:

When to take

class debate. Ask for 5 volunteers to go grab the five posters, and stand at the front of the room. Tell the class that it is their job to try to place the posters in the correct order. Set ground rules for speaking order and length; moderate so that a few students don’t dominate. Start with the first spot, and tell students that we can’t discuss the first spot until we have a quorum of 75% in agreement. Students should start by suggesting what they move into each spot, and why. Whenever they suggest a category, have the student holding that poster move into that spot.

Extension: introduce a parliamentary system (Robert’s Rules) where motions are taken but must be seconded before the person up front can move. When a student feels they have 75% support, they can motion to vote on that spot.

summary. Explain the final order and the reasoning for it (e.g. it doesn’t matter if you have a house/security if you starve to death today). Explain that Maslow established this order to explain why people make the choices they do – and why some choices might be unstable. This is why it is represented by a pyramid (have students complete the pyramid); imagine a pyramid with no base – it wouldn’t stand! You cannot consistently meet a level of need until you have achieved all the needs below it.

quiz-quiz-trade. Give each student a flash card (pg. 34-36). Students will read each scenario to their partner; the partner will identify the level of need on which each character is focused.

review quiz. Students will complete a review quiz culminating in a self-assessment.

Would You Rather… ? Page

34

Answer the following questions and explain why you chose your answer in 3 sentences or less.

(1) Marry the person you love but not have enough money to eat everyday OR have the best food available but live alone forever?

☐Marry the person I love ☐ Have enough money

Why?

(2) Live in a nice house or be popular (have the nicest clothes, go to all the parties, etc.)?

☐ Live in a nice house ☐ Be popular

Why?

(3) Work right out of high school or go to college?

☐ Work right out of high school ☐ Go to college

Why?

(4) Teacher’s Question: ?

Write a definition or example sentence for our vocabulary word: “hierarchy.”

Then fill in the pyramid to show which needs are most important, starting at the bottom level

Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs

Jerry hates going home – he never knows if Ma’s going to have dinner fixed or not. It’s much harder to go to sleep when he’s hungry, which makes it harder to be on top of his game the next day.

Jerry is focused on what level of Maslow’s hierarchy?

Judy has just finished running a marathon (26 miles) and her brother is teasing her and playing “keep-away” with her water bottle. She thinks, “There’s not much I wouldn’t do to get water right now; he’d better watch out!”

Judy is focused on what level of Maslow’s hierarchy?

Jake is playfully wrestling with his twin, James, but the match gets too rough and Jake can’t breathe anymore. He punches James hard to make him let go.

Jake is focused on what level of Maslow’s hierarchy?

Jennifer has had to work two jobs to support her family since her mom got sick – she delivers papers in the morning from 2 a.m. to 8 a.m., and then delivers pizzas from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. – and sometimes later. Because of her schedule, she doesn’t get much sleep, and often feels overly busy & unhappy.

Jen is focused on what level of Maslow’s hierarchy?

Matt just moved to a city for a new job. Although it pays well enough to cover his food & clothes, he’s not saved enough to be able to pay the deposit for an apartment yet. He’s staying with friends now, but worries a lot about next week.

Matt is focused on what level of Maslow’s hierarchy?

Mark has a history that seems to come up every time he applies for a steady job. Because he’s very talented, he manages to find a lot of small, short term jobs to feed himself, but he always worries about where he’ll work next

Mark is focused on what level of Maslow’s hierarchy?Mary has had a steady job at a salaried position for the past ten years which was good enough to meet her needs. She and her husband are about to have their first child though, and she has begun to worry about whether the neighborhood they can afford is safe enough for a little kid.

Mary is focused on what level of Maslow’s hierarchy?

Mikey has worked as a carpenter for the past five years, and makes especially good money because he works for cash – saving both he and his boss money on taxes. However, because of this arrangement, he has not health insurance. This has begun to worry him more and more.

Mikey is focused on what level of Maslow’s hierarchy?

Ethan feels very secure in life – there’s not much that he needs that he doesn’t have. However, he doesn’t feel like he fits in anywhere – his parents’ church is all older people, he doesn’t play any sports, doesn’t have a girlfriend, and can’t seem to keep friends for very long.

Ethan is focused on what level of Maslow’s hierarchy?

Emily seems like she should be happy – she’s definitely not concerned about what’s for dinner (unless it’s sauerkraut, eww!) and has her own room in a warm house. However, her parents recently divorced, and she feels like she can’t trust them – or anybody else now. She feels very alone.

Emily is focused on what level of Maslow’s hierarchy?

Edward has been betrayed by his best friend – and feels terrible. He thought he was well-liked, but his friend spread nasty rumors about him.

Edwards is focused on what level of Maslow’s hierarchy?

Elizabeth has a huge crush on the best basketball player in the school – but he won’t give her the time of day. She’s bought the best shoes and the cutest outfits, but her unrequited love makes her sad.

Elizabeth is focused on what level of Maslow’s hierarchy?

Scarlet was so upset when her best friend was elected SGA president over her. Sure, they were still friends and she still liked her, but Scarlet really wanted to know that other students like her and knew she was a good leader.

Scarlet is focused on what level of Maslow’s hierarchy?

Spencer worked really hard and made a 79, one point away from Coach Meyers’s “Seminar Scholars” board that usually featured his name. Other students jabbed at him a little over it, and got really upset that the teacher hadn’t given him those extra points to properly recognize his hard work.

Spencer is focused on what level of Maslow’s hierarchy?

Sophie hates her job. Sure, she makes good money, and has a lot of friends there, but her boss never notices how hard she works! She probably deserves a promotion – or at least some sort of raise – because she does twice the work anyone else around her does.

Sophie is focused on what level of Maslow’s hierarchy?

Steven needs to beat the newest Call of Duty video game – he won’t feel complete until he does. If one of his friends beats it first, he’ll lose his “rep” as the best gamer around … and that would crush him.

Steven is focused on what level of Maslow’s hierarchy? Page

38

Taylor not only has the money to dress nicely – almost preppy – but chooses to do so every day, to remind himself that this is his prepp-ing for college. He knows that it’s not necessarily “cool,” but it is what he wants and focuses on.

Taylor is focused on what level of Maslow’s hierarchy?

Tonya is very happy with her life; although her job doesn’t pay amazingly, it does cover her basic needs and allows her the freedom to spend time pursuing her passion for art. Though her parents wish she would make a little more so she could live in a better neighborhood, she’s happier pursuing her dream.

Tonya is focused on what level of Maslow’s hierarchy?

Tyler works at a grocery store to make a little extra money for college. Most of his coworkers sneak out a little extra snack each day as they leave, but Tyler chooses not to because he knows it’s illegal and feels it’s immoral. He has the food he needs, and knows these actions could prevent him from reaching his goals.

Tyler is focused on what level of Maslow’s hierarchy?

My Needs: Maslow’s Hierarchy QuizPart I: Definitions. Please define the following terms in the space below by writing a definition, giving an example, or writing a synonym.

Belonging Esteem

Security Self-Actualization

Survival

Part II: Matching. Match the story to the level on which each person is focused.

1. ___ Belonging2. ___ Esteem

3. ___ Security4. ___ Self-Actualization

5. ___ SurvivalA. Joseph never does his school work. It’s not that he can’t, but he simply isn’t interested – he’d rather make money at his Taco Bell job than read/study. Sure, the job doesn’t get him much respect, but he doesn’t worry about nights that Mom doesn’t cook. B. Jackson knows that cheating is wrong, but really wants to be on Coach Meyers’ Honor Roll. Even though it’s not who he is, he decides to get the answers he doesn’t know on the quiz off of his neighbor’s paper so that his name can be up on the door. C. Although he knows he could get suspended for it – and hurt his college dreams – Jared is hungry, and steals his classmate’s lunch. He can’t focus without food anyway. D. Even though Joanna has a strong faith and the pastor often praises her dedication, she has stopped going to church since some of her friends have started excluding her. E. Jennifer has always thought of herself as logical, but her anger often made her make illogical decisions & outbursts. Today, when a student began to tease her in class about caring so much, she actually was able to respond logically and calmly, and just let him know she wasn’t too worried about his thoughts – the teacher recognized she was smart, and her family loved her for it, and that was all she needed. She had arrived.

Part IV: Reflection/Synthesis. Mark where you think you are on Maslow’s hierarchy, and shade all the levels below it.

Now, briefly explain why you shaded every level you shaded, and why you might not have shaded the ones you did not. If you wish, you may use the sentence starter: “I (have / have not) met the need for __________________ because …”

Chapter Six: My budget At a glance



Budgets Guest Speaker Topics:Using money wisely

Student Activities Reminders MASH Sheets

THE PRICE IS RIGHT! Game can be found at the wikispaces website listed above.

You will need lab time for chapter 7 and 9! Schedule it now!

Lesson Plans: Week 7 Teacher OutlineEnvisioning My Lifestyle

materials: the Price is Right game, M@SH worksheets, dice, laptops OR classified ads, budget bingo, budget quiz

objective: students can illustrate a realistic picture of how they want to live that includes accurate cost estimates; students can identify areas for adjustment.

vocabulary: loan, interest, lifestyle

introduction activity: use the PowerPoint provided in the teacher resource files as an anticipation guide, helping students realize their gaps in budgeting knowledge.

M@SH. (Resource 7.1) Have students work through their M@SH categories in partners each day. Start the day by rolling dice and selecting outcomes, then partners can help each other research the appropriate information. Partners can share laptops is access is limited. Budget one day for each section.

o Where I’ll Live. Make sure to model the process for students, pointing out how to take 90% of the total cost to account for a down payment, and how to read the table as a scale based on thousands of dollars. Also, if you cannot get access to a laptop lab, make sure to provide hard copy classified housing ads.

o Marriage & Kids. Make sure students know to assign ages to each child they have, so they can appropriately price food and childcare. Note that this section requires adding up multiple values each time.

o Cars & Clothes. Again, if you cannot gain access to the laptop lab, make sure to bring in classified ads for car prices. You will have to be creative on modeling car payment notes without an electronic estimator; one suggestion would be to divide the total by 36 to model a 3 year repayment plan.

review game. Have students play the “Budget Bingo” (Resource 7.2) included in the student book to review for the quiz.

review quiz. This open-notes quiz (Resource 7.3) asks students to look back over their randomly-assigned “lives” to project the budget they would need for this life. It then asks them to adjust for a

“hard times” income level by deciding where they would cut back. Remind them of Maslow’s hierarchy here. Finally, it asks them to construct their “realistic life” and find how much income this would require.

additional resources.o homework . CollegeforTN.org “Sort Out Your Values” lesson to prep for quiz.o final project or extension . Create your own budget game, e.g. “Who Wants to Be a

Millionaire” PowerPoint or “Price is Right” poster.o extension . CollegeforTN.org “Spending Diary” as a month-long follow up.

M@$H Budgeting:Where I’ll Live

1) First, fill in any blanks in the categories below:

HousingMansion

ApartmentShack

House (~2400 sq. ft.)

CityNashvilleFranklinMemphis

Washington, D.C.US City: ___________________Int’l City: _________________

2) To play M@$H, roll the die at your table and write the # you get:

3) Next, have a partner begin to count down both lists (much like eny-meeny-miny-mo) until they reach the number you rolled; the answer they land on should be crossed off. As you keep counting, crossed off answers are no longer counted (they are gone). Keep going until only 1 answer is left in each category.

4) Finally, use the computers at each table to work as a group to find out how much your type of housing would cost in your city. You can search for “average rent prices” or “average house price” in your city, or look at specific real estate ads. - If you are renting an apartment, skip to step (e). - Mansions will not be listed as “mansions” online; you will search for a 4000+ sq. ft. house. - If you have a house, try to find one between 1600-2400 sq. ft.

What Level of Maslow’s Hierarchy is this?

What Level of Maslow’s Hierarchy is this?

My # for the Day is:

- If you have a mansion or a house, you will have to work backwards to figure out how much you’ll pay per month:

a. First, take the overall price you found and multiply it by 90%. This is how much you will have to take out in a mortgage loan: __________

b. Next, look at the table below. It shows how much per you pay per $1000 per month at current interest rates. Find the current interest rate online, then write the corresponding monthly payment per $1000 here:

______________

Taken from HSH.com (http://www.hsh.com/mopaytable-print.html) 1 July 2011

c. Divide (a) by 1000 and multiply it by (b): ______________This is your monthly mortgage payment.

d. Add that number to the insurance & taxes columns to get your final monthly rate: ______________

HOUSING BUDGET SUMMARY: My housing will cost me $___________/month, and therefore $___________/year to live in a _________________ in _______________________ (city). I found this out at:

terestRate %

15 Year Term 30 Year Term

Monthly Payment Total Amount Monthly Payment Total Amount

4.00% 7.39 1331.43 4.77 1718.69

4.50% 7.64 1376.98 5.06 1824.06

5.00% 7.90 1423.42 5.36 1932.55

M@$H Budgeting:Marriage & Kids

MARRY Trey SongzBruno MarsCoach ____________SingleAllen IversonBarak ObamaDavid Beckham_________________

Child-CareStay HomeLocal Home CarePrivate NannyDay-Care CenterRelative

KIDS 0123 4612

FoodFood StampsWholesale/ThriftyCostco/Kroger (Low-Cost)Harris Teeter/Trader Joe’s (Mid)Complete Foodie (Liberal

1) FOOD : Look at the USDA chart on the opposite page and figure out how much money you will spend per month on food, given the size of your family and food quality preference. You will have to add up each family member’s individual costs, then record the total below:

_______________/month2) CHILDCARE: Use the chart below to figure out how much money

you’ll spend on childcare given your care preference & number of children.

_______________/monthType of childcare Average cost for full-time careDaycare center Average $679/month per child for babies & toddlers (through age 2)

Home daycare. Average $525/month per child for babies & toddlers (through age 2)Average $474/month for each preschooler (2-5)

Nanny $3,033 a monthRelative care Often free, but you should offer to do chores, give gift certificates, or pay

an occasional bill for a relative caregiver.Taken from BabyCenter (http://www.babycenter.com/childcare-options) 1 July 2011


Age #Kids

0-23-56-89-1112+ (adult)

M@$H Budgeting:Marriage & Kids

MARRY BeyonceTaylor SwiftRihannaMs. __________SingleKim KardashianMichelle ObamaHallie Berry_________________

Child-CareStay HomeLocal Home CarePrivate NannyDay-Care CenterRelative

KIDS 0123 4612

FoodFood StampsWholesale/ThriftyCostco/Kroger (Low-Cost)Harris Teeter/Trader Joe’s (Mid)Complete Foodie (Liberal)


Age #Kids

0-23-56-89-1112+ (adult)

1) FOOD : Look at the USDA chart on the opposite page and figure out how much money you will spend per month on food, given the size of your family and food quality preference. You will have to add up each family member’s individual costs, then record the total below:

_______________/month2) CHILDCARE: Use the chart below to figure out how much money

you’ll spend on childcare given your care preference & number of children.

_______________/monthType of childcare Average cost for full-time careDaycare center Average $679/month per child for babies & toddlers (through age 2)

Home daycare. Average $525/month per child for babies & toddlers (through age 2)Average $474/month for each preschooler (2-5)

Nanny $3,033 a monthRelative care Often free, but you should offer to do chores, give gift certificates, or pay

an occasional bill for a relative caregiver.Taken from BabyCenter (http://www.babycenter.com/childcare-options) 1 July 2011

M@$H Budgeting:Cars & Clothes

RIDE My Own Two FeetNew Car (4 yr trade)Used Car (4 yr note)Public Bus (MTA)BikeNew Luxury Car (4 yr trade)Used Luxury Car (4 yr note)CLOTHES New Every MonthNew Every 3 monthsNew Every 6 monthsNew Once/YearDiscount Every 6 monthsDiscount Once/Year

Part I: Transportation. If you have anything other than a car, look up cost of purchase or monthly cost online, and skip to step 5. For a car …

1) Decide Make:________________ Model:_____________ Year: _____________2) Look up cost of this car online based on new/used status above: ______________3) Go to <http://www.bankrate.com/calculators/auto/auto-loan-calculator.aspx>

- Type in your cost under “total loan amount” - Type in the loan time from your selection above (4 or 8 years)- Type in 5% for current interest rate. - select “calculate” & write the monthly payment here:

____________/month

4) Look at the chart below and multiply the total number of miles you think you would drive per year by the operating cost/mile. Divide this by 12 to get your monthly costs:

______________/monthMiles Per Year

Type of Car 10,000 15,000 20,000Small sedan 56.4¢ 43.3¢ 36.6¢Medium sedan 72.9¢ 56.2¢ 47.6¢Large sedan 92.6¢ 70.2¢ 58.6¢


National Average 73.9¢ 56.6¢ 47.6¢

Taken from AAA FuelGauge Report (http://fuelgaugereport.aaa.com/?redirectto=http://fuelgaugereport.opisnet.com/index.asp)

5) TOTAL COST (cars, add 3&4; bikes, divide price by 12):______________/month

Part II: Clothes. When you go shopping, how much would you spend on…

Shoes: _________Shirts&Pants: _________Seasonal (Coats, Swimwear, etc): _________Accessories: _________TOTAL: _________

Multiply you total by the total number of times you would go each year (above).

YEAR TOTAL _________MONTHLY TOTAL (divide by 12)______________/month

Bingo!All answers are on a per month basis

How much does a cheap house in Nashville cost?

What is total cost of a used luxury car?

What does it cost for a relative to take

care of your children?

How much does it cost per person to

shop at Aldi?

What are average operating costs for

a sedan each month?

What is the average cost of shopping at

Kroger?

What is a reasonable price for

a $5000 sq. ft mansion?

What does it cost to shop at Whole

Foods gourmet?

What is the average rent cost for

apartments in Nashville?

What would a new luxury car cost?

How much would daycare cost for 2

pre-school age children?

How much would you budget for clothes each

month?

How much does it cost to ride the M

TA bus on a monthly basis?

How much does a nanny cost for two young school-age

children?

What is the average cost of shopping at

Publix/Teeter?

What is a logical total cost of a new

standard car?

M@$H Summary Quiz

Part I: List all of your budgeted costs from your M@$H work below.

Housing _______________/mo

Food _______________/mo

Child Care _______________/mo

Transportation _______________/mo

Clothing _______________/mo

TOTAL _______________/mo

»What’s something else you would need to pay for that isn’t listed on this budget?

Part II: Determine how much you would have to make to support this budget.

A. Multiply your monthly total (above) by 12 ____________/yr

B. Now add back taxes - multiply “A” by 4 & divide by 3:____________/yr

This is your yearly salary!

C. Divide “B” by 52 ____________/wk

D. Divide “C” by the number of hours you want to work per week. The average work week is 40 hours ____________/hr

»What jobs might support this budget?

Part III – The Adjustment BureauFirst, re-work your budget for if you only made $16,600/yr.

What’s Changed?Housing _______________/mo I live in a …Food _______________/mo We shop at … Child Care _______________/mo My kids are cared for by…Transportation _______________/mo I get around by … Clothing _______________/mo I go shopping …

TOTAL __$1383_______/mo

»How did these changes reflect Maslow’s theory about the order of needs?

Now, re-work your budget for if you made $52,000/yr.What’s Changed?

Housing _______________/mo I live in a …Food _______________/mo We shop at … Child Care _______________/mo My kids are cared for by…Transportation _______________/mo I get around by … Clothing _______________/mo I go shopping …

TOTAL __$3250_______/mo

» What change/increase was most important to you here? Why?

Chapter Seven: How do I get a job? At a glance



Applications Cover letters Interviewing Tips/Questions Resumes

Guest Speaker Topics:Skills for getting a jobInterviewing tips/practice questions

Student Activities Reminders Job Application Activity Sample Application Cover Letters Interviewing Tips List of Interview Questions Interview Rubric Sample Resumes and Tips

You will need lab time for this chapter. Schedule it now!

Lesson Plans:

If you have computer access, you can teach this entire lesson using the collegefortn.org website.To do this, have students log in . Have students click on the career planning tab, then click on one of the following: Resume builder, Cover letter creator, job interview practice, and thank you letter builder.

If you only have limited computers, combine the computer lessons with the attached lessons.

Review the job application tips and fill out the application using the tips.

Review the cover letter information and answer the attached questions

Review the interviewing tips, the list of interview questions, know the company, and interview rubric. Have students participate in an interview “speed dating” activity. Assign students to answer the questions and some students to ask. They stay at their station for 3 minutes before moving on. Assign the students different questions, so they can be prepared for all questions. Have students reverse roles.

Review the sample resumes. Break students up into groups and have them analyze each resume. Discuss what is good and bad about each resume. Have students decide what should be on their resumes. Use the resume builder from collegefortn.org.

Job Search Handout, Activity 1a The Job Application...What Do I Need to Know? Student Name: _____________________________

FACT: Research shows that 75% of the applications most companies receive are incomplete, messy, completed incorrectly, or all of these. Those who fall into this category significantly lower their chances of getting a job.

How to Complete a Job Application Form:

1. Be aware how you look when you go to pick up and/or drop off a completed job application. You never know if someone like the person doing the hiring will want to visit with you at that time. Be ready by being dressed appropriately and by being neat and clean.

2. Read carefully, follow directions, and write neatly. Each application you complete is the first sample of your work that employers will see.

3. Use black ink (unless otherwise indicated).

4. Complete a rough copy first and correct all the errors before completing the actual copy.

5. Answer all questions and write in every space provided. If a question does not apply to you, write “N/A” (not applicable).

6. Be as specific as possible in identifying the “position desired.”

7. Write in “scale” where you are asked for “salary desired;” this means that you expect to be paid what other workers in similar positions earn.

8. DO NOT WRITE your social security number on your application. This is something you will give a potential employer upon being hired.

9. Be positive. Do not volunteer negative experiences.

10. Be honest.

What Information is Required on the Job Application? Gather the information and materials needed to complete your job application. Much of the information you need is on your resume. Make sure you have the following available when completing a job application:

1. Writing utensils (black pens), paper clips

2. Current and previous addresses

3. Educational information—grade school to present, names and addresses, diplomas earned, dates you attended institutions, subjects in which you excelled

4. Work experience—past jobs and responsibilities; names, addresses, and phone numbers of past employers; dates of employment; job responsibilities; wages earned; names of supervisors; reasons for leaving each job; military experience and volunteer work

5. Business and machine operation skills

6. Special certificates, licenses, professional organizations and other business-related documents, honors, and achievements that could give you an advantage

7. A list of references—include names, job titles, company names, addresses, and telephone numbers

8. Copies of your resume—attach your resume to any completed job application with a paper clip.

Avoid These Common Mistakes on a Job Application:

1. Misspelled words 2. “Crossed-out” writing 3. Folded or wrinkled form 4. Incomplete work history 5. Submitted after deadline 6. No signature, incomplete or unanswered items 7. Failure to print where asked to print.

What do Employers Look for in a Job Application? Most employers require applicants to complete a job application. The job application gives the employer

facts about you that can be kept on file. The information you provide and how well you present the information indicates to an employer the following:

• Your ability to follow instructions

• Your character

• Your achievements

• Your ability to hold a job

• Your thoroughness

After completing a job application, you may or may not get an interview. The outcome could depend on how well you completed the form. Be part of the 25% who significantly raise their chances of getting a job! FACT: Research shows that 25% of the applications companies receive are complete, neatly done, completed correctly, or all of these. Those who fall into this category significantly raise their chances of getting a job.

Job Application Form Instructions: Print clearly in black or blue ink. Answer all questions. Sign and date the form. PERSONAL INFORMATION: First Name _____________________________ Middle Name ___________________________ Last Name _____________________________ Street Address _______________________________________________________ City, State, Zip Code _______________________________________________________ Phone Number (_____)___________________________________ Are you eligible to work in the United States? Yes _______ No_______ If you are under age 18, do you have an employment/age certificate? Yes ___ No ___ Have you been convicted of or pleaded no contest to a felony within the last five years? Yes_______ No_______ If yes, please explain: _______________________________________________________________________________ POSITION/AVAILABILITY: Position Applied For ________________________________________ Days/Hours Available Monday ____ Tuesday ____ Wednesday ____ Thursday ____ Friday ____ Saturday ____ Sunday ____ Hours Available: from _______ to ______ What date are you available to start work? _________________________ EDUCATION: Name and Address of School - Degree/Diploma - Graduation Date _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ Skills and Qualifications: Licenses, Skills, Training, Awards _____________________________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ EMPLOYMENT HISTORY: Present or Last Position: ___________________________________________ Employer: _____________________________________________________ Address:______________________________________________________ Supervisor: ____________________________________________________ Phone: _______________________________ Email: ________________________________ Position Title: _________________________ From: ______________ To: ______________ Responsibilities: ____________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________ Salary: _______________ Reason for Leaving: ____________________________________________ ===================================================

Previous Position: Employer: _____________________________________________________ Address:______________________________________________________ Supervisor: ____________________________________________________ Phone: _______________________________ Email: ________________________________ Position Title: _________________________ From: ______________ To: ______________

Responsibilities: ___________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ Salary: _______________ Reason for Leaving: ____________________________________________ May We Contact Your Present Employer? Yes _____ No _____ References: Name/Title Address Phone _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ _________________________________________________________________ I certify that information contained in this application is true and complete. I understand that false information may be grounds for not hiring me or for immediate termination of employment at any point in the future if I am hired. I authorize the verification of any or all information listed above. Signature______________________________ Date__________________________________

1. What belongs in the heading of a cover letter?

2. Imagine you are writing a cover letter to Mrs. Jane Kelly. How do you key the salutation/greeting?

3. If you do not know the name of the person to whom you are writing, what do you do?

4. What should be included in the first paragraph of a cover letter?

5. What should you include in the second paragraph of your cover letter?

6. True or False? If you have a lot of details that you want to include in the second (middle) paragraph, you can separate it into two paragraphs so that the total number of paragraphs would be four.

7. What should you write in the last paragraph of your cover letter?

8. What should be included in the closing part of the letter?

9. What should you do before you print the cover the letter, and what are some other steps you can take to make sure your cover letter is the best it can be?

10. What should you do after your print the letter?

Job Search Handout 1—The 10 Best Interview Tips Ever!

Student Name: _____________________________ Step 1 - Know the Company Companies like candidates who know what they want. They are also impressed with someone who has done some digging before arriving at the interview. Make the effort to research your target organization, and you’ll find yourself ahead of the competition. Given two equal candidates, the one who shows the most interest usually wins. You can find out about larger organizations by using Web search engines or, even better, by going to your target organization’s Web site. There are other Web-based sources, too. If your company is smaller or local, visit the library and ask the research librarian for help.

Step 2 - Know Yourself In an interview, your job is to sell yourself. You need to know precisely what you’re selling. Once you define that, you can apply these insights to the needs of your target company. Connecting the two successfully is the best way to get hired. Above all else, be authentic. Like a dog that can sniff fear on a person, an employer can intuit your sincerity and true level of interest and commitment. You’re "selling" your skills and yourself as a person. First: Your skills. An easy way to uncover yours is to list your accomplishments and then think of which skills it took to do them. Did baby-sitting require psychological sensitivity? Did selling kitchen knives require skills of persuasion? Review your list, and refine your skills into a "package" you can explain easily in a minute or two. Next: You as a person. Most organizations want honest, smart, friendly, motivated, and responsible employees. Do you deal well with people? Are you flexible and open to learning? Did you, for example, show determination to get back on the slopes after you broke your leg skiing? Again, after you make your list, refine it so you can explain your personal "assets" in a minute or two.

Step 3 – Practice You can make all the lists you want, but there’s no substitute for rehearsing how you’d handle an interview. Ask your parent, sibling, or best friend to be the interviewer, and give her or him a list of questions to throw at you. There are ways to handle each of these. If you know what they arebefore you're in the "hot seat," your confidence going into the interview will soar. And remember, if you get a question that you can't answer, simply say you don't know. Then say the question is something to which you would like to give more thought and that you are willing to learn what it takes. Again, an employer will respect someone who is honest and open about his or her limitations. Body language is the other thing to be well aware of. If you have a video camera, use it for the practice; otherwise a mirror will do. Hand and arm movements shouldn’t be too large. Don't fiddle. Your posture should be relaxed, but alert. Don't slouch; if you look bored in the interview the recruiter may presume that you'd be bored in the job too. Communicate interest and energy. Be yourself.

Step 4 - Dress the Part You shouldn’t wear a white suit to a funeral (unless you’re in China, where it’s expected), and you shouldn’t wear cargo shorts to an interview. With any organization, the way to dress is the way you would dress if you got the job. If you don’t know what that is, ask. If you can’t get any information on the company's style of attire, dress a little more formally than you think you might need to. Personal grooming is part of your "dress" too. A good haircut or trim will impress. So will clean fingernails, a fresh-scrubbed look, pleasant breath, and a white smile (a recent teeth-cleaning can’t hurt). Don’t wear

perfume or aftershave. You might love how you smell with that scent, but others may not! Or worse, the recruiter may be allergic to the scent.

Step 5 - Get There Early This may seem obvious, but if you’re not on time for your interview, the game is over. Getting there early allows you to take a few deep breaths, organize your notes, refresh your memory on a few points that you’ve found difficult in your practices, and scan any company materials that may be available in the waiting room. It also allows you to answer the "call of nature" (if there is a call) and to make any last-minute appearance adjustments. The result? You’ll feel better about yourself, and you’ll be more relaxed in the interview. So leave plenty of time, and get there early. It gives you a psychological edge.

Step 6 – Make a Good Impression It may seem cruel, but first impressions can be deal makers... or breakers. The interviewer starts forming opinions from the moment the two of you shake hands. No kidding. And by the way, that handshake is critical. Here’s how to do it correctly:

1. Look the interviewer in the eye as you offer your hand. 2. Shake his or her hand firmly, but not like a vise. 3. Smile at the same time, and say something enthusiastic like, "Hello Mr. Anderson, it’s great to meet you!" As you walk to his or her office, make some small talk -- team or sports scores, how great the lobby looks, a recent storm -- you get the gist. Establish positive vibes and the rest of the interview will feel more natural and less like you're being grilled at the Spanish Inquisition.

Step 7 - Answer Well You’re going to be asked some questions, but there are some tricks to answering them well: 1. Don’t ramble. It’s better to give a shorter answer with strong points in it than to babble on for five minutes in a disorganized fashion. 2. Look the interviewer in the eye when you’re answering. If you don’t, he or she may think you’re fabricating your answer right there on the spot. 3. Gather your thoughts. If you need a minute to collect your thoughts in order to answer a specific question, feel free to say: "I need to think about that for a moment ... " or "That's a great question ..." The interviewer will respect your honesty and your desire to offer a thoughtful answer. If a question is a difficult one, try to remember how to approach it. If you blank out, be honest, but definitely put a positive spin on your answer. A little humor never hurts, either.

Step 8 - Ask Questions Usually at the end of an interview, you’ll be asked if you have any questions. If you don’t ask something, it can be taken as a sign of lack of interest, so prepare some questions before the interview. There are two areas to question -- the organization and the job itself. We recommend asking about the job first. Are you clear on the responsibilities of the job? If not, ask for clarification. Do you see where the job fits into the structure of the organization? Do you understand whom you’ll be working with, and what their expectations of your work are? By the way, do not ask about the salary or benefits -- vacation, holidays, sick days, etc. -- in the first interview. Leave that for after they have presented you with an offer. Be sure you know what the next steps are after the interview. Are they going to contact you? When do they think they can do that? Would they prefer you to follow up with them? How is the best way to do that?

The end of the interview is also a good time to emphasize how interested you are in taking the process to the next step and why you think you’d be the perfect candidate for the job. Do not beg for the job, but let your positive energy and enthusiasm win the day. Upon leaving, make sure to shake the person's hand again and make sincere eye contact. And, of course, don't forget to thank him or her.

Step 9 - Be Yourself This is the most important step. No matter what anyone says, you can’t pretend to be someone you’re not. In the interview, let who you really are shine through. Trained interviewers spot actors quickly. Be proud of that precious collection of talents, motivations, and skills that make you the individual that you are. Believe in your ability to learn, grow, and develop, and act accordingly. Show the real you -- sense of humor and all -- and you'll be well on the way to getting hired.

Step 10 - Follow Up Your interview isn’t over when you walk out the door. As soon as you get home, write a short thank-you note to your interviewer. You appreciated the time they spent with you and the chance to learn more about the job and the organization, so tell them. If you promised to send something additional -- writing samples or another copy of your resume, for example -- make sure to enclose it. Keep your note short, and restate your understanding of the next step. If you’d like to add something you forgot to say, this is the time and place. You’d be surprised how many candidates never offer this simple bit of courtesy. Send a thank-you note, and you’ll stand out in the crowd.

Job Search Handout 2—A List of Interview Questions Student Name: _____________________________ List of interview questions relating to you

1. How would you describe yourself?

2. How would others describe you?

3. Do you consider yourself successful?

4. What was your greatest success?

5. How did you achieve it?

6. What has been your biggest failure?

7. How could you improve yourself?

8. Are you a leader?

9. How do you handle criticism?

10. What sort of manager are you?

11. What makes a good manager?

12. Do you work well with others? Or are you a loner?

13. Do you need other people around to stimulate you or are you self-motivated?

14. Are you accepted into a team quickly?

15. Can you act on your own initiative?

16. How do you run a meeting?

17. What motivates you?

18. What management style gets the best results out of you?

19. Do you know how to motivate other people?

20. Are you competitive?

21. Are you aggressive?

22. What do you dislike doing?

23. Do you feel you are ready to take on greater responsibilities?

24. Can you work under pressure?

25. How many hours are you prepared to work?

26. Do you mind working for someone older than yourself? Younger than you? Of the opposite sex?

27. What interests do you have outside work?

List of interview questions relating to the new job / company

1. Why do you want this job?

2. What qualities do you think will be required for this job?

3. What can you contribute?

4. Why do you want to work for this company?

5. What do you know about this company?

6. What interests you about our product (or service)?

7. What can we (the new company) offer that your previous company cannot offer?

8. You have not done this sort of job before. How will you cope/succeed?

9. Why should we employ you? 10. How long do you think it would be before you were making a significant contribution to the team/company?

11. How ambitious are you?

12. Would you compete for my job?

13. What do you like and dislike about the job we are discussing?

14. What are you looking for in a new job?

15. What would you like to avoid in your next job?

16. Are you too old for this job? [Shouldn't be asked in countries with age discrimination legislation.]

17. Are you too young for this job? [Shouldn't be asked in countries with age discrimination legislation.]

18. Are you over qualified for this position?

19. Are you prepared to relocate?

20. Are you willing to travel?

21. What level of salary are you looking for now?

List of interview questions relating to your current / previous job

1. How much does your last job resemble the one you are applying for?

2. What are the differences?

3. What do you think of the last company you worked for?

4. Why did you join your previous company?

5. Did they live up to your expectations?

6. Why are you leaving now?

7. Explain the organizational structure in your last company and how you fitted into it.

8. What did you think of your manager/supervisor?

9. How did you get on with your previous manager/supervisor, coworkers and subordinates?

10. What did you do on a day to day basis?

11. Did you increase sales or profits in your last job?

12. Have you reduced costs at your last company?

13. Did you feel you progressed satisfactorily in your last job?

14. What problems did you encounter in your last job?

15. What annoyed you about your last job?

16. What did you earn in your last job?

Career related interview questions

1. Why did you choose a career in …?

2. Why are you changing careers?

3. What are your career goals?

4. How long have you been looking for a new job?

5. Do you prefer to work in a small, medium or large company?

6. What would your ideal job be?

7. Are you considering any other positions at the moment?

8. If you have changed jobs a lot you may be asked how long you would stay in the new job.

9. Have you ever been fired?

10. How often are you off sick?

11. What will your referees say about you?

Job Search Handout 3—Know the Company Student Name: _____________________________ Know the Company Companies like candidates who know what they want. They are also impressed with someone who has done some digging before arriving at the interview. Make the effort to research your target organization, and you’ll find yourself ahead of the competition. Given two equal candidates, the one who shows the most interest usually wins. You can find out about larger organizations by using Web search engines or, even better, by going to your target organization’s website. There are other Web-based sources, too. If your company is smaller or local, visit the library and ask the research librarian for help. Directions: Develop skills in researching a company that your teacher has suggested or a company that you would like to work for by answering the questions below.

1. What company are you researching?

2. What is the web address of the company’s website?

3. What does the company sell or produce? Or what service do they provide?

4. Do they currently have any job openings posted on their website? What jobs are listed?

5. List five additional facts about the company below.

6. List at least two questions that you still have about the company that you might ask during an interview.

Interview Rubrics Category_______________________ Student _______________________ Teacher ________________________ School _________________________ Criteria 1 2 3 4Appearance

Overall appearance is untidy

Choice in clothing is inappropriate for any job interview (torn, unclean, wrinkled)

Poor grooming

Appearance is somewhat untidy

Choice in clothing is inappropriate (shirt untucked, tee-shirt, too much jewelry, etc.)

Grooming attempt is evident

Overall neat appearance

Choice in clothing is acceptable for the type of interview

Well groomed (Shirt tucked in, jewelry blends with clothing, minimal wrinkles)

Overall appearance is very neat

Choice in clothing is appropriate for any job interview

Very well groomed (hair, make-up, clothes pressed, etc.)

Overall appearance is businesslike

Greeting

Unacceptable behavior and language

Unfriendly and not courteous

Used typical behavior and language – did modify behavior to fit the interview

Attempts to be courteous to all in interview setting

Acceptable behavior, well mannered, professionalism lacking

Courteous to all involved in interview

Professional behavior and language (handshake, “hello”, “thank you”, eye contact, etc.)

Friendly and courteous to all involved in interview

Communication

Presentation shows lack of interest

Speaking is unclear – very difficult to understand message of what is being said (mumbling, etc.)

Facts about job not included

Volume is inappropriate for interview (Spoke too loudly, too softly)

Showed some interest

Speaking is unclear – lapses in sentence structure and grammar

Knowledge of job is minimal

Volume is uneven (varied)

Showed interest throughout the interview

Speaking clearly

Minimal mistakes in sentence structure and grammar

Knowledge and facts are included/shared

Volume is appropriate

Very attentive

Speaking clearly

Appropriate use of sentence structure and grammar

Commitment and enthusiasm for job is conveyed

Volume conveys business tone

Body Language

1

Fidgeted (Constant movement of hands and feet, etc.)

Lack of eye contact

Slouching all the time

2

Fidgeted (Movement of hands and feet frequently, etc.)

Eye contact is made intermittently

Occasionally slouching

3

Minimal fidgeting (Occasionally shifting)

Occasional loss of eye contact

Brief slouching, but quickly correcting self

4

No fidgeting

Eye contact made

Sitting straight in chair

Responding to Questions

Inappropriate answers to questions

Did not attempt to answer questions

Gives inaccurate answers

Attempts to answer questions

Answers are acceptable and accurate

Answers questions

Thorough answers to questions

AskingQuestions

No questions asked

Student asked questions that were not related to the job

Asked questions relating to the desired position

Asked questions relating to the desired position. (Evidence is shown that the applicant had researched the business or career field)

Asked questions related to the business or career field

Name Job Search Handout 1—Typical Interview Questions Student: _____________________________ 1. Tell me about yourself. Go over this again and again! Briefly describing your education or work history are appropriate responses to this question. Expand briefly on some of your results. This will likely cause the interviewer to select an accomplishment and ask you to tell more about it. This is exactly what you want; you score points every time you discuss results.

2. What is your greatest strength? The question asks for your number one strength, skill, or asset and requires you to analyze yourself. Going into the interview you should have several strengths in mind. Begin with a brief statement and provide a clear example.

3. What are your three most important career accomplishments? Choose accomplishments that are related to the job you are interviewing for and ones to which the interviewer can relate. Avoid unnecessary detail.

4. Why should I hire you? This question is often asked at the end of an interview and allows you to summarize your strengths. Since this is a summary, you can discuss points that you have already covered and mention new points as well. Sell yourself. This may be one of your best opportunities. Try to focus on everything you learned about the job, your future boss, and the needs of the company.

5. How would your supervisor describe you? This is an opportunity to mention positive qualities that you know or assume would be said about you. Discuss the qualities that you received high ratings on during reviews. Also give quick examples that demonstrate why your boss would see such qualities in you.

6. What is the most difficult situation you have ever faced? Select an example that will demonstrate your positive qualities and one in which you ultimately came out on top. Tell it concisely to reveal as many qualities as possible. This is an opportunity to sell qualities such as maturity, perseverance, emotional stability, effectiveness under stress, and sound judgment.

7. What would you like to improve about yourself? This is one of the most-asked questions. When asked this question, it is best to state a weakness that you are improving. You do not need to demonstrate that you have totally dealt with it, but you should indicate that you have made major progress with it. The goal is to provide a short answer which satisfies the interviewer.

8. What are your career goals? This question tests whether you have established career goals, and whether your goals match what the organization has to offer. Mention goals that you feel the organization can help you attain. Express them in terms of experience you hope to receive and the expertise you hope to develop. You want to leave the impression that you are a growth-oriented person with realistic expectations regarding promotion opportunities.

9. What have you learned from your past mistakes? What were some of them? Everybody makes mistakes. Often there are lessons to be learned from these mistakes. The best mistakes to share are those from which you were able to recover. In any event, use your mistakes to show how you have matured and grown from these experiences.

10. Can you work well under stress? You do not have to say that you like stress, but you need to demonstrate that you can work effectively under stress. Give examples where you have coped well with stress. Most stress comes from deadlines and

long hours. You should know in advance if this organization or company typically requires long hours or faces a lot of deadlines.

11. Are you a team player? This question indicates that the organization is looking for a team-oriented person. Describe how you are committed to working in a team. You need to show that you are flexible and cooperative and when the group makes a decision, you willingly go along with it. Provide examples demonstrating that people enjoy having you on their team and that teamwork was essential to the success of a project on which you worked.

12. What are the things that motivate you? Challenge, creativity, success, opportunity, and personal growth are most frequently mentioned. You can also mention specific skills that you are motivated to use. These might include problem solving, decision making, listening, writing, speaking, planning, or counseling people.

13. What is the most important thing to you in a job? What do you value in a job: challenge, good working conditions, friendly coworkers, traveling? Mention one or two items and explain why they are important.

14. Tell me about your duties at your present job. This question provides an opportunity to really sell yourself. As you describe your major duties, describe an associated accomplishment as well. Be concise. People know their own duties so well that many go on and on adding unnecessary details that bore the interviewer.

15. What is the most important aspect of your job? This question tests your judgment. Although you may have numerous responsibilities, the interviewer wants to have your view on what you can do to contribute the most to the organization. For each responsibility you need to show that you have been very effective in that area.

16. What duties have you enjoyed most? Least? Why? Select your favorite and least favorite duties based on what you have learned about the job for which you are interviewing. In general, you should mention major duties to like and minor duties to dislike.

17. What frustrates you about your job? If you feel strongly about a particular frustration, give concrete examples when answering this question. Describe the situation causing the frustration, and how you deal with it. 18. Why would you like to work for us? This is your opportunity to describe what you know about the organization. You should mention positive points that you have discovered on your own, as well as some mentioned by the interviewer. You might mention that the job is a factor in your wanting to work for the company.

19. What are some of the characteristics you like or dislike about a supervisor? List all the qualities you truly like and dislike in a supervisor and then select those that are the most appropriate. Concentrate on strengths rather than weaknesses. You might answer by saying you prefer a supervisor who is fair, open-minded and has high integrity.

20. Tell me about your experience in school.

Be prepared to talk about the courses you liked most (and least), how your schooling prepared you for this job, what kind of grades you had, and your major. It is important to describe how your overall high school/college experience has prepared you for work. You can also describe the skills and experience that you have gained in extracurricular activities and internships. 7

Job Search Worksheet 1—Interview Questions to Practice Student Name: _____________________________ Directions: The following are some typical questions you might be asked in a job interview. The whole idea of an interview is to talk about your positive traits. Don’t worry if you don’t have much job experience. You can simply tie in the answers to experiences at home or school. Employers want to know how you handle problems and if you are a team player. Read the following answers carefully and adapt them to your particular situation. Practice, practice, practice!

1. Question: Tell me about yourself.

Typical answer: I was born in Minneapolis, but we moved to Chicago when I was four. I have a dog and like to swim. (This is one of the most asked questions! Expect it, and plan for it! In fact, you should have a 15-second “commercial” ready to “wow” the interviewer! The answer above doesn’t tell the employer anything about you that relates to the job. You want to use every opportunity to show that you are a smart, hard-working potential employee.) Better Answer: Last year in school, I played on the basketball and soccer team. It kept me busy, but I learned to manage my time. I’m also involved in volunteering with my brother’s Boy Scout troop. That’s been a great experience in learning how to work as a team with other leaders plus plan activities. See what you’ve just done? You’ve shown the employer you are involved in positive activities, work as a volunteer and know the importance of teamwork. Who wouldn’t want to hire you?

2. Question: How would your teachers describe you?

Average answer: Oh, I guess they’d say I was an OK student. Better answer: My teachers would tell you I work hard to get my assignments in on time and I’m not afraid to ask for help if I need it. They’d also tell you I try to be friendly to shy kids in my class.

3. Question: Why should I hire you over the other eight students waiting to be interviewed?

Average answer: I really need the money to buy a new CD player and my mom said I have to do something constructive this summer. Better answer: I’m a reliable person. I’ll arrive to work on time and do the best I can on the job. I’ve done volunteer work, but now I’d like to gain actual work experience. If you hire me, you’ll get someone who isn’t afraid to learn.

4. Question: Tell me about a time you had a problem and how you solved it.

Average answer: My parents and I don’t always get along. I usually yell and then go to my room for a few hours. Better answer: There was a boy at school that really bothered me. He bumped into me and would slam my locker shut when he walked by. He’d also say sarcastic things to me. I talked to a teacher about it and she offered to be a mediator. She brought both of us into her class and basically let me tell the boy I wanted him to stop being a bully. I confronted him in a strong way. The situation is much better now.

5. Question: What do you like best about school?

Average answer: I really like hanging out with my friends. Better answer: I especially like working on projects together with my friends. I was just in charge of decorating for our school dance. I organized my friends, and we worked together to set up the gym with a jungle theme. I also like participating in school events like sports teams and student government.

YOUR TURN! Try to answer every question with a positive answer. Demonstrate that you are an honest, hardworking person. No “average answers” allowed!

6. Question: Why do you want this job?

Your Better Answer:

____________________________________________________________________________________

________________ ____________________________________________________________________

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7. Question: What are your greatest strengths? Your greatest weaknesses?

Your Better Answer:

____________________________________________________________________________________

________________ ____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

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8. Question: Where do you see yourself in 10 or 15 years?

Your Better Answer:

____________________________________________________________________________________

________________ ____________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

______________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_______________________________________________________________________ _____________

9. Question: Imagine you made a major mistake on the job. What would you do to fix it?

Your Better Answer: _______________________________________________________________________________________

________________ _______________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________

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10. Question: What are your career goals?

Your Better Answer: ________________________________________________________________________________________

________________ ________________________________________________________________________

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Brian Johnson11223 45th Avenue South

City, ST [email protected]

(000)000-0000Objective

To be selected for the Presidential Scholarship from Ohio State University. Volunteer Service

Sunday School Teacher, River of Hope Church, September 2008-Present

• Effectively taught 4th graders the Sunday school curriculum

• Designed individualized lessons to go with each month’s theme

• Developed relationships with all students

Food Drive, Northland Rescue Mission, November 2009

• Organized school-wide food drive sponsored by National Honor Society

• Solved logistic problems of food collection and distribution

• Collected and donated over 10,000 food items

Lawn Care & Snow Removal, Elderly Neighbors, May 2006-August 2009

• Provided free lawn care and snow removal services to next door neighbors

• Initiated contact with neighbors to establish service

• Maintained high quality lawn care and snow removal services

Activities & Community Involvement National Honor Society 2009-Present Mayor’s Youth Commission 2008-Present Marching Band 2007-Present Tennis 2005-Present Awards & Recognitions Elected President of National Honor Society 2009-2010 Voted “Hardest Worker” by tennis team May 2009 Received “Respectful Award” from principal April 2009 Elected Vice President of Youth Commission 2008-2009 Small Group Leader in youth group 2008-2009 Education Central High School, City, ST Anticipated graduation date: May 2011

3.8 grade point average

Jordan Davis4549 Meadow LaneCity, ST [email protected]

(000) 000-0000Objective To receive a degree from the Automotive Technology Institute. Skills Automotive

• Reconstructed engine on 1959 Ford Mustang

• Received diagnostic specialist training

• Competent in carburetor repair

Computer

• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite

• Competent internet-based researcher, familiar with multiple search engines

• Successfully rebuilt four computers

Interpersonal

• Middle child, great at conflict resolution

• Chosen as team presenter for Auto Skills USA competition

• Responsive to problems and able to communicate solutions

Hobbies & Interests Repairing and rebuilding classic cars, auto-racing, tinkering with computers, small electronics, and video equipment Education Goodness High School, City, ST Anticipated Graduation Date: May 2011 Relevant Courses Completed

• Automotive Technology I

• Automotive Technology II

• Microsoft Applications

• Speech Communications

KELLY ANDERSON 1234 States Avenue ~ City, ST 00000 ~ 000-000-0000 Summary A motivated high school student with skills and abilities necessary to succeed in any employment situation. Experienced with computers, customer service, and sales. Honest, dependable and willing to accept responsibility and take on new challenges. Ability to get along with others and work as a team player.

Skills Communication Skills ♦ Experienced with providing friendly customer service in a fast-paced environment ♦ Participated in debate for two years and won a first-place award in persuasive speaking ♦ Served as a team member on prom and yearbook committees

Computer Skills ♦ Experienced with operating computers, Microsoft Office Specialist certified ♦ Set up personal web page and assisted other businesses and individuals with web design ♦ Achieved an “A” in Computer Applications course

Organizational Skills ♦ Helped organize a food drive to benefit a Hunger Project ♦ Served as chapter president for Future Business Leaders of America ♦ Received perfect attendance award

Work Experience Clerk, The Gap, City, ST June 2006-present ♦ Responsible for selling merchandise, running cash register, opening and closing store ♦ Achieved over $6,000 in sales during the summer working part-time

Crew Member, Hardees, City, ST March 2005-May 2006 ♦ Worked as part of a team to provide quality customer service ♦ Trained in all areas of the restaurant and received two raises based on performance

Volunteer Experience Meals on Wheels, Fordville Humane Society, Senior Citizen Center, church activities Activities/Hobbies Volleyball, Future Business Leaders of America, National Technical Honor Society, Band, Drama, Hiking Education Fordville Central High School, City, ST Anticipated Graduation Date: May 2011 Elective Coursework: Microsoft Computer Applications, Accounting, Web Design 7 Achieved “B” Honor Roll, Freshman-Sophomore years

Sandy K. Miller 7289 Plains Drive City, ST 00000-0000 (000) 000-0000 [email protected] Summary of Qualifications

• Strong leadership skills, responsible, dependable • Hard working, reliable, flexible • Precise, follows instructions, organized, and gets along with others easily

Volunteer Experience • Carved Pumpkins for Valley Memorial Homes, October 2007, 2008, 2009 • Collected cans for the Food Cupboard as FBLA Chapter Project, 2009 • Organized selling of Daffodils for the American Cancer Society through NHS, Spring 2008-2010

Extracurricular Activities

• National Honor Society (NHS) 2008-present • Renaissance Club 2008-present • Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) 2007-present • Yearbook Committee 2007-present • Distributive Educators Club of America (DECA) 2007-present Elected chapter president of DECA, 2009 Took 1st place in International Business Plan for State DECA Competition, Spring 2010 Took 2nd place in the Free Enterprise System for State DECA Competition, Spring 2010 Volleyball 2005-present Lettered in Volleyball, 2009-2010 Awarded Most Valuable Player, Volleyball 2009

Academic Achievements

• 4.0 cumulative GPA • Achieved “A” Honor Roll, 2007-present • Certified Microsoft Office Specialist: Word, Excel, PowerPoint • Studied in Spain through Foreign Student Exchange Program, 2008

Education Central High School, City, ST Expected Graduation Date: May 2011

Angela Rodriquez 1515 36th Street South (000)000-0000 City, ST 00000 [email protected] OBJECTIVE To obtain an intern position with a veterinarian, learning the roles and responsibilities of a veterinary technologist. WORK EXPERIENCE Farm Worker, City, ST Summers 2008-2009

• Acquired experience in raising and caring for cattle, hogs, rabbits, ducks, chickens, and sheep.

• Administered vaccinations.

Veterinary Assistant, Animal World, City, ST January – May 2009

• Learned about veterinary medicine dealing with anesthetic, prescription drugs, and heartworm testing.

• Observed spray and neuter surgeries, along with other various surgeries performed on cats and dogs.

• Scheduled appointments, cleaned facilities, and maintained accurate records.

Crew Member, Burger King, City, ST October 2007- May 2008

• Accurately placed customers’ orders and operated till.

• Assembled food orders for customers in timely fashion.

• Consistently built sandwiches according to quality control standards.

EDUCATION Central High School, City, ST Anticipated Graduation: May 2011 Related Classes: Physical Science, Honors Biology, Health, Medical Careers Achievements: “A” Honor Roll, five semesters Accepted into National Honor Society (NHS) Accepted into National Technical Honor Society (NTHS) Awarded “Kindness Award” by administration and staff School Activities: Photographer for school newspaper Administrator of yearly school-wide blood drive President of French Club Participant in band and choir Member of Yearbook Committee

RESUME FACTS & TIPSWhat is a resume?

A resume is a living, changing document that summarizes your skills, qualifications, education, work history and other relevant information. Each resume should be customized to fit the job you are applying for. How can a resume be used? A resume can be used to…

• market yourself. • get you an interview (but it is the interview that gets you the job). • apply for jobs. • apply to colleges, clubs, organizations, or for scholarships. • assist you in filling out job applications, and/or attach to applications. • network with other people. • assist your references. give teachers/counselors information about you when writing letters of recommendation.

Resume Tips:

• Use standard 8.5” x 11” paper • Avoid fancy type or difficult-to-read styles • Bold, underline, or capitalize headings • Double space between sections • Single space within sections • Copy or print on quality resume paper

Content Formatting

• Keep it simple and clean • Limit your resume to one page • Use action verbs • Stress skills and accomplishments • Be honest and don’t exaggerate • Be specific and accurate • Put information in order of interest to your targeted reader • Use key words to “speak” reader’s language • Be positive and enthusiastic • Have someone proofread and critiques your resume

All resumes should be targeted, meaning they are written to an employer’s specific needs. Things to Avoid

o Don’t use “I,” “he/she,” “we,” “us,” etc. o Don’t write in sentences o Don’t list personal references o Don’t include personal information (marital status, religion, appearance, etc) • Don’t mention salary or wage

High School Students Need a Resume, Too! As a high school student, you may think that you don't need a resume until you are about to graduate from college and begin your search for a full-time job. However, high school students need resumes just as much as college students do. From getting into college to obtaining a part-time job, a resume is essential because college recruiters and employers alike want to see a brief summary of your abilities, education, and experiences. [Taken from: http://www.ecampustours.com/collegeplanning/applyingforcollege/highschoolresume.htm]

Five Tips for Better Resume Writing 1) Avoid the first person pronoun Instead of this: I increased sales because I gave customers a chance to try out the merchandise. Write this: Increased sales by giving customers a chance to try out merchandise. 2) Keep your sentences short and don't worry about fragments Resumes call for short, crisp statements. These statements do not necessarily have to be complete sentences; you can frequently leave out the articles a, an, and the. Instead of this: I was involved in the creation and implementation of statistical reports for a large metropolitan hospital, which required the use of spreadsheet software for cost analysis and, in addition, the creation of a database to track patient visits. Write this: Created and implemented statistical reports for large metropolitan hospital. Analyzed costs with spreadsheet software. Created database to track patient visits.

Or try a bulleted format:

• Created and implemented statistical reports for large metropolitan hospital. • Analyzed costs with spreadsheet software. • Created database to track patient visits.

3) Use plain English Keep things simple. Go easy on the adjectives. Don’t use a bulky phrase that can just as easily be expressed in a single word. See the examples in the table below. Using Plain English Bulky Phrase BetterEffected the solution of SolvedEngaged in the operation of OperatedOffered assistance in the facilitation of

Helped facilitate

Chapter Eight: Careers in FilmWhat can we learn from the movies?

At a glance



Analysis of film

Use “The Rookie,” “Megamind,” or “Kung Fu Panda.”

- Feel free to insert your own choice of film here.

Guest Speakers:The importance of knowing what you want to doDifference between a dream and a career

Student Activities Reminders Pros and Cons Sheet The next chapter will require lab time. Don’t

forget to go ahead and schedule it!Lesson Plans:

After viewing the movie, fill out the attached sheet. Use this to have a class discussion.

Name: _______________________________________ Date: __________________________



1. What was the character’s dream job?

2. What sort of duties would someone with this job have to do?

3. What was the character’s actual job?

4. What sort of duties would someone with this job have to do?

5. What is your dream job?

6. What would you do at this job?

7. What is your back up job?

8. What would you do at this job?

9. Analyze the two jobs you listed. Is there any overlap of the duties/job requirements? What is it?

10. Complete a Pros/Cons list for each job.

Dream Job Pros Dream Job Cons Back up job pros Back up job cons

Circle three items that you consider the determining factor for having a job that you enjoy.

“Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life.”-Confucius

What does this quote mean to you? Which job do you think you will love?

Chapter Nine: Career Research At a glance



Career Research Preparing for the Career Fair

Guest Speaker Topics:

Student Activities Reminders Do what you are Guest Speaker persuasive essay I want to be essay

Go to the professional center and log in for the lesson plans. They begin on page 8 of 10.

Lesson Plans:

Complete the Do what you are worksheet.

Guest Speaker Persuasive Essay:Lesson: Guest Speaker Persuasive Essays[In order to practice persuasive essay writing (district writing assessment) and also give the students choices of guest speakers, they will write persuasive essays to their teacher requesting a specific guest speaker. The students do not have to ask for a certain person, but they can request a speaker from a certain career field (i.e. lawyer, doctor, professional athlete). This also gives the teacher many options as to the variety of guest speakers to obtain. This can be incentive-based (for example, the best persuasive essay “wins,” and that students gets his/her request).]

Objective: Students will practice their persuasive essay writing skills, while attempting to convince their teacher to find their choice of guest speaker. (And see above)

Materials: Notebook paper, Pens/Pencils, Red pens (optional)

Necessary Vocabulary:Persuasion = Presentation of ideas to compel some actionCompelling = ConvincingThesis = That which the author wants the reader to accept as true or reasonableConcession = Acknowledging an opponent’s reasonable argumentsLogos = Appeal to reasonPathos = Appeal to emotions

Activities:- Students write a five-paragraph persuasive essay (Intro, 3 Body Paragraphs, Conclusion) trying

to convince their teacher to get a guest speaker from a certain career field.- Students trade essays with a partner.- Students edit each other’s essays with red pens (optional).- Students trade essays for a second time.- Students edit each other’s essays with red pens (optional).- Teacher collects essays and decides on a “winner.”

Resources (Any Sample Five-Paragraph Essay Outline, Persuasive Essay Guides, Opportunity to work



with English teachers on Cross-Curricular Unit):- http://www.studygs.net/fiveparag.htm- http://grammar.ccc.commnet.edu/grammar/five_par.htm

Have students complete the Career Research section of the website. This will take several days. Plan on being in the lab for 3-5 days.

Creative Activity: Have students create a job poster that contains important info: i.e. job title, duties, educational requirements, pay, related careers, and two images that pertain to the job.In honor of the career fair, it would not hurt to post these in the freshman hallways to promote interest in various jobs.

Thank you note activity: To be completed after the Career Fair. Follow the directions on student worksheets!

I do/don’t want to be a teacher essay….

DO WHAT YOU ARE….

Name:

Personality Type:

Strengths:

1.

2.

3.

Blind spots:

1.

2.

3.

Satisfying Career Characteristics:

1.

2.

3.

Personal Learning Style

1.

2.

3.

Negotiating Style Strengths:

1.

2.

3.

Negotiating Style Blind Spots:

1.

2.

3.

Did any of these answers from the survey surprise you? Why or why not? Page

89

What did you learn about yourself that you do not realize before taking this assessment?

Choose one career from each of these clusters which interests you. Communications and Media

Community Services, Hospitality & Tourism

Education and Training

Engineering Human Services

Agricultural& Natural Resources

The Arts Environment

Health Services Science &ScientificResearch

ComputerScience andTechnology

Government and Law

ManufacturingAnd Building

Military and ProtectiveServices

Sports and Entertainment

Marketing and Sales

Which career would you like to explore? Choose one of the careers you listed in the above chart:_______________________

What are 3 important skills needed for this career:

1.

2.

3.

What are 3 important 1.

abilities needed for this career:

2.

3.

What are 3 important knowledge areas?

1.

2.

3.

Name: ______________________________

Future Profession: ___________________________

I Want To Be A/An ____________________________ Because…

Areas to Consider:

- Salary- Hours- Benefits- Work Conditions- Necessary Education- Area of Specialty- Rewards / Drawbacks- Necessary Skills- Etc.

Reason #1 = ___________________________________

Reason #2 = ___________________________________

Reason #3 = ___________________________________

Reason #4 = ___________________________________

Reason #5 = ___________________________________

BRAINSTORM

Title: _________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Writing Thank You NotesPart I (10 min): Read the article below and answer the questions after.

Give Thanks, Get Hiredby Kevin Donlin on May 6, 2010

One day in September 1996, I was talking to Steve, my manager.

We had just interviewed a woman for a writing job. Discussing how we ourselves had been hired, I mentioned that I had mailed a thank-you note to the manager who interviewed me. “So did I,” replied Steve. And we were both hired. Wasn’t that a coincidence?

The next day, we received a thank-you note from Leitha, the woman we interviewed. We hired Leitha.

Coincidence? I think not.

Because, according to the American psychologist William James: “The deepest principle in human nature is the craving to be appreciated.”

When you thank someone, be it an employer after an interview or a friend who gave you a job lead, you help satisfy their need to be appreciated, which can propel you faster toward employment.

And it all starts with two words: Thank you.

Here’s the kicker: In my experience counseling job seekers since 1996, I have never met anyone who faithfully mailed thank-you notes and struggled to find a job. That’s how powerful thank-you notes are.

ACT-style Comprehension Questions:1) Steve, Leitha, & the author (Kevin) all got hired. All of them also wrote thank-you notes. Which of

the following is the best conclusion we can draw from facts given the rest of the article? a. The job required them to write thank-you notes, and they showed they were skilled at it. b. They were applying for writing jobs, and thank-you notes were the best way to give the

employer a writing sample; other applicants may have written poems which weren’t as good. c. Their thank-you notes influenced the people who were hiring them, even though they were

not the main reason they got hired. d. They all had a passion for thank-you notes, which had nothing to do with getting hired.

2) What does this article suggest about why you should write thank you notes? a.Everyone likes being appreciated, so thanking

people makes them feel good. b. Thank you notes guarantee you will

get hired.c.Companies expect you to write them thank

you notes after any kind of interview. d. Good people write thank-you notes.

3) So why might we write thank you notes for the Career Fair? a.The employers at the Career Fair gave up their

time, and we appreciate them. b. We want jobs from the employers at

the Fair.c.They will expect thank-you notes. d. We need to prove that we are nice

people.

4) What do you think companies will remember or think about our high school and our students after getting a thank-you note?

Part II (10 min): Brainstorming - What do I write?

Writing a thank-you note can be scary if you don't have a plan. Many a person has sat and just stared at the blank paper, wondering what to write. Worse than that is the B-O-R-I-N-G thank-you note.

Instead, take 5 minutes before you start to think of things to say.You will write about the company you talked to in Interview #2.

Fill in the bubbles below about that specific company.

Think back to the Career Fair and how you felt at it and after it …Now, put yourself in the professional’s shoes

What did you like?

What did you learn?

What was helpful?

What was fun?

Why do you think they did this?

What do you think they gave up to do this?

Did they have any special insight/experience that helped

you?

What did you like most about them?

Part III (15 min): Writing a DraftNow we can start writing! Always start by getting your thoughts down on a piece of scratch paper first, like this one.

Step 1: GreetingWrite “Dear Mr./Mrs. (first name) (last name) , ”

EXAMPLE: “Dear Mr. Michael Steele,”

Your Turn: ,

Step 2: Grabber Sentence(s)Start by writing 1-2 sentences to thank them for what they gave - their time, advice, expertise, etc. Look at the right side of your brainstorm page for ideas. After he/she feels appreciated for what they did, of course it will grab their attention and they will want to see what else you have to say! Make sure to mention their company here.

EXAMPLE: Thank you for taking time out of you schedule at Deloitte & Touche to let me see what the life of a finance analyst looks like You communicated so clearly! I really appreciate you wanting to help high school students like me.

Your Turn: _____________________________________________

Step 3: Definer Sentence(s)Now, write 1-2 sentences thanking them for specific things you learned or liked. Look at the left side of your brainstorm page for details that show you were listening closely.

EXAMPLE: Thanks for helping me learn that companies don’t always do their own finances. I think I would like to work with lots of different companies, like you talked about. In any case, I really had fun doing the video conference!

Your Turn:

_____________________________________________________________

Step 4: Concluder Sentence(s) Wrap up your letter by thanking the interviewer again in a different way.

EXAMPLE: Again, I really appreciate your time and advice as I think about careers in business.

Your Turn: __________________________________________________________________Part IV (25 min): Publishing Your Nice Copy

Read the four parts of your letter without any pauses to a partner and get their opinion.

Is there anything they think you should change? Is everything appropriate? (Nothing personal, about money, or incorrect?) Does your grammar and vocabulary use sound correct?

Then fix anything your partner suggested. Have them sign below that you have done so:

__________________________________________

NOW you’re ready to write your nice copy.

1) Get the card paper from the teacher and fold it over to make a card.

2) On the front of the card, write “Thank You” or your high school name in nice letters. Feel free to color it using colored pencils, or add a nice, simple drawing or decoration.

STO

3) Inside, write the text of your thank you note in blue or black pen. If you run out of room, you may write on the back.

4) When you finish, write “Best Regards” or “Sincerely” and sign your name below.

5) Make sure that both the professional employee’s name and the company name are somewhere on the card; if not, write them in pencil on the very back of the card.

When you finish, try to help someone else – remember, all these thank-you notes make us all look good as a school.

ESSAY: I Want (Don’t Want) To Be A Teacher Because…

Write an essay in which you outline five (5) reasons why you do (don’t) want to become a teacher.

Areas to Consider:

- Salary- Hours- Benefits- Work Conditions- Necessary Education- Area of Specialty- Rewards / Drawbacks- Necessary Skills

Example:

(Teachers can feel free to use this example. However, I believe it would be beneficial if they took 30 minutes to write their own example. I believe this would be helpful for multiple reasons. First, they can explore their own reasoning for wanting to become a teacher in the first place. Secondly, they can connect with their students. Finally, it is always useful to do the assignments that you expect your students to do.)

I want to become a teacher for the following five reasons: salary, rewards, necessary skills, area of specialty, and hours.

Many people complain about the fact that teachers are underpaid. Could teachers be paid more? Yes. Should teachers be paid more? Absolutely. However, it is entirely possible to make a good living as a teacher. Teachers, especially in public schools, are rewarded for extra efforts such as additional education (Master’s and Ph.D. degrees), lead teacher stipends, coaching stipends, and so forth. In addition, the salary is consistent, and it is enough to fulfill basic needs. I am not someone who needs a life of luxury. I want to be comfortable and happy, and I think that I could do that on a teacher’s salary.

A major advantage of being a teacher is the rewards. Luckily, I am not someone who needs instant gratification, someone who needs to see instant results. I have heard that oftentimes in the teaching profession you do not see the changes that you have made. Teaching is a noble and honorable profession in which you can (and do) change lives. We have all had teachers who have had profound impacts on our lives, and I want to be one of those teachers. The ability to change one life, to make one life easier, is the reward of being a teacher. As Ralph Waldo

Emerson said, “success is…to know even one life has breathed easier because you lived.” My definition of success is based on the lives that I impact, the lives of children.

Another reason why I want to become a teacher is the necessary skills. One such “skill” is the desire and ability to work with children. It is my belief that those who work with children have the ability to stay young (at heart, at least). Not only do I have the skills necessary to connect and communicate with children, but I also really want to do so. No matter how much education or training that you give someone, you cannot give someone a desire the work with children on a daily basis. That desire comes from within each person. Since I started working with children at a young age, I realized that I had a desire and a gift to do so. In my opinion, this also means that I have a responsibility to do so.

Every teacher needs an area of specialty, and mine is the area of the French language and culture. I am so passionate about this specific specialty area that I want to pass on this passion to others. I hope to have the opportunity to take a group of students abroad. In my opinion, traveling and living in a foreign country is the key to developing cultural understanding and appreciation. I was blessed with the ability to study abroad in a foreign country during country, and I want to pass along the lessons that I learned and ideally an opportunity for others to follow in my footsteps. I have the skill set and the desire to become a French teacher thanks to my high school French teacher, and I would like to continue to impact a new generation of French learners.

The final reason why I want to become a teacher is the hours. The schedule of a teacher is ideal for the lifestyle that I would like to have. I put a high priority on family. I want to have a wife and kids, and I want to make sure that I am able to spend time with them. The great thing about being a teacher is the amount and the duration of breaks. My father was a teacher (before he retired), and I was able to experience these advantages every summer. While the doctors and lawyers were busy working, my father was able to accompany me on vacations, baseball trips, and college visits. I will always be thankful for the role of my father in my life, and I look forward to having that role in my child’s life. I believe that the lifestyle of a teacher is conducive to the family values that I hold dear.

These are the five reasons why I want to become a teacher.

Chapter Ten: How can I pass my exams? At a glance



Test Taking TipsALL RESOURCES ARE ONLINE

VISIT THIS WEBSITE:

http://www.testtakingtips.com/Student Activities Reminders

Lesson Plans:

Go to www.testtakingtips.com. Put students in groups of 4-6 people. Assign each group a category: Test taking tips, reducing test anxiety, and cramming for a test. Have each group prepare a lesson and teach the rest of the class how to take different kinds of tests, mentally prepare for exams, and how to properly cram for a test.

This is a great time to review the proper way to conduct yourself when speaking in public.

http://www.testtakingtips.com/



Additional

Activities

Classmate BINGOFind a classmate who…

Was born in a different

state

Loves math Has five or more siblings

Has braces Is a huge Miley Cyrus

fan

Plays a sport for the school

Has been to the ocean

Is left-handed Has been on TV before

Is a huge Justin Bieber

fan

Has a summer birthday

Knows where he/she is going to college

Did all of his/her

summer reading

Has been snow skiing

Owns a pet goldfish

Is an only child

Would sing a song in front of the entire

class

Knows how to “dougie”

Enjoys school Eats breakfast

every morning

Wears a digital watch

Still sleeps with a stuffed

animal

Can do more than 25 pushups

Prefers apple pie over

chocolate cake

Knows the rules to chess

Directions: (1) Ask each student in the class two (2) questions. (2) When the student responds, write his/her name in the appropriate

boxes (one time for a food item, one time for a drink item). (3) At the end of the time, write your name in the appropriate boxes

Partner Activity #3: Classroom Rules

This Freshman Seminar class should be a joint venture between teacher and students in which we all learn about ourselves and others. In order to promote and maintain a healthy classroom environment, it is necessary to have some rules. At the end of the day, the teacher has the final say over which rules are instituted and implemented; however, students perform best when their voices are heard. This is your chance. This is your time.

Meet with your partner to discuss which rules you would like to see in your Freshman Seminar classroom. Be specific.

List five of your best ideas below. 1. In this class… _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________.

2. In this class… _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________.

3. In this class… _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________.

4. In this class… _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________.

5. In this class… _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________.

August 21, 2011(Date TBA)

Dear __________________________ (Me),

I want you to remember how you felt when you entered high school. I was…

This year, I want to accomplish three things…(1, 2, 3)

By the end of my freshman year, I know I will…

I will consider myself successful when I…

The main thing that I need to work on this year is…

Sincerely, Me

HOMEWORK: Teacher BINGO

Find a teacher who… (Get a signature)

Was born in a different state

Speaks another language

Played a sport in college

Plays a musical instrument

Knows all of the words to the

national anthem

Has a Master’s degree

Is left-handed Had another job before becoming

a teacher

Prefers vanilla ice cream over

chocolate

Drives a truck

Has more than four siblings

Knows how many Scrabble

points a K is worth

Is a coach Has lived in a foreign country

Has taught for over 20 years

Has multiple children

Took karate lessons as a child

Knows William Shakespeare’s

birthday

Has longer hair than you do

Likes to cook

Owns a pet other than a dog

or a cat

Can say the alphabet

backwards

Is an Eagle Scout Has read all of Moby Dick

Is a vegetarian

Team Coloring

Objective: For each person to contribute to a group project and for the group to work together as a team. Group Size: 4-8 participants

Challenge: Each group member takes a marker. Each group member MUST choose a different color. You must decide on colors before deciding what to draw. Once a color is chosen, it cannot be changed. The group must now create a picture, using ALL of the colors. Each person may use ONLY his/her color. No trading or sharing is allowed. The picture must be as realistic as possible.

Discussion Questions (to be done after the picture is completed): 1. Was this a difficult task for your group? If so, why was it difficult?

2. How did you work as a group to complete the picture? Describe the process.

3. Is everyone in the group happy with the picture that was created?

4. Is it easier to do things by yourself or with others?

5. Why is it important to be able to work with others as a member of a team?

Partner Activity 1: What Annoys You?

In a classroom of 30-35 students, you will notice that all of the students are different. Each of you has your own unique personality with strengths and weaknesses. In high school, much like in life, you will always be asked to work in groups. You will rarely, if ever, get to choose your group, your partner, or your co-worker. Before working with others, it is very helpful to know what you have in common. You have heard the expression, “Don’t judge a book by its cover.” When you actually start asking real questions, you may find that we all have more in common than you would think.

First and foremost, let’s examine what types of personality traits, strengths, weaknesses, likes, and dislikes we have in common. Choose a partner (or find the partner that your teacher has chosen for you). Ask each other questions, and talk until you have found five things you have in common. [Try to find deep similarities rather than “We both like the color red.”]

Activity #1: What similarities do you and your partner share?1. _______________________________________________________________________2. _______________________________________________________________________3. _______________________________________________________________________4. _______________________________________________________________________5. _______________________________________________________________________

Now, let’s see what our differences are. Sometimes it is helpful to be honest about the things that really “push our buttons.” Whether we admit it or not, we all have little things (or big things) that annoy us. Please share at least five things with your partner that annoy you, and write down your partner’s answers below.

Activity #2: What annoys your partner?1. _______________________________________________________________________2. _______________________________________________________________________3. _______________________________________________________________________4. _______________________________________________________________________5. _______________________________________________________________________

Partner Activity #2: What Makes You (Un)comfortable?

Reflection #1: Have you ever had someone hurt your feelings? Of course you have. We all have. What exactly does it take to hurt your feelings?________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Reflection #2: What can a group member, classmate, or partner say to make you feel comfortable? List 10 things that someone could say to “build you up.” 1. ____________________________________________________________________________2. ____________________________________________________________________________3. ____________________________________________________________________________4. ____________________________________________________________________________5. ____________________________________________________________________________6. ____________________________________________________________________________7. ____________________________________________________________________________8. ____________________________________________________________________________9. ____________________________________________________________________________10. ___________________________________________________________________________

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