Step Into the Real World
~ Careers & Service Learning
Overview
Do high school students really know
what they want to do for the rest of their lives? Do they really understand
what choices are available? This project recognizes that new immigrants
need sudent-to-student guidance on college and career choices long before
high school graduation. School partners, Liberty Mutual Group and The
Boston Private Industry Council (PIC), provide opportunities for on-the-job
observation and training. Students help organize career fairs and share
insights with their grade nine peers. They research colleges on the Internet,
visit workplaces, and reflect on how serving the community leads to promising
careers. When they display their computer slide shows and exhibits at
the culminating learning festival, presenters and career buddies feel
confident that they will be ready to successfully Step Into
the Real World.
Classroom
Activities
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Community
Activities
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Career
Activities
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Use
career center resources (literature, computers, periodicals,
catalogs) to research college & career options. |
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Complete & interpret career interest inventory surveys. |
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Collaborate
on career day fair planning & activities. |
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Create
individual resumés & cover letters. |
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Form
teams & rehearse mock interviews. |
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Prepare
fact sheets on service & internship opportunities. |
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Graph
& post survey results on career center bulletin board. |
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Advertise
career day fair throughout school community. |
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Visit
middle school & schedule regular meetings with career buddies. |
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Perform
mock interviews for career buddies. |
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Brainstorm
ways to individually serve the community. |
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Report
& reflect on individual service experiences. |
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Distribute
fact sheets at learning festival. |
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Present
computer slide shows (see samples: banking,
desktop publishing, & pharmacy
at learning festival |
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Answer
career buddies' questions at learning
festival & give guidance based on personal experience.. |
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Greet
& introduce 30 visiting professionals in a Career Day "Speakers
Forum." |
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Participate
in two Liberty Mutual workshops on resumé writing &
interview techniques. |
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Work
with retired human resources professional on career choices. |
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Contact
personnel from Boston PIC to discuss career pathways. |
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Visit
industry sites, museums, agencies, hospitals, & community
centers. |
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Experience workbased on the job training. |
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Report
& reflect on site visits & on the job training. |
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Include
information & reflections in learning festival presentations. |
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Learning
Standards English Language Art
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Use
technology to obtain, use and present information effectively |
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Understand
and use the writing process effectively |
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Make
effective presentations |
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Collaborate
on projects that apply learning to educate others |
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Obtain
information from a variety of sources |
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Engage
in and facilitate group discussions |
School to Career Competencies
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Develop
Communication and Literacy Skills |
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Organize
and Analyze Information |
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Complete Entire Activities |
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Use
technology |
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Take
responsibility for career and life choices |
Assessment Based
on teacher/team decisions on final products (brochures, flyers, slide
shows, etc.), on-going peer evaluation of this material simulates work
place reality. Teachers also evaluate and grade student contributions
and participation in school based career day fair and learning festival.
Student and teachers review resumés and cover letters until final
drafts are produced. Each team rehearses presentations before the entire
class and receives constructive criticism. All participants evaluate written
feedback from career day fair and learning festival visitors.
Software or Materials Used
For documents and computer slide shows: Microsoft
Office. For literature on college and career preparation see list.
Web Sites Web
Sites for Step Into the Real World
Keywords Careers,
College, College Majors, ESL, Internships, Interview, Jobs, Learning Festival,
Resumés, School to Career, Service Learning
Final Words When
high school students realize how to pursue career dreams, they can communicate
valuable information to younger peers. As their knowledge and experience
increase, these role models become increasingly self-confident. At the
learning festival, middle schoolers were fascinated by the presentations.
They asked pertinent questions and had fun answering the high schoolers'
oral quizzes.
Teacher Tip Networking
is important when looking for internships and service opportunities. We
are fortunate to have great partners who show how students and teachers
can make "the workplace a learning place."
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E-mail contact
Kia Ling Chang - kchang@boston.k12.ma.us
Teresa Feeney - t.feeney@comcast.net
Valerie Wong - vwong434@yahoo.com
Teacher Bios
Kia Ling Chang teaches science and technology to bilingual students
at Charlestown High School, a School to Career school. Her ever-expanding
computer curriculum currently includes C++, web design and Cisco Networking.
In addition, she works with Liberty Mutual Group in an annual computer
programming competition that challenges students to demonstrate skills
learned throughout the year. For the past three years, Kia Ling has received
the Schott Gender Equity Grant and has developed a project aimed at encouraging
Chinese girls to pursue opportunities in the field of computer technology.
Teresa Feeney is the School to Career Coordinator at Charlestown
High School. She oversees the Upper School pathway classes and supports
teachers within that setting. Working closely with bilingual and ESL teachers
along with SPED and regular education teachers, Teresa acts as liaison
to school partners Liberty Mutual Group and The Boston Private Industry
Council (PIC). She directs activities in the Career Center and has successfully
written grants for school-to-work initiatives. As a veteran teacher skilled
in business and computers, she brings a repertoire of real world experience
to students and colleagues.
Valerie Wong teaches ESL at Charlestown High School. As a BPS
Lead Teacher, she welcomes and mentors newcomers to the profession. Currently,
she is developing several ESL curriculum guides that incorporate technology.
Her goal is to prepare students for college and successful careers. She
believes a strong commitment to technology combined with academic excellence
is the way to go.
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Subject Areas Computer
Technology, English as a Second Language (ESL), Science
Grade Levels 9 - 12
Students Bilingual/ESL students high schoolers
mentored Bilingual/ESL middle schoolers. Recommended for all high school
students
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