Career Choices – Freshman Seminar

Mr. Gerasimou

Room. 301

(714) 986-7500 Ext: 14301

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Dear Parent and Student:

I. Course Overview: What is the Freshmen Seminar Course About?

It will be a unique classroom experience that will help you realize how the classroom connects to your future hopes and dreams. Too often students ask, “How does school prepare me for the real world?” This class is the answer to that very question.

Throughout this course you will examine who you are, what you want, and how you get it. It is my hope that through freshmen seminar you will discover the necessary steps to attain the lifestyle you dream of and discover how your passions, values, skills, and personality open the door to future opportunities.

a. Course Outline:

I. Introduction to High School

  1. Knowing your school and Campus
  2. Who’s who
  3. Graduation Requirements, Course Offerings
  4. Extra- Curricular Offerings and Expectations
  5. School Standards, Rules, Regulations

II. Career Choices Curriculum

  1. Personal Values
  2. Personality Profile
  3. Career Interest Curriculum
  4. Career Portfolio
  5. Resume
  6. Cover Letter
  7. Applications
  8. Interview Questions
  9. Goals
  10. Creating a Realistic Budget

III. Study Skills:

  1. Note Taking
  2. Test / Exam Taking Techniques
  3. Study Skills
  4. Optimizing study / note-taking techniques to your personality and strengths

IV. College Interest / Post-Secondary Options

V. Final Project

  1. Oral Presentation
  2. PowerPoint

II. Text / Material Used In This Class:

  • Text: Workbook & Career Choices Text
  • 3 ring binder with paper and 5 dividers
  • Pens and PENCILS!! (For Scantron Tests)
  • Notebook (spiral bound or perforated)
  • SSR reading book (must be brought to school everyday).

III. Grading:

No grade is ever given, but rather earned. Grades on assignments are given as points. Each activity is graded with a point value rather than a number grade. Grades are determined by the amount of points earned in a specific category.

I use a standard grading scale for all assignments.

A=100-90%

B=89-80%

C=79-70%

D=69-60%

F=59-below

IV. SSR

The purpose of the course is to prepare students to be successful in high school, college and adulthood. Students who are proficient in reading are more successful both academically and in daily life, therefore students will be required to participate in SSR to help them develop this skill. Students are encouraged to read a book they will enjoy. Each student will be required to bring an SSR book to school each class day. Students will lose participation points if: (Kindle, Nook and iPad are acceptable: Phones are not)

We will read for 12 minutes every Thursday, but students are expected to have the book with them at all times.

  • They do not bring a book
  • They are not reading during SSR
  • They are reading a textbook, newspaper, or magazine

V. Procedure for Make-Up & Late Work:

It is the student’s responsibility to obtain the assignments missed while absent. Any missed work may be made up ONLY if absences are cleared with attendance.

If you have an excused absence from class and have missed assignments, you will have the amount of days you were absent (up to one week, unless student missed assigned long term project) to complete the work unless another schedule has been arranged by the teacher.

Please obtain your readmits before returning to class.

IT IS THE STUDENT’S RESPONSIBILITY TO OBTAIN WORK / QUIZZES / TESTS

that were missed due to an absence.

  • LATE WORK: Late work will be accepted during the course of the unit of study in which it was assigned, or within 1 week of the next unit beginning. It will be given 50% credit for completed assignments.

VI. Classroom Procedures and Rules:

Expected Classroom Behavior: Anything you do which interferes with your ability to learn, impedes your classmates’ ability to learn, or interferes with my ability to teach is disrespectful and inappropriate and therefore unacceptable.

Be respectful of others and myself at all times.

  1. You are to be in your assigned seat and ready when the bell rings. The school tardy policy will be strictly enforced. If you’re not in your seat, you’re tardy.
  2. Be ready to work when the bell rings.
  3. NO FOOD OR DRINK ALLOWED IN THE CLASSROOM! (Except water).
  4. Electronic devices: Cell phones, and all other electronic devices must be turned off and put away during class time (Unless being used for an assignment). The Yorba Linda High School rules and consequences for cell phones and electronic devices will be enforced.
  5. The school dress code policy will be enforced.

VII. Cheating / Plagiarism:

Cheating and or plagiarism will not be tolerated. They will result in the loss of credit for the assignment and the PYLUSD and Yorba Linda High School policies for academic dishonesty will be enforced.

VIII. Aeries

Aeries is a valuable tool for the students to keep track of their grades and progress, as well as for parents to monitor their child’s progress throughout the semester. Aeries will be updated on a weekly basis or as needed.