Community School of Davidson High School
Junior Seminar
2012-2013
Ann Marie McAfee/Jessica Smith
Course Description
Junior Seminar focuses on helping students with the transition to the next phase of high school. This course, facilitated by the school counselors,picks up where SophomoreSeminar left off and continues with all the things that juniors need to know to help them prepare for the “Next Step”. Over the course of four quarters, students reestablish good habits, develop college search opportunities and resume-writing skills, explore postsecondary options and begin the preparation for their senior year and beyond.
During the first quarter, students will use the College Match book and resources to help engage in such questions as:
- What am I doing to prepare for the future?
- How will I get from where I am now to where I want to be?
- What is a Good College or “Next Step” Fit?
- How well do I know myself? Who am I? What do I care about? Why do I want to go to college or receive post-secondary training?
- How can I find the college that offers the best fit for me?
- What have I learned about myself that might be helpful in assessing my strengths and weaknesses as a potential college student? What have I learned about myself that can help me find a college that “fits my needs”?
- What do I want to discover on my college visits that will get me closer in discovering a good fit?
Once students have completed self-surveys that help them determine “Next Step” options that are good fits, the student will participate in an individual conference with a member of the counseling team and a parent to help generate a list of post-secondary options to explore.
The second quarter of JuniorSeminar focuses onresume development. Students will learn the importance of determining what they want their resume to say about them and how to create one that is professional and relevant.
In the third quarter students will explore the application as a personal statement. How do students tell their stories creatively through their college application? How do they showcase their gifts? How do they present a compelling academic record?
Finally, during the fourth quarter, students will participate in autobiographical essay writing workshops. Students will continue to add to their electronic portfolios, which continue to showcase both the work they have done thus far and their interests for the future.
Class Policies
Students are expected to come to class with their laptops each day. This course’s goal is to be paperless, so students will need their laptops in order to access class work. If needed, please make arrangements before class to borrow a laptop from CSD.
Students will also need to check their school emails daily for announcements, feedback and reminders.
During Junior Seminar, all students will update their portfolios at least once a quarter. They are also encouraged to add activities on their own as they complete them so their portfolio remains current at all times. Students will continue to use CFNC.org as their portfolio system. They may opt to use additional presentational portfolios such as WIX or an art/athletics portfolio as well.
Assignments
Each week students will be asked to post a responseto a prompt on the class discussion boardand/or assignments on Schoology.com. Students may use the messaging feature to ask us private questions or give private responses. Students may check Schoology.com for missing work if they are absent.
Grading Policy
Completion of Junior Seminar is a part of CSD’s overall curriculum and a requirement for graduation. Students must complete all assignments in order to complete this requirement.
Tentative Calendar of Topics
1st Quarter: Reestablishing Good Habits/What is a Good College Fit?
August 24: Why Portfolios? What should I be doing my junior year to prepare for Post-graduation/Next Steps?
August 31:What am I doing to prepare for the future? How do I get from where I am now to where I want to be? (Setting S.M.A.R.T. goals and post on schoology.com.
September 7:What is a Good College/Next Steps Fit? Complete Self-surveys and post on schoology.com.
September 14: What is a Good College/ Next Steps Fit? Complete Your Activities/Experiences Record
September 21: College Speaker/Advisory Service
September 28: How well do I know myself? What Is a Good College/Next Steps Fit? Complete College Match Google Form for Fall Counselor Conference.
2nd Quarter: College Exploration and Resume Development
October 5: Overview of PSAT; Link to College Board’s Create a Testing Plan
October 12: College Visits: Customize own College Visit questions to use for U-visits or virtual college tours.
October 19: Advisory Service
October 26-29U-Visits
November 2Update CFNC Portfolio and Revisit Goals
November 9: What do I want my Resume to say about me?
November 16:Resume development/workshop
November 30: Advisory Service
December 7:Resume development/workshop
December 14: Resume development/workshop
3rd Quarter: Exploring the Application Process
January 4:The application as a personal statement: Review the Common Application
January 11:How do I tell my story creatively through the Application Process
January 18:How to present a compelling academic record
January 25: Advisory Service
February 1:Goal-Setting and Updating CFNC Portfolio
February 8:U-VISITS
February 15: What is a winning essay?
February 22:Advisory Service
March 1:How to take advantage of the enrollment model?
March 8: Is my Testing Plan in order?
March 15:Virtual College Search
4th Quarter: Preparing to Evaluate
March 22ADVISORY SERVICE
April 12:Autobiographical Essay Writing
April 19:Autobiographical Essay Writing
April 26:ADVISORY SERVICE
May 17: Autobiographical Essay Writing
May 24: Update CFNC Portfolio and Reflections on the Year