DRIFTING OUT IN THE GREAT BEYOND:
(Life After High School)
The Career Unit
English I-CP Ms. Fehrenbacher
January & February 2007
To be of use
By Marge Piercy
The people I love the best
Jump into work head first
Without dallying in the shallows
And swim off with sure strokes almost out of sight.
They seem to become natives of that element,
The black sleek heads of seals
Bouncing like half-submerged balls.
I love people who harness themselves, an ox to a heavy cart,
Who pull like water buffalo, with massive patience,
Who strain in the mud and the muck to move things forward,
Who do what has to be done, again and again.
I want to be with people who submerge
In the task, who go into the fields to harvest
And work in a row and pass the bags along,
Who stand in the line and haul in their places,
Who are not parlor generals and field deserters
But move in a common rhythm
When the food must come in or the fire be put out.
The work of the world is common as mud.
Botched, it smears the hands, crumbles to dust.
But the thing worth doing well done
Has a shape that satisfies, clean and evident.
Greek amphoras for wine or oil,
Hopi vases that held corn, are put in museums
But you know they were made to be used.
The pitcher cries for water to carry
And a person for work that is real.
Objectives for the Career Unit
When you finish this unit, I expect that you will demonstrate a working knowledge of the following skills:
I. Research Skills
A. Gathering Information – from written, oral, and media sources
B. Organizing Material – note taking, outlining, paraphrasing, selecting and editing
C. Evaluating Data – comparing and contrasting different sources, determining source validity
D. Documenting Material – referencing information; using quote punctuation; using a works cited list
II. Writing Skills
A. Producing a Formally Documented Report – outlining and writing a research paper with a works cited list.
B. Gathering material in note form from on-line databases and from personal contacts
III. Self-Analysis Skills
A. Discovering how you make decisions based on likes and dislikes
B. Noting how your attitudes change and develop
C. Learning about your interests, skills, values, weaknesses, strengths, and desires
IV. Media and Reference Skills
A. Learning about career interest inventories
B. Exploring government publications and job kits
C. Using on-line resources effectively
D. Re-Discovering all the research opportunities out there!
Career Unit Calendar 2007
(this calendar will take the place of the syllabus for January/February)
MON / TUES / WED / THURS / FRI22
Introduction to the project
HW: Parent Interview Due Friday (updated) / 23
TEACHER WORKDAY
NO SCHOOL / 24
HW: Research Topic Due Friday / 25
Computer Lab for Job Interest Profiler Activity
HW: Research Topic due tomorrow / 26
DUE:
Research Topic
DUE: Parent Interviews
HW: Notecards for List 12
29
DUE: Vocab List 12 notecards
Organize into Groups
HW: Phone or In-Person interview due Mon / 30
HW: Phone or In-Person interview due Mon / 31
HW: Phone or In-Person interview due Mon / February 1
DUE: Completed research from 3 sources by end of class today
HW: Phone or In-Person interview due Mon / 2
Vocab Quiz 12
Begin Work on Oral Presenations
HW: List 13 Notecards and phone or In-Person interview
5
DUE: Vocab List 13Notecards; Research Interview
Work on Oral Presentations / 6
Last Day to Finalize Your Oral Presentation and Visual! / 7
Job Fair Day! / 8
Job Fair Day! / 9
Vocab Quiz 13
Last Job Fair Day!
HW: List 14 notecards
12
DUE: Vocab List 14 Notecards
Begin working on Research Paper / 13
Working on Research paper
Computer Lab 104 / 14
Early Release Day
Computer Lab 132 (3rd Period Only) / 15
Computer Lab 104 today and tomorrow / 16
Vocab Quiz 14
HW: Rough Draft Due Monday; List 15 Vocabulary Notecards Due Mon.
Tasks in the Career Unit
Event
/ Date Completed / 1.Take and interpret the career interest inventory (in-class, online)
2. Interview your parent and turn signed form in
3. Do research using on-line files and other material
4. Make and appointment for an interview
Name/Time/Place (or over the phone)
5. EXTRA CREDIT: Job observation and ½ page write up (typed)
6. Write a thank-you note for your interview. THIS IS OF UTMOST IMPORTANCE!!!
7. Make an oral presentation outline and coordinate your presentation with others in your career group
8. Give your presentation at the job fair
9. Completed Research Paper and Works Cited List
10. Turn in career notebook (see guidelines for grading)
Notes:
Your Career Team
Unless you plan on being a hermit, your career choice will link you to many, many other people. So that you will learn about several occupations, you will join a team of three or four to help you monitor your progress and to share information periodically. These teams will serve as the forums to practice your oral presentations as well as to help proofread your papers.
Career Profile:
9 Topics to Guide your Research
These topics are intended to guide you in your research. You are not limited to answering only these questions; you should include in your research other information that you find. But the answers to all of these questions must be in your final research paper. In order to answer them thoroughly, use the materials in the CIC, plus material you receive in the mail and information gathered from your interview and observation. Each question should have information that is at least one healthy paragraph in length. WHEN DOING YOUR RESEARCH, YOU DO NOT NEED TO WRITE IN COMPLETE SENTENCES.
Resources:
(1) Total minimum number of resources: FOUR(includes interview). No maximum limit.
(2) Record the source citation information as you go – otherwise you will have to go back and find the information you need:
CITATION INFORMATION-
- Author
- Title (both article and book/website)
- Web address (if applicable)
- Date Published
- Publication Company (if applicable)
- PublicationCity (if applicable)
1. Job Description
Describe the specific activities and responsibilities of this job, as well as the larger area that this job is related to. (Example: Carpenter, with larger area of construction) Be sure to include what typical days are like.
2.Working Conditions
a.General conditions – What are the working conditions? Be detailed and specific.
(For example: Is the job done indoors? Outdoors? Does it require getting dirty? Is it stressful? Is it noisy or quiet? What time of day does one do this job? How are the hours? What sort of demands does it require on a person?)
b.Special Conditions – Is the work seasonal or affected by particular conditions? Are there any residential or mobility requirements, including travel, for this job? (For example, a tax accountant’s work is severely affected by the fact that taxes are due on April 15th. During that time of year, accountants are EXTREMELY busy. A snowboarder can’t really choose to set up her or his life in Texas.)
3.Skills and Qualifications
a. What qualifications are necessary to acquire this job? Age, sex, physical requirements, knowledge of computers or languages, ability to work certain equipment, endurance, etc.
b. Special Qualifications
What other qualifications are necessary, such as special certification? Examples: Personal qualities such as desire to help others, willingness to be flexible, interest in special groups such as children, old people, and other qualities such as patience, precision, curiosity, etc.
Is this job open to all applicants, male and female, all religions, all political affiliations?
4. Education
What specific education is needed for this job?
a. In general, how many years of school? Graduate school? What courses are needed in high school? What college major is needed, required, or preferred?
b. Investigate 2 specific options for college. What are the entrance requirements for these two colleges? What is the program like within the college?
c. What special training is needed for this job? If you were to actually pursue this career, where would you obtain this training? How much will it cost? How would you pay for it?
5. Job Availability
How available will this job be in 8 to 10 years? Does the outlook show that the numbers of this job are increasing or decreasing? What factors will influence the outlook for this job in the upcoming years?
6. Getting into your job & Advancement within the job
How does one go about getting his or her first job in this area? Be very specific and concrete.
What are the prospects for advancement in this career? Describe the “ladder” in this career, from the bottom to the top.
7. Salary and Benefits
What is the salary range and what are other formal (and informal) benefits of this job? (For example, teachers get the summers off)
8. Your personal Qualifications
In what ways are you qualified for this job, concerning your interests, abilities, and talents?
What personal strengths and attitudes do you have that might result in your success in having this job? What weaknesses do you have that might hinder you?
How well does this job seem to fit you? Why?
9. Advantages and Disadvantages (positives and negatives)
What are the advantages and disadvantages of this job?
Arranging the Interview
I. Requirements
You are required to arrange and conduct an interview of someone who works in the career areas that you are researching. This interview may be conducted over the phone. For the following reasons, it is important that you favorably impress the people that you contact:
1. You may be interested in applying to them for a part-time job.
2. You represent NorthwestGuilfordHigh School’s ninth grade. These people will likely judge all Northwest’s ninth graders according to your performance.
3. If you are effective, they will be more willing to meet with Northwest’s ninth graders working on careers projects in the future.
If you are having difficulty arranging your interview/observation, see Ms. Fehrenbacher immediately.
II. Making Contact
A. If you get someone else:
1. Record his or her name.
2. If necessary, identify yourself and explain the purpose of the call.
3. If your person is not available, ask for a good time to call back.
4. Call back at that time.
B. When you make contact:
1. Identify yourself.
2. Ask if he or she has a moment to talk with you about one of your school English assignments.
3. Describe how you got her or his name as a prospective interviewee.
4. Briefly describe your requirements for a half-hour interview and an additional observation.
5. If the person is willing, interview them now. If NOT, set up a date and time for an interview at her or his convenience. If the interview will not be over the phone, get directions to the location.
6. Ask for permission to record the interview if you plan to do so.
7. Give him or her your home phone number in case plans change.
The Observation: For Extra Credit
The purpose of the observation is for you, the student, to see and describe a person or persons working on the job or profession that you have chosen to study, and to write about it in a creative way.
To arrange an observation, call or write an office, a business, a company, a factory or plant, or a university, to request permission to observe. It is very possible to combine an interview and an observation in one visit.
Take notes on the following:
1. The environment of the work: sights, sounds, smells, atmosphere
2. The equipment: uniforms, typewriters, computers, vehicles, etc.
3. The actions, the work going on
4. The length of time you observed
5. Your own responses and feelings
-- Would you like to work in this environment?
-- What do you like and dislike about the situation?
-- How difficult or skilled is the work?
-- What impresses you?
-- What worries you?
6. Conversations you have with anyone working here
These notes will be used to write up your observation, which is part of your career notebook.
Your observation write-up
After you have completed your observation, type up a brief account (1/2 page) of your experience.
Guidelines for the Oral Presentation
I. WHAT you say (Content)
The report must consist of the following four parts:
A. An introduction, which includes:
► either an anecdote, a tool, other visual aide, or a demonstration of a work task to attract and focus the audience’s attention
► A statement of the importance/significance of your job in society, the community, and with yourself.
B. Information about the job
► Selected data from media center research, chosen based on the following criteria:
(1) It must fit in with the allotted time
(2) It must give the audience an accurate and thorough picture of the career
(3) It should be interesting
► Include in this section information from your interview and, if you did it, your observation
C. Reflections
► A personal assessment of your own skills and interests
► Your personal opinions about the job (as opposed to media center data)
D. Closing
► Final thoughts about you and this career
► Make a connection to other jobs in the field, particularly others in your career team.
► Introduce the next speaker
II. HOW you say it (Presentation)
A. Speaking Skills
► adequate volume
► Varied tone of voice
► focused, practiced speech (avoiding rambling)
► saying things like, Uh, umm… a lot.
► Eye Contact (Do you look around the audience often? Are you always reading?)
► Posture
B. Visual Aid
► How well does your visual aide support and enhance your presentation?
III. BASIC Requirements
(1) Approximately 5-minute time allowance
(2) Being ready to go on-time on the day you are scheduled
(3) Effective use of in-class preparation time;Repeated, multiple practices during class time
Outline for Research Paper(Your paper will not have bullets or Roman Numerals)
I. Introduction
A. Introduction to the job
1. Brief description and why it’s interesting (hook the reader…)
2. Job’s importance to society
B. Introduction to me
1. My work values (what is important to me regarding work and life-style)
2. My interests
3. Why I chose to research this career (at the outset of this project)
II. Nature of the work (What does one DO in this job? Where does one do this work?)
A. Job Description
B. Working Conditions
C. Hours
III. Job Requirements
A. Abilities and Special Requirements (What does one need to know and what special skills does one need to have?)
B. Tools and Equipment
IV. Training Requirement or Education (How does one begin in this work? You must talk about YOUR potential plan here)
A. Admission Requirements
B. Cost (especially, how will it be paid for?)
C. Courses taken and preparation plans between now and graduation
V. Earnings & Advancement
VI. Employment / Job Outlook
VII. Your Interview
VIII. Your conclusions, and the lessons you learned as you researched your career
A. Advantages & disadvantages of this job
B. Reaction and Reflection
Your thoughts about this job and careers in general – why is it or why isn’t it right for you? What have you learned through this whole experience? INSIGHT!!)
IX. Works Cited List
Guidelines for Works Cited Page
Notebook Requirements______
--On the due date, you will turn in a bound notebook divided into the sections given to you on the career unit grade sheet (the very back of your career packet)
-- each section must be clearly labeled on a tab that sticks out.
-- put the grade sheet at the front of your notebook so that I can get to it easily.
Other notebook notes:
Works Cited List Requirements______
-- the Works Cited list must look EXACTLY like the bibliography form given to you in your school handbook (page 24-26). That means you must make the indentions, spacing, alphabetizing, etc. the exact same. Major mechanical points will be lost for not formatting it right.
-- the Works Cited list must be on a separate page, the last page, of your research paper.
Other Bibliography notes:
Works Cited List Model______
Works Cited
“College Facts & Figures: North CarolinaStateUniversity.” Peterson’s ThomsonLearningCollegesand Universities. 9 September 2002. >. Accessed 28 Jan. 2005.
“FBI at Work.” [Online] Available at
15 Jan 2002.
Hicks, Wilfordshire. Personal Interview. 23 January 2002.
“Professional Musicians.” Occupational Handbook. October 2004: 129-133.
Additional Notes:
-- Place each entry in alphabetical order by author’s last name if known and by first significant word (not including “www”) if author is not known.
-- Do no indent the first line of each entry but indent all others.
-- Underline all book titles
-- Place in quotation marks all articles (including internet articles) or chapter titles.
Name: ______
Evaluation Sheet: Career Unit Oral Report