Transcript Senior Career Portfolios - CTAP Online Lesson Plans Archive

Senior Career
Portfolios
Mark Surdyka
*Mark Surdyka [email protected]
*Language Arts 8, 9, and 12
*San Pasqual Jr./Sr. High School(760) 572-0222
ext. 2233
WebQuest
The Senior Career Portfolio is based on Kathleen O’Malley’s
“Mirror Mirror” internet webquest (must be typed exactly):
http:www.teachtheteachers.org/projects/KOMalley3/index.htm
Seniors in my Language Arts 12 completed a career portfolio: title
page, table of contents, interest surveys, job search information
(based on interest surveys), career templates, background information,
resume, personal essay, personal letter, and recommendation letters. Ea
student had to present a career template to the class; although a
PowerPoint presentation was optional, most of the students did it. In
addition, a hard copy of the portfolio was turned in for credit (I used
Kathleen’s rubric found at the end of the webquest). The idea was to
give students a valuable resource whether they planned to go to college
or enter the workplace. The personal essay and letter, the background
info., and the recommendation letters are additions I made (not on
webquest).
Expectations for Teacher
• Find ways to
integrate
technology in the
classroom.
• Get students more
actively involved.
• Locate interesting
lesson ideas.
• Become more
knowledgeable
about technology.
Actual Learning
Became more proficient with
Microsoft Word:
*Word processing
*Troubleshooting
*Tools(such as resumes)
Gained insights into
meaningful sites for lessons,
resources, and even
colleagues; discovered ways to
integrate technology in the
classroom (students were
motivated to learn).
Learned how to use
PowerPoint and Spreadsheet
programs, and used LCD
projector and Laser Disc for
teacher and student
presentations
Hands-on practice using a
digital camera
Lesson Successes
• Motivated Students
-received positive feedback from students; students worked hard.
• Relevant Project
-students actually used projects for jobs and college applications.
• WebQuest
-students completed an internet project using pre-selected sites.
• Standards Addressed
Shortcomings
• Lack of computers (no computer lab available for entire
class: requires creative planning).
• Variety of Microsoft Word (’98, ’99, etc.) programs on
computers in library -resulted in loss of saved work.
• Internet sites are not always available (to view workers in
workplace for instance).
• Some career sites were not available in areas of student
interest (teacher needs to decide if a free search is
acceptable).
• Lack of knowledge in the areas of troubleshooting,
Microsoft Word, and PowerPoint (students were very
helpful and I learned with my students; I liked the
teamwork I observed).
• A couple of students thought they did not need this
project (but now in May, they realize they were wrong!).
Lori V. (F)
Wendy R. (F)
Jennifer W. (F)
Aide G. (F)
David S. (M)
Alfredo B. (M)
Josepha A. (F)
Michael J. (M)
John G. (M)
Carol M. (F)
Elizabeth G. (F)
William S. (M)
Marquita P. (F)
Felix M. (M)
Patrisha S. (F)
Ernesto S. (M)
Adrianne M. (F)
Kristen R. (F)
Data Analysis
100
90
80
70
60
Intro Activity
50
Enabling Activity
40
Culminating Activity
30
20
10
0
Class Averages
Culminating
Activity
Intro Activity
Enabling Activity
Before and After Career Project Chart
Microsoft Word (1&2) and PowerPoint (3&4)
100
50
1
0
4
3
2
S1
Before and After
Chart Explained
• In an informal survey, 44% of my seniors said they
felt confident using Microsoft Word before the
Career Project, but 88% reported confident after
completion.
• 11% (two students) were knowledgeable about
PowerPoint before beginning the Career Project
whereas 72% showed competence after completion
(presented using P.P.). What’s interesting is four out
of the five who did not present are now presenting
their research papers utilizing PowerPoint, and now
in May, students are giving much more impressive
demonstrations by adding sounds, cutting images
from internet, and giving natural deliveries( rather
than simple reads)
Work Samples
• See lesson online (each
portfolio is twenty pages or
more).
• Hard copies available to
view at presentation.
Lesson Revisions
• Add information to informal survey: ability to navigate the
web, career direction, digital camera knowledge.
• Add digital camera component.
• Require the personal letter rather than optional ( I had an
excellent model and format).
• Add more essay models; in addition, give more thesis and
paragraph practice before starting Career Project.
• Add job applications and interview (real if possible); get a
guest speaker to talk to students about applications and
the interview process and emphasize the importance of
accuracy.
• Develop a better management system (rotational plan set
up two weeks in advance; limited computers available).
• Develop deadlines in advance for different components.
More Lesson Revisions
• Convince administration to install updated and
uniform Microsoft Word programs (rather than the
variety-97,98,99-we have now).
• Three Native American students with good
attendance and two with poor attendance failed to
complete the final portfolio (they also failed the
semester; one dropped out of school). Possible
solution: seek help from Native American advisor
and/or tribal council, parent contact, and/or possibly
transfer at-risk students into my morning class
where I have an aide who is computer competent
(no easy solutions).
• Add word processing pre-test (not only an informal
survey-to test comfort level on Microsoft Word).
Summarize Experience
•
•
•
I am almost embarrassed to admit that the Senior Career
Portfolio took five weeks to complete (original plan: three) due to
the fact that this was a new project for me, seniors had a high
absence rate, Microsoft programs were lost, and students had
difficulties navigating the Microsoft and PowerPoint programs.
On the positive side, all major projects (essays, stories, poem
books, and research), and even many minor ones, were word
processed for the rest of the year, and students seemed
enthusiastic about their work.
As a result, I designed other lessons requiring technology, and I
do believe technology is the way to go. For example, all my
students (8th,9th, & 12th) had to write stories using Alpha
Smarts (stories used later in county writing contest). Problems
were created(sharing files, downloading,management, and
slowness), but I noticed the payoff later in the year. Students
checked out Alpha Smarts to complete work at home, and they
downloaded their work at school on their own.
Concluding Statement
• Teachers need to plunge into the pool of technology
because technology will definitely enhance teacher
lessons, and it grabs our students’ attention. My CTAP
experience gave me the push I needed to incorporate
technology into my classrooms. I learned how to navigate
through various programs, and it helped to clarify
standards- based education.
• Most Language Arts teachers are drowning in a sea of
standards and because of this abundance, I am not so
sure uniformity (district to district) can be created,
though I like the idea of backward planning because it
forces teachers to be more organized and clearer about
their plans: activities and assessments. This kind of
planning will definitely keep teachers afloat.