Personal Orientation Project
POP 404-04
Teacher: J. kosow ()
The Personal Orientation Project program’s main purpose is to help students begin personal, job and career related explorations. The course will help students begin the process of career exploration in a step-by-step way so that they can recognize their strengths and work on the skills that need improvement. The POP is not designed to make or direct students toward making any kind of final decisions in regards to the various careers or jobs they can or should follow. Nor is the program intended to make any kind of moral or ethical judgements on the choices that students make in terms of possible career choices. Students will have the opportunity to discover their work ethic values and the positive personal characteristics they bring to their society and future jobs. POP is a student driven course in that they will be responsible for all of the work that goes into their investigations of their various fields of interest. Therefore, the key component of the students’ success is the students themselves.
The Course in a Nutshell
· Help the student develop relevant expectations of their personal skills and the steps they need to take to be successful as students and as future employees and employers and demonstrate the need for responsible and healthy choices when it comes to choosing possible career paths.
· Have students recognize that the world of work in not only about their personal career satisfaction but also about what they bring back to their communities and how they can contribute to creating a better society.
· Students will come to understand that POP career exploration is about engaging in a process and the choices they make in their everyday lives. Students will also have the opportunity to see that the kinds of relationships they create have an effect on their own successes in the world of work.
· Students will also develop computer based literacy skills and learn how to do research and job exploration in an efficient and productive manner.
Possible Methods and Activities of Exploration
· Consulting Career Resources
· Job Shadowing (The job shadow will take place on one school pedagogical day)
· Visiting Educational Institutions (Rosemount Technology Centre/John F. Kennedy Business Centre, Shadd Business Centre, St. Pius X Culinary Institute, Laurier MacDonald Vocational Centre)
· Professional Speakers from various fields
· There are four principle career exploration websites:
ü www.careercruising.com
ü www.repertoireppo.qc.ca
ü http://www.learngrics.ca/vodzone.htm
ü http://www.youth.gc.ca/eng/home.shtml
Competencies
Students will be evaluated on two basic competencies:
· Competency 1: Carries out a Process of Career Exploration
Ø Plans his/her exploration process
Ø Varies the means of exploration
Ø Looks critically at his/her exploration process
· Competency 2: Contemplates his/her Learning and Work Possibilities
Ø Consolidates his/her personal profile
Ø Shares his/her reflections
Ø Considers possible career paths
Online versions and additional information is on the Westmount website at: http://www.westmount.koumbit.org/
Class Work and Evaluation Criteria
Elements Being Evaluated
Participation Computer Work Reflections
Professional Development Homework Projects
Powerpoint Presentation(s) or Prezi Portfolio (Written and Electronic)
Participation: includes behaviour, sharing, and completion of in-class activities. Therefore, because some of you are shyer than others you will not be penalized for not speaking in class but that assumes that you are not disruptive to the class. Furthermore, participation also assumes that you are following all the rules/guidelines of working and being in the POP room.
Computer Work: as the POP is a computer based course you are expected to work often on computers while you research the various careers you wish to explore more fully. You are expected to complete computer work in a timely fashion according to due dates provided. Keep in mind that using the computers is a privilege and that all work can be done at home. This means that the privilege of using the computers must be maintained by the students and if any unprofessional behaviour, in regards to computer usage, is observed students will have their privileges removed. Furthermore, if due dates are not respected or a certain amount of productive work does not occur while the students are using the computers they will lose computer privileges and will complete their work and homework by hand and at home.
Professional Development: professional development represents your personal development of a professional persona. A professional persona includes characteristics like punctuality (getting to class on time), a work ethic (getting all your work done on time), personal integrity (taking responsibility for yourself and any mistakes you may make), honesty (being truthful about what you have done or continue to do in your life), efficient use of time (using class computer time well) and an understanding that the class is treated like a serious work environment where it is not permitted to visit emails, blog, or chat on MSN.
Homework: not all work will be done or completed in class. It is expected that you do some work at home and get it done for the due date(s) required.
Projects: there will be various projects throughout the year.
Power Point Presentation: you are required to do a power point presentation or presentations throughout the year.
Portfolio: you will be expected to accumulate and organize your best material of the year or material chosen by your teachers, which is to be organized into a digital portfolio and presented at the end of the year in a power-point presentation.
Students will complete POP with identified career possibilities in sectors/fields of interest with the knowledge that these possibilities fit with their personal characteristics and aptitudes.
Required Class Materials
Binder
Hilroy exercise books (32 or more pages)
Black and Blue Pens (no other colours allowed)
Mechanical Pencil(s)
Whiteout
Computer Supplies (absolutely required)
· USB Key
Due Dates & Sending Work by Email
All due dates for handing in (or emailing) assigned work tasks are fixed unless there is a valid emergency or reason. All hard copy work is due at the beginning of class. Work that is to be handed in by email is always due by midnight of the day it is due. All homework, class work, assignments, etc… will be posted on the school website, and/or will be given out verbally, and/or hard copies will also be provided (if necessary) for your workbook/duo-tang or binder.
Please speak to your individual teachers for their emails and particular requirements for sending homework by email)
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