Week of Dec.12-16th

Hi Gr.10's,

I hope you enjoyed your respective 'Safeteen' presentations last week. On Monday we will finish talking about Body Image and then begin talking about the use (and misuse) of Steroids. We will then begin talking about Alcohol use(abuse), how it affects the teenage brain, effects and consequences, drinking impaired, and impaired judgement. It should make for an interesting week.

Also, later this week, possibly even as early as Thursday, we will begin watching a Christmas movie in class. I have several options for you to choose from so I've created a POLL at the top of my page. PLEASE VOTE FOR ONE MOVIE YOU'D LIKE TO WATCH IN CLASS! The movie that has the most votes by Thursday will be the winner!

Your choices include:

See you in class!

Week of Dec.5-9th

Hi Gr.10's,

This week you will be having a Nutrition Quiz on Tuesday Dec.6th. Don't forget to finish completing your 5-day Eating Plan assignment. This is required for your Grad Transitions!

This week we will be studying Physical Fitness, Body Image, Eating Disorders and Steroid-Use. I will show you a few videos on this as well. We will be moving through this unit quite quickly, so ensure you are in class everyday on time.

On Wednesday and Friday we will be having guest speakers presenting on Workplace safety and Safeteen. Don't miss this great opportunity and PLEASE BE ON TIME!!!

There are a number of assignments from the Credit unit that are still not handed in. See the list on the left hand column of this blog and ask yourself if you've handed yours in!

See you in class!

Week of Nov.28-Dec.5

Hi Gr.10's,

This week we will continue studying Credit and the real cost of it. On Friday you didn't have much time on the computer, so on Monday you will be given class time to continue exploring the credit card simulator games. You'll also do two online quizzes on Credit 101 and how credit savvy you are, as well as compare credit cards online. Click on each of the links below for quick and easy access:

Credit Card Simulator Game
Quiz: Credit 101
Quiz: "How Credit Savvy Are You?"
Compare Credit Cards

Following that you will be assigned a credit activity that requires you to research the cost of buying a car. As it is double block on Monday, you will have ample time to work on this and should be able to finish by the end of the second block. The next assignment you will be looking at is the cost of buying a house/getting a mortgage. You will be given class time to work on this as well. I have links for both of these assignments under the "Important Links" on my webpage. They are:
     How to Lease a Car
     How to Finance a Car
     Realtor.ca >Find a House
     Mortgage Calculator

You can expect a quiz on Credit this week as well. I'm aiming for Wednesday so be sure to review your notes package in the days that follow.

See you in class!

PS. Don't forget, your Mock Interview is no longer this Wednesday Nov. 30th. It has instead been rescheduled to Wednesday, January 4th (the 2nd day back after the break).

Week of Nov.21-25

Hi Grade 10's,

This week first off on Monday you will be having a quiz on banking services. Read through your booklet thoroughly. Ensure also that you know the 7 required parts of a cheque. Please be sure to study, because the last quiz many of you bombed!!! :(

Following the quiz, we will quickly finish looking at balancing a cheque book like we did on the computer on Friday, before we move on to the next chapter, Personal Finance & Budgeting. You will need a calculator so ensure you remember to bring one to class!!!

We should be able to finish this by about Thursday for sure, whereupon we will start the next chapter on Consumer Credit.

Again, we are moving fast through this unit in order to allow us enough time for the remaining, more fun and interesting units. However, understanding your personal finance is incredibly necessary for you in your adult lives. Anyway, my point is this is important and we don't have a lot of time so be present, physically and mentally, and be ready to learn!

See you in class :)

Week of Nov.15-18

Hi Gr.10's,

Last week you had a lot of assignments due, as we wrapped up the Career & Post-Secondary unit of the course. Ensure that you hand in any missing work tomorrow/Tuesday so that you do not fall further behind.

Over the long weekend I have marked all of your cover letters and resumes and gave you a mark. All of you will have to make any appropriate changes (see my comments/suggestions) and print out a new copy of each to take to your Mock Interview on Nov.30th. Also, do not lose your cover letters or resumes. You should have both a paper copy as well as an electronic copy for future reference. You will be updating your resume throughout your lives, so keeping a copy will save you a lot of time and work!

This week we are starting Personal Finance. Since I have worked at a bank for the last 5 years, I have a lot of insightful knowledge on how banking, savings, etc. works. I have a lot of material to cover and will have to move quickly through it! Ensure that you are in class everyday and pay close attention. I want to finish this unit by the end of next week, if possible. You will need a calculator for this unit, so ensure you bring one to class each day.

BRING ME!!!

This unit will cover:

• Savings Plans- Benefits & Types
• Investments- Types, benefits & risks
• Everyday Banking & Financial Services
• Budgeting
• Credit
• Financial Plan- post-secondary costs & first year budget
• Sources of income
• Reporting income tax

This is a really important and highly relevant unit, as you will all have bank accounts, you'll all need credit, and you'll all need to know how to manage your money!!!

See you in class!

Week of Nov.7- Nov.10

Gr.10's,

There are a number of assignments that are due or are overdue, which MUST BE HANDED IN ASAP!!! Many of you are falling behind and your grade is reflecting that! Need I remind you that this is a required course for graduation??! I shouldn't have to. It's your mark and your time you're wasting if you really want to have to take this course again! It's up to you! I'm just saying...

Please see the Due Dates reminder on the left-hand side of this page to see what is due.
First, the Random Act of Kindness initiative project that was assigned over a month ago is now due! Is yours finished and handed in? Don't forget about your Transition Plan that was due last Friday as well!

Second, last week you should have finished your Career Research project (booklet + brochure) and wrote cover letters for the job postings you found as part of Activity 6 in the booklet.  The first draft of your cover letters were due on Friday Nov.4th. Only half the class turned them in for me to assess over the weekend. The idea was that I would have time to look at them and then would give them back to you to improve before handing them in for a mark. If you didn't get yours handed in, you have lost the chance for me to provide helpful feedback for you. That's right- you will take the mark you get on your first draft so you really have to proofread on your own!! See- timing matters! You had more than enough class time to get your cover letters done in class, so there are absolutely no excuses for not being done! On Monday I will pass back the cover letters that were handed in to me Friday. Your revised draft/good copy of the cover letter is DUE TUESDAY NOV.8th.  No exceptions!

Third, on Monday we will be starting Resumes. You will have Monday and Tuesday in class to work on these. We will do peer evaluation, and you may ask me for advice/suggestions/proofreading in-class.
Your resume will be due on Thursday Nov.10th.

Fourth and finally, we will be spending Wednesday and Thursday on Interviews and Interview Skills/Questioning! This will help you  prepare for your Mock Interview which is the end of this month- Wednesday Nov.30th in the library in Period 3. No exceptions, no lates. DO NOT forget!!

Mock Interview-Wear Business Attire

You should be checking your closet now for dress clothes/shoes, that would be appropriate for this mock interview. Remember the guidelines I gave you. I don't expect you to have a full suit, but dress pants/skirt collared shirt/blouse, and dress shoes is something you should have by now if you don't already. You will need these types of clothes sooner or later. Don't leave it until the last minute!

If you are missing any previous work/assignments, ensure you get caught up on those ASAP! We still have a lot left to cover in this course. If you don't catch up now, you WILL be left behind! Don't let that happen to you.

See you in class. Be ready to work!

Week of Oct.31- Nov.4

Hi Class,

This is a busy week for your class, with a lot due so please stay on top of your assignments! Here is an overview of what is happening and what is due this week:

Monday (double block)

Career Brochures are Due

Small Group presentations- I will put you into small groups of about 5 people and then I'll give you class time to share what you learned about your career with your classmates
Hand in Career Booklet (Activities 1-6 completed) with the following included in it:

• Career matchmaker results sheet 
• Career Brochure
• Job Search result (2nd copy should be handed in separately for your mock interview)

Employment Types review (for upcoming quiz)
Employability Skills Activity and discussion
If there is any remaining time, you can work on your Transition Plan (due Friday!)

Tuesday
Employment Types Quiz (I hope you're checking this blog so you'll be prepared!)
Cover Letters (based on Job Search from Career Booklet Activity 6)

Wednesday
Finish cover letters- peer and teacher assessment


Thursday
Resumes and writing your own resume


Friday

Transition Plan is due!!

Resumes

** REMEMBER: RANDOM ACT OF KINDNESS project is due MONDAY NOV.7th

Week of Oct.24-28

Hi Everybody,

This week you will continue working through the Career Planning booklet I gave you last week. You should have finished Activities 1-3 using the Career Cruising website. This week you will begin researching one chosen career and find out details about the job, as well as the post-secondary requirements for it. You will then be creating a detailed brochure about your career, which you will be presenting to your classmates in small groups. The due date for this is Monday October 31st. Don't worry...for those of you who do not know how to make a brochure, I will teach you! You're lucky in that you have a teacher who also teaches Info Tech ;)

See you in class!

PS. Don't forget the due date for your Random Act of Kindness is fast approaching!!!

Week of Oct.17-21

Hello Grade 10's!

I'm looking forward to FINALLY having another double block with you. It's been awhile! This week is only a 4-day week so that means we have A LOT to get done in a shorter period of time! Keep reading to find out what we will be doing this week...


Recently we've been discussing in class the importance of your Grade 10 year, and keeping your grades up to ensure all the doors are open for you when you graduate and are deciding what you want to do with your life. It is very difficult for most teenagers at your age to know what you want to do in 3-5 years from now. That is why it is SO IMPORTANT that you do your very best, take all the academic courses, and keep your marks high to ensure you have a solid GPA to meet entrance requirements for post-secondary education!!! You would hate to slack off now only to discover 3 years from now that you needed a higher average, or you needed an extra class that you could have taken when you were in high school. My saying is "You're here ANYWAY...so you might as well use your time as effectively as you can and get the most out of high school so you don't have to come back and upgrade!"

That being said, I have an inspirational movie based on a true story to show you all about the importance of keeping your GPA up and where that can take you! I will show it on Monday because it is our double block period. Hopefully we can get through all of it.

QUIZ- Tuesday Oct.18th
On Tuesday you will have a quiz on Grad Requirements, Focus Areas, Grad Transitions, and Post-Secondary Education. I reviewed the content with you on Friday and will be able to answer any questions you may have on Monday in class. Just remember to know specifics- Ex: which classes are required, how many credits you need, what the math pathways are, what the focus areas are, what the components of Grad Transitions are, what four types of post-secondary options are available to you, how long each of the programs are and what you receive, etc.


New Unit- Career Planning
Following the movie and the quiz,  we will be starting the Careers unit. I will be going over the Career Planning  activities and project with you. This is a very important unit and we will be doing something new everyday so ensure you are in class and ready to work! You may have also noticed I've added a number of new links to my webpage. These are useful links that you may wish to use for your career projects, as well as on your own in the future. I'll talk more about these in class.

See you in class! Have a great 4-day week!

Week of Oct.11-14

Hi Everyone,

On Tuesday we will finish with the Focus Area Presentations. There are a number of you who have not yet presented. Be prepared to present, no if, but's or maybe's (that means no excuses). Ensure you have emailed your attached Power Point file or Prezi link to my school email (see About Me). I will check my email tonight (Monday night) and let you know if I have received it or not. Remember, you can 'cc' yourself or just add your own email address to the 'To:' field so that you get a copy of your email. You can then check to see if your presentation attachment worked properly.


We will finish the presentations on Tuesday and then move on to Grad Transitions and Post-Secondary options. You will have another online webquest to learn about Grad Transitions (those 4 credits you must earn to graduate) and then learn about furthering your education after high school.  You will have a quiz on all of this (Grad Requirements, Grad Transitions, and Post-secondary options) at the end of this unit. Depending on how much progress we make this week, the quiz could be this coming Friday, or the following Monday. Date T.B.A. (To Be Announced)!

See you in class! :)

Week of Oct.3-7

Good Day Everyone!

On Friday we started our second unit- Graduation Requirements. You were to research online using the 2011/12 Grad Planner to find out what courses and credits you need. This is Due Monday Oct.3rd. Be expected to hand it in first thing on Monday if you didn't finish in the class time provided. (If you were absent that day, you will be sent to the library to complete this.)

Here is a break down of what we will be doing this week:

Monday- Graduation Requirements
             - Other Ways to Earn Credits
             - 8 Focus Areas
             - Focus Area Assignment (Explain, Form Groups, Choose Topics)
              (See IMPORTANT LINKS for useful links)

Tuesday- Focus Area Assignment (Time to work on project)

Wednesday- Focus Area Assignment (Time to finish project)

Thursday- Focus Area Presentations (Groups will present their focus area)

Friday- Focus Area Presentations (if necessary)
          - Grad Transitions

* Reminder: Your Self-Identity Project is now OVERDUE!! Complete and hand in ASAP!!!!

Week of Sept. 27-30

Hi Class,

I hope you made good use of your long weekend by getting your Self-Identity Projects completed, which are Due Tuesday September 27th!

This week we will be watching another movie that demonstrates two important lessons- one on values, which we talked about in our first unit, and the other on kindness....Random Acts of Kindness no less. We will watch this video on Tuesday and Wednesday, after which you'll have a multiple choice quiz  (so ensure you take notes while watching the movie). Following the movie I'll explain your next project, which is largely inspired by the movie. This is a big project, but a really good one. More to come on this in class so don't miss it!

In the meantime we will be moving ahead into the next unit, which deals with Grad Requirements, Post-secondary education, and careers. This is a really important unit, which will help you determine what you want to do in the future and what classes you'll need to take in order to get there! You will need access to the BC Ministry of Education's Grad Planner. You can access the site by clicking here: Grad Planner 2011-2012 or you may access it from my "Important Links" on the right hand side of my website.

See you in class!

Week of Sept.19-23

Hey Everybody!

This week we will be wrapping up our first unit on Self-Discovery with a project, review and a test.

For starters, don't forget your Values Survey and Self-Concept Journal Entry that were assigned on Friday. They are due on Tuesday September 27. (Monday is a non-instructional day.) 

You will also be assigned a Self-Identity Project. I will go over this with you on Monday. You will be given some class time this week, but the rest you'll be expected to finish on your own time. Don't leave it until the last minute. The due date is the following  Monday September 26.

In the meantime we will watch a movie in class that demonstrates personality types and values, review the topics we covered during this unit and have a final test.The test date will be Friday September 23rd.

It will be a fun, but busy week so come to class prepared to work. Bring any materials you'll need for your project.

See you in class!

Week of Sept.12-16

Hey Everybody,

This is just a reminder that your Personality Poster for the Who Am I? assignment is due Monday September 12. Ensure that you have your typed paragraph attached to the back and Part A stapled in front.

This week we will continue exploring personality, by doing a number of personality quizzes. We will be learning about Holland's six personality types. We will also be learning about the Multiple Intelligence Theory, about the Emotional Quotient, about Left and Right brain tendencies, and much more. There will be a lot of in-class activities that you will be doing that will later be incorporated into a final project for this unit. There will also be a Unit Test on the material we are covering, so ensure you are in class and stay on task so you don't miss out on any important information.


It should be a fun week as you begin to learn more about yourselves!

See you in class :)

Back to School :)

Hi Everybody and Welcome to Planning 10!

I am very excited to be teaching Planning this year. I think it is a highly relevant course about Life and all that comes with it-self-discovery, career planning, finances, health, nutrition, healthy relationships and more. And best of all, it is going to be FUN! We will be doing a lot of in-class activities and assignments, as well as projects this semester.


How can you be successful? Your success in this course depends entirely on you and your ability to keep up with and hand in ALL assignments ON TIME!  There is really no reason why you can't be successful in this course, so be prepared each class, be on time, pay attention, USE YOUR TIME EFFECTIVELY, and make your due dates!

Remember, while this is a fairly fun course, it is a REQUIREMENT to graduate so put in your best effort.

For a list of topics we will be covering this semester, please refer to the course outline. If at anytime you have questions about assignments or concerns please don't hesitate to email me.

Please check this site regularly for information and reminders on assignments, projects, due dates, and  tests. I'll do my best to update this weekly!

See you in class! :)