New Year, New Beginnings

Its day three of a new year here at the Delaware Area Career Center and there have been quiet a few changes from last year. Our staff has been reorganized in preparation for our building merger and we are now in three separate teams. One of the focuses this summer for our south campus team was how to better prepare students to be successful in our unique learning environments to begin the year(see earlier posts if you are just joining our journey). Reflecting back on the first two days I think we did a much better job of preparing students to jump in to our system. Heres what our schedule looked like for those days. Disclaimer: We only have students for half of the day, the other half they are in their labs so we have about a 3 hour window with them. 

Day One:
1. Started with formal introductions of our staff and administrators

2. Split our group in half. One half was given an orientation and login information on how to use the Chromebooks. The other half did some great team building and get to know you activities to break the ice.

3. Once we switched we broke students into 4 different groups. In these groups we had each one attend a different session 1. Session one was on policies and how to start their day 2. Session 2 was with their math instructor going over class set up on Blackboard or Google Classroom and getting them going on their first assignment. 3. Session 3 was with the science instructor doing the same. 4. Session 4 they completed learning style inventories and another get to know you activity.

4. With only about 30 minutes left until lunch students were given time to complete their first math videos and assignments

Now I know of these sessions don't seem like the most exciting but I think overall we had a good mix of team building activities getting students out of their seats and giving them the necessary skills and knowledge to get them going.

Day 2 was more tech focused and went as follows:

1. We again started them with some team building activities. We wanted to get them talking to one another and make sure they were awake. Our new English teacher, Mrs. Friece,  had some great activities that had the kids laughing and talking.

2. We again broke them into 3 smaller groups. In these sessions we went over the basics of Google Docs, Classroom and Drives as well as having them download some different extensions that we thought would help them be successful.

3. After our tech sessions we split the group in half and had them switch between their English instructor and myself,  their government teachers since we are the only ones who have every student in our setting. After quick intros, discussion on expectations and class set up we gave students the last hour or so to get to work and ask questions.

Moving around and talking to students after all this they seemed to be comfortable with our way of doing things and were really excited to get going. Day three seems to be a reflection of that sentiment as they have really gotten after it and seem to be comfortable in our new learning environment but of course we are in the honeymoon stage :-)

There were lots more changes from last year that we will be sure to update you on over the next week or so. Hope everyone's year starts off as well as ours did.

Hears to a new year and a new beginning.

Student Summer Plans

As a teacher to juniors and seniors in high school, it’s important to encourage students to use their summer wisely as potentially one of the last extended breaks of their life. Students should focus on activities that will prepare them for the future, and activities that they enjoy and love to do. Here is a great list of ideas for students to keep them active and engaged for the summer months!

Get a Job: With open availability, this is a great time of year for students to work, earn, and save. Typical jobs for high-school students include retail and food industry. Some jobs might be future interest based, like a paid internship, working in an office, or as an apprentice for a labor position. There are also seasonal positions like lifeguarding, summer camp counselor, child care, zoos, golf courses, etc. Students would be wise to look at their potential earnings and coming up with a goal or savings plan. Check out this article for ideas on high school part time jobs.

Classes: I know, I know: classes kind of defeats the whole definition of summer. However, with the extended expectations of degrees in college, many students opt to earn dual credit at community colleges or take summer school classes that free up their school year for more advanced opportunities.  Students still have a break from the full school day experience, and don’t feel as overwhelmed having work for just one or two courses in the summer as opposed to a full course load.

Hobbies and Talents: with the great weather, and the flexible schedule, students should take full advantage of doing something they really love.  Like I said, this may be the last time in the near future to take advantage of a break. Play a sport, take up running, join a theater group, take up an instrument,... just do something you love.

Volunteer: Junior and Senior year is when students are in full swing of college applications.  Students should have a few volunteer and extra-curricular activities in their back pocket.  There are great opportunities at libraries, churches, child care facilities, parks, and community centers. Make sure to log or have documentation of the hours completed and a description of the event or task. Check out this article for community service ideas.

Prepare for Future: There is no time like the present to start working for the future. Summer is a perfect time to prepare for college entrance exams, visit college campuses (although there might not be as much activity in the summer), save money, or research scholarships. Here is a great resource for college planning.