Classroom Presentations Designed To
Prepare Students in ElementaryandSecondarySchoolFor Making Wise
Choices About Their Post-Secondary Education & Career
Options
Presentations
done by:
Robert
Kirwan, B.A. (Math), M.A. (Ed)
Independent Education &
Career Planning Advisor
INVITATION TO CLASSROOM TEACHERS
OF GRADE 7 & 8 STUDENTS
Whereas Ministry guidelines
suggest that students in Grades 7 and 8 should have access to a broad
range of career exploration activities which may include visits from guest
speakers, I would like to request the opportunity to conduct in-class
presentations on career planning to your Grade 7 and 8 students.
This program has been developed to
emphasize the concepts which have been taught by classroom teachers
responsible for the career development portion of the elementary school
curriculum. Most students tend to better appreciate the significance of
their course content when it is reinforced by an outside guest speaker.
My experience has lead me to the
conclusion that in order for a person to make wise choices with respect to
post-secondary education options and future career selection, it is
imperative that a personal strategic career development plan be started or
at least given serious consideration during the late elementary school
years.
This is a public service which is being
provided by me in my capacity as an Independent Education & Career
Planning Advisor. As a member of the Ontario College of Teachers, it is my
moral duty to help young people enhance their educational experiences in
such a way that they will be able to make wise career choices. This web
site will be used as the "core" of my presentation to your
class. It will also be available to you and your students following the
presentation simply by accessing the site on the internet. It is truly my
hope that you will be able to gain some valuable knowledge and insight
into career planning from the different sections of this site.
If you are interested in booking a
presentation, simply contact me through the email link below and I will
get back to you to discuss a mutually convenient
time.
INVITATION TO SECONDARY SCHOOL
CLASSROOM TEACHERS AND GUIDANCE COUNSELLORS
Whereas
Ministry guidelines suggest that students in secondary school should have
access to a broad range of career exploration activities which may include
visits from guest speakers, I would like to request the opportunity to
conduct in-class presentations on career planning to your Grade 9 to 12
students..
This
program is being provided as a public service for secondary school students. It has been developed to emphasize
the concepts which have been taught by classroom teachers responsible for
the career development portion of the elementary school curriculum. Most
students tend to better appreciate the significance of their course
content when it is reinforced by an outside guest speaker.
My
experience has lead me to the conclusion that in order for a person to
make wise choices with respect to post-secondary education options and
future career selection, it is imperative that all students have a
personal strategic career development plan.
This is a public service
which is being provided by me in my capacity as an Independent Education
& Career Planning Advisor. As a member of the Ontario College of
Teachers, it is my moral duty to help young people enhance their
educational experiences in such a way that they will be able to make wise
career choices. This web site will be used as the "core" of my
presentation to your class. It will also be available to you and your
students following the presentation simply by accessing the site on the
internet. It is truly my hope that you will be able to gain some valuable
knowledge and insight into career planning from the different sections of
this site.
If
you are interested in booking a presentation, simply contact me through
the email link below and I will get back to you to discuss a mutually
convenient time.
PRESENTATION
OVERVIEW
PERSONAL
BACKGROUND OF PRESENTER
Robert Kirwan, B.A. (Math), M.A. (Ed)
In private practice as an
Independent Education & Career Development Agent since March
2005
28
year career as an elementary school classroom teacher
23
of those years spent at St.AnneSchool in Hanmer
experience
in all Grade levels from Grade one to Grade eight
member
in good standing of the Ontario College of Teachers
Valley East resident since 1974
Life-long
resident of the Greater Sudbury Area
CAREER PLANNING
QUALIFICATIONS
Worked
for Private CollegeSudburyfrom March 2004 to
March 2005
Responsible
for making classroom presentations to students in Grades 10 to
12
Completed
over 140 classroom presentations in schools from to North Bay
Decided
to become an Independent Education & Career Development
Agent in March 2005 in order
to offer services to all students from Grades 7 through 12
Opened up a Private Tutoring
Agency in Jan. 2007
Host of Weekly Radio Show on
Education & Career Development
DETAILS OF
PRESENTATION
Presentation
will be adapted to available classroom time
Minimum
of 40 minutes to maximum of 80 minutes
Presentation
is interactive with student participation
Use
of overhead or power-point projector will depend on group and
environment
Presentation
has flexibility to “adapt to the needs of the group”
Single
classes of 20 to 40 students are preferred because of
interactive element
www.careerplanner.ca
will become the comprehensive information reference source which
will allow immediate access during presentations
CORE TOPICS
How to choose the right career cluster based on your natural
talents and interests.
How to develop a research program to consider all of the
post-secondary options available to qualify you for a career
within your career cluster.
How to implement a Plan of Action which will enable you to be
in a good position to be able to enter your chosen career once
you are qualified.
How to prepare for career advancement and/or career changes
during the course of your working life.
GENERAL APPROACH
WITH
STUDENTS FROM GRADES 7 & 8
When
making the presentation to students from Grades 7 & 8 the focus
will be on:
the importance of discovering
one's true talents and interests while beginning to do research
on careers in which those talents and interests will be put to
good use;
the importance of becoming
aware of one's identity and image in order to behave
consistently with the kind of career you may wish to pursue;
the importance of developing
solid employable skills which will be demanded of you in the
workplace;
the importance of developing a
positive attitude towards secondary school as a stepping stone
to a career through good work habits, effective volunteering and
networking.
GENERAL APPROACH
WITH
STUDENTS FROM SECONDARY SCHOOL
When
making the presentation to students from Grades 9 to 12 the focus
will be on:
the importance of selecting
career goals based on personal talents, abilities and interests;
the importance of establishing
a career cluster target in order to be aware of the variety of
ways you can satisfy your career goals;
the importance of being aware
of all of the options with respect to post-secondary training
and to have a back up plan;
the importance of on-going
research into your post-secondary education options with respect
to the training and qualifications required to successfully fulfill
your career goals;
the importance of positioning
yourself within your career cluster environment through
effective volunteering and networking;
the importance of developing
the appropriate employability skills needed for your target
career;
the role of employment
agencies with respect to career advancement and changes through
your working life;
the role of non-traditional
education training options once you begin your career;
the importance of establishing
a Life-Long Career Plan.
GENERAL APPROACH
WITH PARENTS
When
making the presentation to parents, whether they be of children from
elementary or secondary school, the focus will be on:
the supporting role of parents
in the development of a successful careen and education plan for
their children;
how to enable their child to
identify his/her natural talents, abilities and interests and to
help the child discover possible careers where those attributes
can be most effectively utilized;
how to avoid falling into the
trap of trying to "force" a child into a career merely
because there are job openings in the career;
the importance of reinforcing
appropriate employability skills and personal development;
the importance of effective
volunteering and networking and how to use their own network to
help position their children;
understanding the role of
non-traditional education institutions such as private career
colleges and online university/college programs;
understanding the emerging
role of employment agencies in a person's life-long career plan.
REINFORCING
CONCEPTS TAUGHT IN THE CLASSROOM
Discussion
with the classroom teacher with respect to concepts that he/she
would like to have reinforced during the presentation;
Follow-up
presentations available during the year.
www.careerplanner.ca
will be updated regularly with new information and articles
designed to assist in career planning decisions
The web site will be purely
educational in nature with no commercial overtones in order to
maintain its integrity as an educational site
Your Career Planner Is A Free Public Education Service
Provided by
Robert Kirwan, B.A. (Math), M.A. (Education)
Independent Education & Career Planning Coach
Member of the Ontario College of Teachers
His office is located at 4456 Noel Crescent, Val Therese,
Ontario P3P 1S8
Phone: (705)
969-7215
