Ministry of Education The Ontario Curriculum Grades 11 and 12 Guidance and Career Education R E V I S E D 2006 Introduction This document replaces The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 11 and 12: Guidance and Career Education,2000 and the sections of The Ontario Curriculum: Guidance and Career Education, Open Courses (Draft), Grades 10 and 12, 2004 that pertain to Grade 12. Beginning in September 2006, all Grade 11 and 12 guidance and career education courses will be based on expectations outlined in the present document. Secondary Schools for the Twenty-First Century The goal of Ontario secondary schools is to support high-quality learning while giving individual students the opportunity to choose programs that suit their skills and interests. The updated Ontario curriculum, in combination with a broader range of learning options outside traditional classroom instruction, will enable students to better customize their high school education and improve their prospects for success in school and in life. The Place of Guidance and Career Education in the Curriculum The guidance and career education program plays a central role in secondary school by providing students with the tools they need for success in school, in the workplace, and in their daily lives. In particular, the curriculum focuses on skill development that will help students better manage their time, resources, and dealings with other people to improve their opportunities for success both in school and in their future lives. Courses in guidance and career education actively involve students in research, inquiry, problem-solving, and decision-making processes related to planning for postsecondary education, training, or work.The guidance and career education program is designed to recognize the diverse abilities, strengths, and aspirations of all students, providing them with knowledge and skills that will be benefit them throughout their lives. The goals of the guidance and career education curriculum are to enable students to: • understand concepts related to lifelong learning, interpersonal relationships, and career planning; • develop learning skills, social skills, a sense of social responsibility, and the ability to formulate and pursue educational and career goals; • apply this learning to their lives and work in the school and the community. These goals are organized into three areas of knowledge and skills: student development, interpersonal development,and career development, as outlined in Choices Into Action: Guidance and Career Education Program Policy for Ontario Elementary and Secondary Schools, 1999. The guidance and career education program aims to help students become more confident, more motivated, and more effective learners. Students learn how to identify and assess their own competencies, characteristics, and aspirations.They explore a broad range of options related to learning, work, and community involvement through a variety of school and experiential learning opportunities. Students develop learning and employability skills and strategies that they can apply in their secondary and postsecondary studies and in the workplace. They identify and develop essential skills and work habits that are required for success in the workplace, as well as skills needed for effective communication, teamwork, and leadership. In their guidance and career education courses, students learn about the changing nature of work and trends affecting the workplace, and gain insights into the challenges and opportunities they will encounter in the modern economy.The curriculum allows for opportunities for students to practise the skills they are developing in both school and community contexts and to become aware of the importance of contributing to their communities. As they learn about the career-planning process, students set goals for postsecondary education and work and develop the knowledge and skills they need to achieve those goals.The program helps prepare students for a changing world by demonstrating that a career is not just an occupational destination but also a journey that involves lifelong learning. It also teaches them to recognize and create opportunities, make informed choices, and pursue their personal and career goals more effectively. Through the guidance and career education program, students learn to manage the various transitions they will be making in the course of their lives, starting with their next major transition, from secondary school to postsecondary education or training, and work. Students prepare for a world that will demand adaptability and resourcefulness by developing the personal knowledge and skills they will need to navigate the future confidently and effectively. Teachers in all disciplines of the secondary school curriculum share some responsibility for developing students’ learning skills, interpersonal skills, and knowledge and skills related to career planning. In guidance and career education, however, these three areas of development are at the centre of the curriculum and are taught explicitly. Students relate what they are learning in various subjects in their secondary school program to their personal aspirations and interests and to possible work and life roles. Awareness of these connections increases the personal relevance of the curriculum for students and, hence, their motivation to learn and to set and pursue educational and career goals. Subject matter from any course in guidance and career education can be combined with material from courses in other disciplines to make a single-credit interdisciplinary course.As well, a full-credit or half-credit guidance and career education course can be used as part of an interdisciplinary package of courses. Policies and procedures pertaining to the development of interdisciplinary courses are outlined in The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 11 and 12: Interdisciplinary Studies, 2002. The secondary school guidance and career education curriculum builds on the work begun in the elementary program in the three interconnected areas of development – learning, interpersonal skills,and career planning. As Choices Into Action, 1999 makes clear, growth in these areas is an ongoing process that continues from Kindergarten to Grade 12 and throughout life. In both the elementary and secondary school programs, students acquire knowledge and skills that help them to become responsible and contributing members of communities, workplaces, families, and peer groups; to turn learning into a lifelong enterprise; and to create and prepare for futures that include meaningful, productive roles in work, personal life, and the community. From Grade 7 to Grade 12, all students develop and complete an annual education plan.The secondary school guidance and career education curriculum supports this process by teaching students the knowledge and skills they need to complete their annual education plans successfully. (Further information about the annual education plan can be found in Choices Into Action,1999.) Roles and Responsibilities in Guidance and Career Education Students. Students have many responsibilities with regard to their learning in school. Students who make the effort required to succeed in school and who apply themselves will soon discover that there is a direct relationship between this effort and their achievement, and will therefore be more motivated to work.There will be some students, however, who will find it more difficult to take responsibility for their learning because of special challenges they face. For these students, the attention, patience, and encouragement of teachers can be extremely important factors for success. However, taking responsibility for one’s progress and learning is an important part of education for all students, regardless of their circumstances. Mastery of concepts and skills in guidance and career education requires a sincere commitment to work, study, and the development of appropriate skills. Students should also be encouraged to actively pursue opportunities outside the classroom, through extracurricular activities and community service, to extend and enrich their knowledge and skills. Many guidance and career education courses provide students with the opportunity to develop a portfolio documenting their skills, experiences, and skills credentials (e.g., CPR,WHMIS, equipment training) as part of their ongoing learning and career development. Parents. Parents have an important role to play in supporting student learning. Studies show that students perform better in school if their parents or guardians are involved in their education. By becoming familiar with the curriculum, parents can find out what is being taught in the courses their children are taking and what their children are expected to learn.This awareness will enhance parents’ ability to discuss their children’s work with them, to communicate with teachers, and to ask relevant questions about their children’s progress. Knowledge of the expectations in the various courses also helps parents to interpret teachers’ comments on student progress and to work with them to improve their children’s learning. The guidance and career education curriculum promotes lifelong learning. In addition to supporting regular school activities, parents may want to encourage their sons and daughters to explore opportunities available to students through greater school and community involvement and participation in leadership-development activities.Attending parent–teacher interviews, participating in parent workshops, becoming involved in school council activities (including becoming a school council member), and encouraging students to complete their assignments at home are just a few examples of effective ways to support learning. Teachers. Teachers and students have complementary responsibilities.Teachers are responsible for developing appropriate instructional strategies to help students achieve the curriculum expectations, as well as appropriate methods for assessing and evaluating student learning. Teachers also support students in developing the reading, writing, oral communication, and numeracy skills needed for success in their courses.Teachers bring enthusiasm and varied teaching and assessment approaches to the classroom, addressing different student needs and ensuring sound learning opportunities for every student. Using a variety of instructional, assessment, and evaluation strategies, teachers provide numerous opportunities for students to develop research and inquiry skills; interpersonal skills, including both oral and written communication skills; and the personal-management, learning, and employability skills needed for success in school and in future work. Opportunities to connect these skills and concepts to real-life situations will help make learning more meaningful for students and will motivate them to become lifelong learners. Principals. The principal works in partnership with teachers and parents to ensure that each student has access to the best possible educational experience. In addition, principals work to support and encourage partnerships between the school and the broader community in order to facilitate the experiential learning opportunities that benefit students in the guidance and career education program. To support student learning, principals ensure that the Ontario curriculum is being properly implemented in all classrooms using a variety of instructional approaches.They also ensure that appropriate resources are made available for teachers and students.To enhance teaching and learning in all subjects, including guidance and career education, principals promote learning teams and work with teachers to facilitate teacher participation in professional development. Principals are also responsible for ensuring that every student who has an Individual Education Plan (IEP) is receiving the modifications and/or accommodations described in his or her plan – in other words, for ensuring that the IEP is properly developed, implemented, and monitored. The Program in Guidance and Career Education Overview of the Program The guidance and career education program offers courses that are designed to help students develop learning and interpersonal skills, identify their educational and career interests, and explore postsecondary educational and work-related opportunities. The Grade 11 course Designing Your Future (GWL3O) is a career-planning course that develops students’ abilities to identify and pursue appropriate postsecondary educational and employment opportunities.The Grade 11 course Leadership and Peer Support (GPP3O) focuses on the development of critical interpersonal skills and promotes student participation in both school and community life.The Grade 12 course Navigating the Workplace (GLN4O) helps students develop the workplace skills and work habits needed for success in all types of occupations.The Grade 12 course Advanced Learning Strategies (GLS4O) is designed to prepare students for success in their postsecondary destinations. This course can be modified to suit the needs of students who have an Individual Education Plan (IEP).The modified course is identified by the code GLE4O.The course may also be adapted for Grade 11 students who have an IEP; in this case, the course is identified by the code GLE3O. The guidance and career education courses offered in Grades 11 and 12 address some of the fundamental issues and topics introduced in Grades 9 and 10 but explore those issues in greater depth and complexity.All guidance and career education courses encourage both community-based learning and career exploration through a variety of community involvement activities, job shadowing, work experience, and internships or mentorships. In addition, guidance and career education courses are particularly well suited for inclusion in programs designed to provide pathways to apprenticeship or workplace destinations, including the Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program (OYAP), and in programs leading to a diploma with a Specialist High-Skills Major. Guidance and career education courses may be taken before or concurrent with cooperative education courses, to provide an extended experiential learning opportunity in the workplace.1 Students are prepared for these workplace experiences through the development of job-readiness skills and instruction regarding workplace health and safety issues and procedures. 1. See Policy/Program Memorandum No. 139 for information about the use of cooperative education courses to fulfil additional compulsory credit requirements for the Ontario Secondary School Diploma. The courses offered in guidance and career education are “open” courses, which comprise one set of expectations for all students.The course type is defined as follows: Open courses are designed to prepare students for further study in the subject and to enrich their education generally.These courses comprise a set of expectations that are appropriate for all students. Any of the Grade 11 and 12 guidance and career education courses may be used to fulfil the Group 1 additional compulsory credit requirement for the Ontario Secondary School Graduation diploma,as outlined in Policy/Program Memorandum No.139,“Revisions to Ontario Secondary Schools (OSS) to Support Student Success and Learning to 18”, February 1, 2006. (The PPM also states that these courses may now be used as substitutions to meet compulsory credit requirements.) Table from page 8 omitted * Although these courses are optional, any Grade 11 or 12 guidance and career education course may be used to fulfil the Group 1 additional compulsory credit requirement or may serve as a substitution for another course fulfilling a compulsory credit requirement (see PPM No. 139). ** Students may receive only one credit for Grade 12 Advanced Learning Strategies, either for GLS4O or for GLE4O. Students who have an IEP may also receive one credit for GLE3O. (In summary, a student with an IEP can earn a total of four credits for the GLE courses [GLE1O/2O/3O/4O].) Course Chart from page 8 omitted Half-Credit Courses. The courses outlined in this document are designed as full-credit courses, but they may also be delivered as half-credit courses. Half-credit courses developed from full courses require a minimum of fifty-five hours of scheduled instructional time and must adhere to the following conditions: – Two half-credit courses created from a full course must together contain all of the expectations of the full course.The expectations for the two half-credit courses must be divided in a manner that best enables students to achieve the required knowledge and skills in the allotted time. – A course that is a prerequisite for another course in the secondary curriculum may be offered as two half-credit courses, but students must successfully complete both parts of the course to fulfil the prerequisite. (Students are not required to complete both parts unless the course is a prerequisite for another course they wish to take.) – The title of the half-credit course must include the designation Part 1 or Part 2. When a student successfully completes a half-credit course, a half-credit (0.5) will be recorded in the credit-value column of both the report card and the Ontario Student Transcript. Boards will ensure that all half-credit courses comply with the conditions described above, and will report all half-credit courses to the ministry annually in the School October Report. Curriculum Expectations The expectations identified for each course describe the knowledge and skills that students are expected to acquire, demonstrate, and apply in their class work, on tests, and in various other activities on which their achievement is assessed and evaluated. Two sets of expectations are listed for each strand, or broad curriculum area, of each course. • The overall expectations describe in general terms the knowledge and skills that students are expected to demonstrate by the end of each course. • The specific expectations describe the expected knowledge and skills in greater detail.The specific expectations are arranged under subheadings that reflect particular aspects of the required knowledge and skills and that may serve as a guide for teachers as they plan learning activities for their students. The organization of expectations in strands and subgroupings is not meant to imply that the expectations in any one strand or group are achieved independently of the expectations in the other strands or groups.The subheadings are used merely to help teachers focus on particular aspects of knowledge and skills as they plan lessons and learning activities for their students. The concepts, content, and skills identified in the different strands of each course should, wherever appropriate, be integrated in instruction throughout the course. Many of the expectations are accompanied by examples, given in parentheses.These examples are meant to illustrate the kind of knowledge or skill, the specific area of learning, the depth of learning, and/or the level of complexity that the expectation entails. Some examples may also be used to emphasize the importance of diversity or multiple perspectives.The examples are intended only as suggestions for teachers.Teachers may incorporate the examples into their lessons, or they may choose other topics or approaches that are relevant to the expectation. Strands The curriculum expectations for courses in the Grade 9 to 12 guidance and career education program are organized into a number of different strands, or major areas of knowledge and skills. The strands in the Grade 11 Designing Your Future course are: • Personal Knowledge and Management Skills • Interpersonal Knowledge and Skills • Exploration of Opportunities • Preparation for Transitions and Change The strands in the Grade 11 Leadership and Peer Support course are: • Personal Knowledge and Management Skills • Interpersonal Knowledge and Skills • Exploration of Opportunities The strands in the Grade 12 Advanced Learning Strategies course are: • Learning Skills • Personal Management • Exploration of Opportunities • Preparation for Transitions and Change The strands in the Grade 12 Navigating the Workplace course are: • Essential Skills for Working and Learning • Personal Management • Exploration of Opportunities • Preparation for Transitions and Change Each of these strands is described below. Learning Skills. In this strand, students develop learning and thinking skills and strategies. They discover how to manage their own learning and acquire knowledge and skills that they can transfer to a variety of situations related to learning,work,and daily life.Along with literacy and numeracy skills, they develop the habits and skills they need in order to become self-directed, lifelong learners. Essential Skills for Working and Learning. This strand focuses on the development of the nine essential skills that have been identified by the Government of Canada and other national and international agencies as necessary for success in any occupation.These essential skills are reading text, document use, writing, numeracy, oral communication, thinking skills, working with others, computer use, and continuous learning. Students learn about the importance and transferability of the essential skills and become actively involved in developing and applying them in preparation for future work. Students practise selected workplace essential skills in authentic situations, using real workplace materials, both at school and in community and workplace settings Personal Knowledge and Management Skills. In this strand, students develop their ability to describe and assess their personal strengths and interests, and to use their knowledge of themselves to help them focus on education, career, and life goals. Students learn the components of effective decision making and apply them to develop plans, act on those plans, and evaluate and modify those plans as required. Students also develop the personal-management skills needed for success in work, learning, and life. Interpersonal Knowledge and Skills. In this strand, students develop the knowledge and skills necessary for effective communication, teamwork, and leadership.They learn how to get along with others at school, in the workplace, and in the community.They learn about the importance of understanding diversity and respecting others, and they become actively involved in contributing to their communities. Personal Management.This strand incorporates components of both personal and interpersonal knowledge and skills to facilitate the organization of expectations into one strand in some of the courses.The expectations in this strand focus on developing students’ abilities to describe and assess their personal strengths and interests and to draw on their knowledge of themselves when exploring and deciding on work and life goals. Students develop an awareness of their needs and learn the skills required to ensure that they get the resources and support they need.They develop skills, habits, and characteristics that will help them to interact positively and effectively with others in school and in the community. They develop resiliency, learn to be effective members of a team, and learn to manage the resources required to complete tasks and achieve their goals. Exploration of Opportunities. In this strand, students develop the skills needed to research information about learning, work, and community opportunities. Students make connections between these opportunities and their personal career goals.They learn about trends in the workplace, in the local and global economy, and in society. Students learn the benefits of having a broad range of skills to meet the demands of the changing global market. Preparation for Transitions and Change. In their work in this strand, students learn to anticipate and respond to change.They develop knowledge, skills, and strategies that can smooth the transitions between different stages and roles in life.They prepare themselves for postsecondary learning and for the challenges of finding and creating work opportunities.They also develop their ability to make effective decisions, set goals, plan, act on plans, and evaluate and modify plans in response to changes. Assessment and Evaluation of Student Achievement Basic Considerations The primary purpose of assessment and evaluation is to improve student learning. Information gathered through assessment helps teachers to determine students’ strengths and weaknesses in their achievement of the curriculum expectations in each course.This information also serves to guide teachers in adapting curriculum and instructional approaches to students’ needs and in assessing the overall effectiveness of programs and classroom practices. Assessment is the process of gathering information from a variety of sources (including assignments, demonstrations, projects, performances, and tests) that accurately reflects how well a student is achieving the curriculum expectations in a subject. As part of assessment, teachers provide students with descriptive feedback that guides their efforts towards improvement. Evaluation refers to the process of judging the quality of student work on the basis of established criteria, and assigning a value to represent that quality. Assessment and evaluation will be based on the provincial curriculum expectations and the achievement levels outlined in this document. In order to ensure that assessment and evaluation are valid and reliable, and that they lead to the improvement of student learning, teachers must use assessment and evaluation strategies that: • address both what students learn and how well they learn; • are based both on the categories of knowledge and skills and on the achievement level descriptions given in the achievement chart on pages 16–17; • are varied in nature, administered over a period of time, and designed to provide opportunities for students to demonstrate the full range of their learning; • are appropriate for the learning activities used, the purposes of instruction, and the needs and experiences of the students; • are fair to all students; • accommodate the needs of students with special education needs, consistent with the strategies outlined in their Individual Education Plan; • accommodate the needs of students who are learning the language of instruction (English or French); • ensure that each student is given clear directions for improvement; • promote students’ ability to assess their own learning and to set specific goals; • include the use of samples of students’ work that provide evidence of their achievement; • are communicated clearly to students and parents at the beginning of the course or the school term and at other appropriate points throughout the school year. All curriculum expectations must be accounted for in instruction, but evaluation focuses on students’achievement of the overall expectations.A student’s achievement of the overall expectations is evaluated on the basis of his or her achievement of related specific expectations.The overall expectations are broad in nature, and the specific expectations define the particular content or scope of the knowledge and skills referred to in the overall expectations.Teachers will use their professional judgement to determine which specific expectations should be used to evaluate achievement of the overall expectations, and which ones will be covered in instruction and assessment (e.g., through direct observation) but not necessarily evaluated. The characteristics given in the achievement chart (pages 16–17) for level 3 represent the “provincial standard” for achievement of the expectations in a course. A complete picture of overall achievement at level 3 in a course in guidance and career education can be constructed by reading from top to bottom in the shaded column of the achievement chart, headed “70–79% (Level 3)”. Parents of students achieving at level 3 can be confident that their children will be prepared for work in subsequent courses. Level 1 identifies achievement that falls much below the provincial standard, while still reflecting a passing grade. Level 2 identifies achievement that approaches the standard. Level 4 identifies achievement that surpasses the standard. It should be noted that achievement at level 4 does not mean that the student has achieved expectations beyond those specified for a particular course. It indicates that the student has achieved all or almost all of the expectations for that course, and that he or she demonstrates the ability to use the specified knowledge and skills in more sophisticated ways than a student achieving at level 3. The Ministry of Education has provided teachers with materials that will assist them in improving their assessment methods and strategies and, hence, their assessment of student achievement. These materials include samples of student work (exemplars) that illustrate achievement at each of the four levels. (Adaptations can be made within the exemplar documents to align them with the revised curriculum.) Achievement Chart for Guidance and Career Education The achievement chart that follows identifies four categories of knowledge and skills in guidance and career education.The achievement chart is a standard province-wide guide to be used by teachers. It enables teachers to make judgements about student work that are based on clear performance standards and on a body of evidence collected over time. The purpose of the achievement chart is to: • provide a common framework that encompasses all curriculum expectations for all courses outlined in this document; • guide the development of quality assessment tasks and tools (including rubrics); • help teachers to plan instruction for learning; • assist teachers in providing meaningful feedback to students; • provide various categories and criteria with which to assess and evaluate students’ learning. Categories of Knowledge and Skills. The categories, defined by clear criteria, represent four broad areas of knowledge and skills within which the expectations for any given guidance and career education course are organized.The four categories should be considered as interrelated, reflecting the wholeness and interconnectedness of learning. The categories of knowledge and skills are described as follows: Knowledge and Understanding. Subject-specific content acquired in each course (knowledge), and the comprehension of its meaning and significance (understanding). Thinking. The use of critical and creative thinking skills and/or processes, as follows: – planning skills (e.g., focusing research, identifying a problem, locating and gathering information, organizing an inquiry) – processing skills (e.g., analysing, reflecting, integrating, synthesizing, evaluating, forming conclusions) – critical/creative thinking processes (e.g., reading process, inquiry, decision making, research, problem solving) Communication. The conveying of meaning through various oral, visual, and written forms (e.g., interviews, presentations, portfolios, graphic organizers, posters, letters, résumés, personal profiles,charts,reports,summaries). Application. The use of knowledge and skills to make connections within and between various contexts. Teachers will ensure that student work is assessed and/or evaluated in a balanced manner with respect to the four categories, and that achievement of particular expectations is considered within the appropriate categories. Criteria.Within each category in the achievement chart, criteria are provided, which are subsets of the knowledge and skills that define each category. For example, in Knowledge and Understanding, the criteria are “knowledge of content (e.g., terminology, vocabulary, information)” and “understanding of content (e.g., theories, concepts, skills, processes)”.The criteria identify the aspects of student performance that are assessed and/or evaluated, and serve as guides to what to look for. Descriptors. A “descriptor” indicates the characteristic of the student’s performance, with respect to a particular criterion, on which assessment or evaluation is focused. In the achievement chart, effectiveness is the descriptor used for each criterion in the Thinking, Communication, and Application categories.What constitutes effectiveness in any given performance task will vary with the particular criterion being considered.Assessment of effectiveness may therefore focus on a quality, such as appropriateness, clarity, accuracy, precision, logic, relevance, significance, fluency, flexibility, depth, or breadth, as appropriate for the particular criterion. For example, in the Thinking category, assessment of effectiveness might focus on the degree of relevance or depth apparent in an analysis; in the Communication category, on clarity of expression or logical organization of information and ideas; or in the Application category, on appropriateness or breadth in the making of connections. Similarly, in the Knowledge and Understanding category, assessment of knowledge might focus on accuracy, and assessment of understanding might focus on the depth of an explanation. Descriptors help teachers to focus their assessment and evaluation on specific knowledge and skills for each category and criterion, and help students to better understand exactly what is being assessed and evaluated. Qualifiers. A specific “qualifier” is used to define each of the four levels of achievement – that is, limited for level 1, some for level 2, considerable for level 3, and a high degree or thorough for level 4.A qualifier is used along with a descriptor to produce a description of performance at a particular level. For example, the description of a student’s performance at level 3 with respect to the first criterion in the Thinking category would be:“the student uses planning skills with considerable effectiveness”. The descriptions of the levels of achievement given in the chart should be used to identify the level at which the student has achieved the expectations. In all of their courses, students should be given numerous and varied opportunities to demonstrate the full extent of their achievement of the curriculum expectations across all four categories of knowledge and skills. Achievement Chart – Guidance and Career Education, Grades 9–12 (pages 16 and 17 omitted) Evaluation and Reporting of Student Achievement Student achievement must be communicated formally to students and parents by means of the Provincial Report Card, Grades 9–12.The report card provides a record of the student’s achievement of the curriculum expectations in every course, at particular points in the school year or semester, in the form of a percentage grade.The percentage grade represents the quality of the student’s overall achievement of the expectations for the course and reflects the corresponding level of achievement as described in the achievement chart for the discipline. A final grade is recorded for every course, and a credit is granted and recorded for every course in which the student’s grade is 50% or higher.The final grade for each course in Grades 9–12 will be determined as follows: • Seventy per cent of the grade will be based on evaluations conducted throughout the course. This portion of the grade should reflect the student’s most consistent level of achievement throughout the course, although special consideration should be given to more recent evidence of achievement. • Thirty per cent of the grade will be based on a final evaluation in the form of an examination, performance, essay, and/or other method of evaluation suitable to the course content and administered towards the end of the course. Reporting on Demonstrated Learning Skills The report card provides a record of the learning skills demonstrated by the student in every course, in the following five categories:Works Independently,Teamwork, Organization,Work Habits, and Initiative.The learning skills are evaluated using a four-point scale (E-Excellent, G-Good,S-Satisfactory,N-Needs Improvement).The separate evaluation and reporting of the learning skills in these five areas reflects their critical role in students’ achievement of the curriculum expectations.To the extent possible,the evaluation of learning skills, apart from any that may be included as part of a curriculum expectation in a course, should not be considered in the determination of percentage grades. Some Considerations for Program Planning in Guidance and Career Education Teachers who are planning a program in guidance and career education must take into account considerations in a number of important areas, including those discussed below. Teaching Approaches Students learn best when they are engaged in a variety of ways of learning. Guidance and career education courses lend themselves to a wide range of approaches in that they require students to research, think critically, work cooperatively, discuss relevant issues, and learn through practice in a variety of settings. Helping students become self-directed, lifelong learners is a fundamental aim of the guidance and career education curriculum.When students are engaged in active and experiential learning strategies, they tend to retain knowledge for longer periods and develop meaningful skills.Active and experiential learning strategies also enable students to apply their knowledge and skills to real-life issues and situations. Some of the teaching and learning strategies that are suitable to material taught in guidance and career education include cooperative small-group learning, one-on-one teaching, guided learning, personal reflection, role playing, simulations, case-study analysis, presentations, tasks involving real workplace materials, experiential learning, and independent study.Teachers must provide a wide range of activities and assignments that promote mastery of basic concepts and development of inquiry/research skills. Learning activities should always be age-appropriate or developmentally appropriate, as necessary. In the guidance and career education program, teachers provide students with opportunities to develop self-knowledge and make connections with the world around them. Students learn how to work independently and with others as they acquire the essential skills and work habits needed for success in school, in the workplace, and in daily life. Students learn how to make decisions about future learning and work, how to put plans into action responsibly, and how to reflect on the actions they’ve taken and revise their plans as necessary.They learn by doing. They synthesize what they have learned by reflecting, analysing, evaluating, making decisions, and setting goals.They apply their learning both in the classroom and in other contexts, and they evaluate their progress. Ultimately, students learn to take responsibility for their own learning in preparation for life beyond secondary school. It is essential to emphasize the relationship of guidance and career education to the world outside the classroom, so that students recognize that what they learn in these courses can have a significant influence on the rest of their lives, from their educational choices to decisions about their careers and personal lives. Planning for Experiential Learning and Cooperative Education In courses within the guidance and career education program, there is a specific emphasis on experiential learning as a key method of instruction – that is, learning acquired wholly or in part through practical experiences inside and outside the classroom.The curriculum expectations incorporate a broad range of experiential learning opportunities (e.g., information interviews, worksite visits, job shadowing, community involvement, work experience, and virtual or simulated work experience) that are intended to meet the needs of students at various stages of readiness for work.These experiences will also influence the direction students take in their career exploration and educational planning. Cooperative education programs, which provide opportunities for learning in apprenticeship and workplace settings in combination with classroom studies, are designed to suit students’ particular strengths, interests, and needs and further enhance their preparation for the future. Students need opportunities to learn about the work world through experiences in workplaces and interaction with employers and employees.They can also learn about active and responsible citizenship through opportunities to make contributions to their communities and schools. Their personal, interpersonal, and learning development can be enhanced and supported through connections with community service agencies, postsecondary institutions, and the broader community. For all these reasons, strong connections with the community outside the school, including partnerships with employers and community organizations, are essential to the delivery of an effective guidance and career education program. All experiential learning opportunities and cooperative education programs will be provided in accordance with the ministry’s policy document entitled Cooperative Education and Other Forms of Experiential Learning: Policies and Procedures for Ontario Secondary Schools, 2000. Planning Program Pathways and Programs Leading to a Specialist High-Skills Major Guidance and career education courses are well suited for inclusion in programs leading to a Specialist High-Skills Major (SHSM) and in programs designed to provide pathways to particular apprenticeship or workplace destinations. In an SHSM program, guidance and career education courses can be bundled with other courses to provide the academic knowledge and skills important to particular industry sectors and required for success in the workplace and postsecondary education, including apprenticeship. Guidance and career education courses may also be combined with cooperative education credits to provide the workplace experience required for SHSM programs and for various program pathways to apprenticeship and workplace destinations. (SHSM programs would also include sector-specific learning opportunities offered by employers, skills-training centres, colleges, and community organizations.) Planning Guidance and Career Education Programs for Students With Special Education Needs In planning guidance and career education courses for students with special education needs, teachers should begin by examining both the curriculum expectations for the course and the needs of the individual student to determine which of the following options is appropriate for the student: • no accommodations2 or modifications; or • accommodations only; or • modified expectations, with the possibility of accommodations 2. “Accommodations” refers to individualized teaching and assessment strategies, human supports, and/or individualized equipment. If the student requires either accommodations or modified expectations, or both, the relevant information, as described in the following paragraphs, must be recorded in his or her Individual Education Plan (IEP). For a detailed discussion of the ministry’s requirements for IEPs, see Individual Education Plans: Standards for Development, Program Planning, and Implementation, 2000 (referred to hereafter as IEP Standards, 2000). More detailed information about planning programs for students with special education needs can be found in The Individual Education Plan (IEP):A Resource Guide,2004 (referred to hereafter as the IEP Resource Guide, 2004).(Both documents are available at www.edu.gov.on.ca.). Students Requiring Accommodations Only. With the aid of accommodations alone, some students are able to participate in the regular course curriculum and to demonstrate learning independently. (Accommodations do not alter the provincial curriculum expectations for the course.) The accommodations required to facilitate the student’s learning must be identified in his or her IEP (see IEP Standards, 2000,page 11).A student’s IEP is likely to reflect the same accommodations for many, or all, courses. There are three types of accommodations. Instructional accommodations are changes in teaching strategies, including styles of presentation, methods of organization, or use of technology and multimedia. Environmental accommodations are changes that the student may require in the classroom and/or school environment, such as preferential seating or special lighting. Assessment accommodations are changes in assessment procedures that enable the student to demonstrate his or her learning, such as allowing additional time to complete tests or assignments or permitting oral responses to test questions (see page 29 of the IEP Resource Guide, 2004, for more examples). If a student requires “accommodations only” in guidance and career education courses, assessment and evaluation of his or her achievement will be based on the appropriate course curriculum expectations and the achievement levels outlined in this document.The IEP box on the Provincial Report Card will not be checked, and no information on the provision of accommodations will be included. Students Requiring Modified Expectations. Some students will require modified expectations, which differ from the regular course expectations. For most students, modified expectations will be based on the regular course curriculum, with changes in the number and/or complexity of the expectations. It is important to monitor, and to reflect clearly in the student’s IEP, the extent to which expectations have been modified.As noted in Section 7.12 of the ministry’s policy document Ontario Secondary Schools, Grades 9 to 12: Program and Diploma Requirements, 1999, the principal will determine whether achievement of the modified expectations constitutes successful completion of the course and will decide whether the student is eligible to receive a credit for the course.This decision must be communicated to the parents and the student. When a student is expected to achieve most of the curriculum expectations for the course, the modified expectations should identify how they differ from the course expectations.When modifications are so extensive that achievement of the learning expectations is not likely to result in a credit, the expectations should specify the precise requirements or tasks on which the student’s performance will be evaluated and that will be used to generate the course mark recorded on the Provincial Report Card. Modified expectations indicate the knowledge and/or skills the student is expected to demonstrate and have assessed in each reporting period (IEP Standards,2000, pages 10 and 11). Modified expectations represent specific, realistic, observable, and measurable achievements and describe specific knowledge and/or skills that the student can demonstrate independently, given the appropriate assessment accommodations.The student’s learning expectations must be reviewed in relation to the student’s progress at least once every reporting period and must be updated as necessary (IEP Standards, 2000, page 11). If a student requires modified expectations in guidance and career education courses, assessment and evaluation of his or her achievement will be based on the learning expectations identified in the IEP and on the achievement levels outlined in this document. If some of the student’s learning expectations for a course are modified but the student is working towards a credit for the course, it is sufficient simply to check the IEP box on the Provincial Report Card. If, however, the student’s learning expectations are modified to such an extent that the principal deems that a credit will not be granted for the course, the IEP box must be checked and the appropriate statement from the Guide to the Provincial Report Card, Grades 9–12, 1999 (page 8) must be inserted.The teacher’s comments should include relevant information on the student’s demonstrated learning of the modified expectations, as well as next steps for the student’s learning in the course. English as a Second Language and English Literacy Development (ESL/ELD) Young people whose first language is not English enter Ontario secondary schools with diverse linguistic and cultural backgrounds. Some may have experience of highly sophisticated educational systems,while others may have had limited formal schooling.All of these students bring a rich array of background knowledge and experience to the classroom, and all teachers must share in the responsibility for their English-language development. Students who come to Ontario from other countries will find the courses in guidance and career education particularly useful.They will develop learning skills that will assist them as they progress through secondary school. Students will develop interpersonal and communication skills and learn about their local community through career exploration activities. Teachers of guidance and career education must incorporate appropriate strategies for instruction and assessment to facilitate the success of the English language learners in their classrooms. These strategies include: • modification of some or all of the course expectations, based on the student’s level of English proficiency; • use of a variety of instructional strategies (e.g., extensive use of visual cues, graphic organizers, scaffolding; previewing of textbooks; pre-teaching of key vocabulary; peer tutoring; strategic use of students’ first languages); • use of a variety of learning resources (e.g., visual material, simplified text, bilingual dictionaries, and culturally diverse materials); • use of assessment accommodations (e.g., granting of extra time; use of oral interviews and tasks requiring completion of graphic organizers and cloze sentences instead of essay questions and other assessment tasks that depend heavily on proficiency in English). Students who are no longer taking ESL or ELD courses may still require program adaptations to be successful.When learning expectations in a course other than ESL and ELD are modified, this must be clearly indicated on the student’s report card by checking the ESL or ELD box. (See the Guide to the Provincial Report Card, Grades 9–12, 1999.) For further information on supporting students who are English language learners, refer to The Ontario Curriculum, Grades 9 to 12: English As a Second Language and English Literacy Development,1999 and the resource guide Many Roots,Many Voices:Supporting English Language Learners in Every Classroom (Ministry of Education, 2005). Antidiscrimination Education in Guidance and Career Education The guidance and career education curriculum is designed to help students acquire the habits of mind essential in a complex democratic society characterized by rapid technological, economic, political, and social change.These involve respect and understanding with regard to individuals, groups, and cultures in Canada and the global community, including an appreciation and valuing of the contributions of Aboriginal people to the richness and diversity of Canadian life.They also involve respect and responsibility for the environment and an understanding of the rights, privileges, and responsibilities of citizenship. Learning the importance of protecting human rights and of taking a stand against racism and other expressions of hatred and discrimination is also part of the foundation for responsible citizenship. Learning activities used to implement the curriculum should be inclusive in nature, reflecting diverse points of view and experiences.They should enable students to become more sensitive to the experiences and perceptions of others and to understand and respect themselves.The critical thinking and analytic skills acquired in guidance and career education will allow students to recognize barriers, biases, and stereotypes that may be exhibited in social interactions and in the workplace, and to develop the skills needed to deal with these situations effectively. In guidance and career education courses, students will learn about the importance of cultural diversity and the value of a broad range of skills and knowledge needed to be successful in a global economy. Antidiscrimination education promotes a school climate and classroom practice that encourage all students to work to high standards, ensure that they are given a variety of opportunities to be successful, affirm their self-worth, and help them strengthen their sense of identity and positive self-image. It is particularly important in guidance and career education that students from all backgrounds and experiences learn that they can aspire to a full range of careers. Both male and female students should be encouraged to consider any non-traditional careers to which their aptitudes, skills, and interests are well suited. Literacy, Numeracy, and Inquiry/Research Skills Success in all their secondary school courses depends in large part on students’ literacy skills. Many of the activities and tasks students undertake in guidance and career education involve the use of written, oral, and visual communication skills. For example, students use language to record their observations, to describe their inquiries in both informal and formal contexts, and to present their findings in oral presentations and written reports.The language of guidance and career education includes special terms that are recognized as belonging to this field. Study in these courses will thus encourage students to use language with greater care and precision so that they are able to communicate effectively. The Ministry of Education has facilitated the development of materials to support literacy instruction across the curriculum. Helpful advice for integrating literacy instruction in guidance and career education courses may be found in the following resource documents: • Think Literacy: Cross-Curricular Approaches, Grades 7–12, 2003 • Think Literacy: Cross-Curricular Approaches, Grades 7–12 – Guidance and Career Education: Subject-Specific Examples (Learning Strategies, Grade 9; Career Studies, Grade 10), 2006 The guidance and career education curriculum also builds on and reinforces certain aspects of the mathematics curriculum. For example, clear, concise communication involves the use of various diagrams, charts, tables, and graphs to organize, interpret, and present information. In courses that include planning for future financial needs, students apply concepts related to budgeting and personal finance. Statistical information is used in some courses to help students understand trends in society and the economy. In all guidance and career education courses, students will develop their ability to ask questions and to plan investigations to answer those questions.They need to learn a variety of research methods in order to carry out their investigations and to know which methods to use in a particular inquiry. Students need to learn how to locate relevant information from a variety of sources, such as books, newspapers, field studies and interviews, diagrams and charts, and electronic sources. As they advance through the grades,students will be expected to use these sources with increasing sophistication. The Ontario Skills Passport and Essential Skills Teachers planning programs in guidance and career education need to be aware of the purpose and benefits of the Ontario Skills Passport (OSP).The OSP is a bilingual web-based resource that enhances the relevancy of classroom learning for students and strengthens school-work connections.The OSP provides clear descriptions of essential skills such as reading, writing, computer use, measurement and calculation, and problem solving and includes an extensive database of occupation-specific workplace tasks that illustrate how workers use these skills on the job.The essential skills are transferable, in that they are used in virtually all occupations. The OSP also includes descriptions of important work habits, such as working safely, being reliable, and providing excellent customer service.The OSP is designed to help employers assess and record students’ demonstration of these skills and work habits during their cooperative education placements. Students can use the OSP to identify the skills and work habits they already have, plan further skill development, and show employers what they can do. The skills described in the OSP are the essential skills that the Government of Canada and other national and international agencies have identified and validated, through extensive research, as the skills needed for work, learning, and life. Essential skills provide the foundation for learning all other skills and enable people to evolve with their jobs and adapt to workplace change. For further information on the OSP and essential skills, visit http://skills.edu.gov.on.ca. The Role of Technology in Guidance and Career Education Information and communication technology (ICT) provides a range of tools that can significantly extend and enrich teachers’ instructional strategies and support students’ learning in guidance and career education.These tools include online assessment tools, career exploration programs, simulations, multimedia resources, databases, and computer-assisted learning modules.Teachers can use ICT tools and resources for whole-class instruction as well as in the design of curriculum to meet diverse student needs. ICT can be used to connect students to other schools, locally and abroad, and to bring the global community into the local classroom.Through Internet websites and CD-ROM technology, students can now access resources that provide current labour market information, statistics and trends, occupational data, community agency information, apprenticeship information, and a host of options for exploring work, learning, and career opportunities locally, nationally, and internationally. ICT resources allow secondary school students to conduct more far-ranging and authentic research than ever before.Applications such as databases,spreadsheets, word processors, and presentation software can be used to support various methods of inquiry. Although the Internet is a powerful learning tool, however, all students must be made aware of issues of privacy, safety, and responsible use, as well as of the ways in which the Internet can be used to promote hatred. Health and Safety in Guidance and Career Education In addition to taking all possible and reasonable steps to ensure the physical safety of students, teachers must also address the personal well-being of students. Students require reassurance and help with transitions. In addition, they must understand their rights to privacy and confidentiality as outlined in the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act and be able to function in an environment free from abuse and harassment.They need to be aware of harassment and abuse issues in establishing boundaries for their own personal safety.They should be informed about school and community resources and school policies and reporting procedures with regard to all forms of abuse and harassment. Because experiential learning is an important component of the guidance and career education curriculum, students taking guidance and career education courses are often engaged in activities in the community.Teachers must ensure that students are prepared for these community-based activities, paying particular attention to health issues and safety procedures in the workplace. In addition, students need to understand how matters relating to work ethics and work attitudes contribute to a healthy, positive work environment.Teachers, as well as board staff, should be aware of their responsibility and potential liability in terms of students’ health and safety. Policy/Program Memorandum No.76A, “Workplace Safety and Insurance Coverage for Students in Work Education Programs” (September 2000), outlines procedures for ensuring the provision of Health and Safety Insurance Board coverage for students who are at least 14 years of age and are on placements of more than one day. (A one-day job shadowing or job twinning experience is treated as a field trip.) Teachers should also be aware of the minimum age requirements outlined in the Occupational Health and Safety Act for persons to be in or to be working in specific workplace settings. Relevant ministry policies are outlined in Cooperative Education and Other Forms of Experiential Learning: Policies and Procedures for Ontario Secondary Schools, 2000. Designing Your Future,Grade 11, Open (GWL3O) This course prepares students to make successful transitions to postsecondary destinations as they investigate specific postsecondary options based on their skills, interests, and personal characteristics. Students will explore the realities and opportunities of the workplace and examine factors that affect success, while refining their job-search and employability skills. Students will develop their portfolios with a focus on their targeted destination and develop an action plan for future success. Prerequisite: None Personal Knowledge and Management Skills Overall Expectations By the end of this course, students will: • analyse their personal characteristics, strengths, interests, skills, and competencies to determine career-related goals; • maintain a portfolio for use in career planning that provides up-to-date evidence of knowledge, skills, interests, and experience; • demonstrate an understanding of the personal-management skills, habits, and characteristics that could contribute to success in their selected postsecondary destinations and independent adult life. Specific Expectations Self-Knowledge By the end of this course, students will: – summarize their personal strengths, interests, skills, and competencies based on a self-assessment (e.g., interest tests, skills inventories) that draws on their school, community, leisure, family, and work experiences; – identify the transferable skills and personal-management skills most valued by employers, and explain how their own skills can contribute to employability; – identify occupations and career goals that align with their interests and skills, and identify the areas of growth needed to meet these goals. Portfolio Development By the end of this course, students will: – explain the benefits of the portfolio process as a strategy for directing the management of their own learning; – describe the purpose and content of both comprehensive portfolios and portfolios targeted for specific purposes (e.g., for specific jobs, interviews, scholarships, program admissions, community-based leadership opportunities); – select and organize documentation (e.g., certificates of training in cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR),Workplace Hazardous Materials Information Systems (WHMIS), Service Excellence, SuperHost; work samples; reference letters) from various sources (e.g., work experience, community involvement, school-based programs) to develop their comprehensive or targeted portfolios; – explain their choices of specific portfolio items as evidence of selected knowledge, skills, and personal accomplishments. Personal Management By the end of this course, students will: – identify and describe the personal-management skills (e.g., organizational skills, problem solving, scheduling tasks), habits (e.g., meeting timelines), and characteristics (e.g., showing initiative, adaptability) that could contribute to success in their postsecondary learning, work, or community life, and explain their importance; – explain the internal and external influences (e.g., parental expectations, peer pressure, financial situation) that can affect their career-related decision making; – describe the range of individual differences in how people manage themselves in dealing with issues such as risk, stress, change, time, planning, and personal finance in various settings (e.g., school, workplace,community); – demonstrate the use of time- and priority-management strategies to help achieve a healthy lifestyle that balances school, family, work, and leisure activities; – identify effective risk-, stress-, and anger-management strategies and use them appropriately in school and/or community-based activities. Interpersonal Knowledge and Skills Overall Expectations By the end of this course, students will: • demonstrate interpersonal and teamwork skills required for success in their school, work, and community activities; • demonstrate an understanding of the elements of group dynamics in a variety of settings; • explain ways in which they can make a contribution to their communities and ways in which the community can assist them with career planning. Specific Expectations Interpersonal Relations By the end of this course, students will: – identify and describe the interpersonal skills (e.g., using active listening, showing mutual respect, using non-verbal language) and teamwork skills (e.g., building consensus, encouraging and recognizing contributions) that contribute to success in postsecondary education/training and employment; – demonstrate effective and respectful use of interpersonal and teamwork skills in their experiential learning activities (e.g., volunteer work, work experience, cooperative education placement, extracurricular activities); – communicate appropriately with various audiences (e.g., peers, employers) and in various situations (e.g., attending interviews, writing letters). Group Dynamics By the end of this course, students will: – demonstrate respectful and responsible behaviours (e.g., respect for levels of authority, respect for diversity, responsibility for one’s actions) in groups at school and in community-based learning activities; – explain how diversity (e.g., cultural, economic, gender, intellectual) among members in a group may affect group dynamics in a positive way (e.g., by providing broader perspectives, a wider range of ideas, more varied strengths); – explain how conflict-resolution strategies (e.g., mediation, negotiation) can be used to reach mutually agreeable solutions in work-related situations; – describe the skills necessary to act as an advocate for themselves or others in various situations involving prejudice, bullying, or discrimination. Connecting With the Community By the end of this course, students will: – identify ways in which they can use their interests, skills, and knowledge to contribute to the development of their community or its members (e.g., volunteer work, part-time employment); – demonstrate the ability to develop networks and other supportive relationships with individuals and groups in the school and community (e.g., mentors, tutors, employers, entrepreneurial clubs, community agencies) in a variety of ways (e.g., through information interviews, job twinning, work experience) for assistance with career exploration and planning; – describe, on the basis of research, the types of school and community support services available to help students meet postsecondary goals (e.g., student services departments, employment centres, small business centres). Exploration of Opportunities Overall Expectations By the end of this course, students will: • use research skills and strategies to gather and interpret relevant information about work and learning opportunities; • analyse emerging social and economic trends and their impact on individuals, workplaces, and career opportunities; • describe, on the basis of research, opportunities in various occupational sectors and explain the requirements and challenges of selected occupations; • demonstrate an understanding of types of workplaces, their related workplace issues, and legislation governing the workplace. Specific Expectations Accessing and Managing Information Trends By the end of this course, students will: By the end of this course, students will: – identify the specific types of information they need in order to make effective decisions about work and learning opportunities; – identify, through research, various sources (e.g., print, electronic, human) of careerrelated information and assess these sources on the basis of identified criteria (e.g., bias, authority, accuracy, usefulness, personal relevance); – acquire information about fields of work and the nature of the workplace through experiential learning opportunities (e.g., information interviews, job twinning, job shadowing,work experience); – demonstrate the ability to communicate effectively (e.g., using appropriate vocabulary, telephone protocol, and letter format) to gather career-related information; – demonstrate the ability to obtain and interpret career-related information from labour-market statistics, charts, graphs, and tables. Trends By the end of this course, students will: – identify and explain the impact of economic and societal trends (e.g., globalization, outsourcing, new technologies, environmental concerns) on the work life of women and men in Canada (e.g., reduced job security, increased prevalence of part-time and contract work, more frequent career changes); – identify fields of work, jobs, and selfemployment and entrepreneurship opportunities – in local, regional, national, and international contexts – that are growing as a result of identified trends; – describe employment-related trends (e.g., the relationship between education levels and earnings or employment rates), using statistical information, such as labourmarket analyses, occupational outlook projections, and census data. Opportunities By the end of this course, students will: – use the inquiry process to obtain detailed information about selected sectors of employment, and describe the work opportunities and emerging trends within these fields; – compare selected occupations based on the requirements for entry (e.g., certification, knowledge, technical skills, essential skills) and the challenges of each occupation; – assess secondary school options (e.g., cooperative education experience) that may help them achieve their postsecondary work and learning goals; – identify and describe selected community involvement and/or leisure opportunities that can contribute to their postsecondary work and learning goals; – explain how knowledge and appreciation of various cultures, including those of Aboriginal peoples, and fluency in French and other languages can expand employment opportunities; – summarize the results of their career-related research, using a variety of presentation formats (e.g., oral, video, print), and document them in their portfolio. The Workplace By the end of this course, students will: – describe various types of businesses (e.g., profit,non-profit;small,medium,large; retail, service; public, private) and employment opportunities (e.g., self-employment, part-time work, contract work) and identify the advantages and disadvantages of each; – identify examples of ethical behaviour within the workplace (e.g., respecting the rights of others, taking a stand against discriminatory behaviour, honesty, not causing harm, obeying and respecting the law); – describe key features of legislation governing human rights, antidiscrimination, employment, and workplace health and safety (e.g., Ontario Human Rights Code, Employment Standards Act, Occupational Health and Safety Act) and relate these to their observations of how the rights and responsibilities of employees and employers are addressed in their workplace experiences; – explain the historical development of labour unions and describe their current role in the workplace from the point of view of employers and employees. Preparation for Transitions and Change Overall Expectations By the end of this course, students will: • demonstrate an understanding of the transition process and the strategies used to facilitate change; • demonstrate effective use of a variety of strategies and resources for finding work and creating work; • apply goal-setting and action-planning processes to prepare for the transition from secondary school to their first postsecondary destination and for future transitions in their career. Specific Expectations Managing Change By the end of this course, students will: – demonstrate an understanding of career development as a lifelong process that will include transitions, changes, and lifelong learning; – describe the practical and psychological challenges (e.g., increased independence, greater responsibilities) that are part of secondary school graduates’ transitions to new roles and environments (e.g., work, postsecondary education/training, independent adult life); – predict and explain the planned and unplanned changes that they will experience throughout their careers; – identify the stages of a transition process (e.g., an ending phase, an interim phase, and a new beginning phase) that involves adapting to change over a period of time; – identify and explain strategies that help people adjust to new situations (e.g., learning from mistakes, using flexible thinking, overcoming fears, maintaining optimism); – assess their own abilities to manage planned and unplanned change by analysing effective and ineffective strategies they have used in the past to manage each kind of change. Work Search By the end of this course, students will: – locate and select appropriate work opportunities (e.g., summer, part-time, full-time, contract) from electronic and print sources in the “open” (publicly advertised) job market; – identify and expand the network of contacts that may assist them in accessing the “hidden” (unadvertised) job market in a field of interest; – identify opportunities for self-employment (e.g., government programs, enterprise centres, community organizations) and resources available to assist the enterprising person; – produce effective, up-to-date résumés and cover letters for a targeted field of work or occupation, using word-processing software and appropriate vocabulary and conventions (e.g., style, punctuation); – demonstrate the ability to complete job applications (in print, online); – demonstrate the ability to prepare and conduct themselves effectively throughout the job-interview process (e.g., prepare answers to expected questions before the interview, behave appropriately during the interview, engage in reflections and follow-up activities after the interview). Goal Setting and Action Planning By the end of this course, students will: – evaluate selected postsecondary options with reference to personally relevant criteria (e.g., cost, location, length of program, accreditation, learning environment); – explain how they plan to continue and finance (e.g., through loans, bursaries, scholarships, part-time work) their learning after secondary school (e.g., apprenticeship, on-the-job training, college, university) and summarize the advantages and disadvantages of their choices; – use problem-solving strategies to reduce internal barriers (e.g., skill gaps, health problems) and/or external barriers (e.g., financial constraints, lack of local opportunities, cultural differences) that could interfere with the achievement of their work, learning, and personal goals; – apply a decision-making process to produce an action plan with backup options, describing how they will achieve their work, education/training, and community-involvement goals; – identify the financial implications of their postsecondary choices and describe in their action plan how they will manage their finances after secondary school. Leadership and Peer Support, Grade 11, Open (GPP3O) This course prepares students to act in leadership and peer support roles.They will design and implement a plan for contributing to their school and/or community; develop skills in communication, interpersonal relations, teamwork, and conflict management; and apply those skills in leadership and/or peer support roles – for example, as a student council member or a peer tutor. Students will examine group dynamics and learn the value of diversity within groups and communities. Prerequisite: None Personal Knowledge and Management Skills Overall Expectations By the end of this course, students will: • explain how their personal characteristics and acquired skills may affect their interactions with others in leadership and peer support roles; • identify the characteristics of an effective leader and use these to evaluate their own leadership and peer support capabilities; • identify and apply the personal-management skills and characteristics required to succeed in leadership and peer support roles; • identify and apply effective teaching and learning strategies and resources to help others through leadership and peer support roles. Specific Expectations Personal Knowledge By the end of this course, students will: – identify and differentiate between their personal characteristics and skills they have developed over time, based on information gathered through self-assessment (e.g., personality inventories, interest tests, feedback from others); – summarize their leadership qualities and experiences, and describe how they may affect interactions with others in leadership and peer support roles; – explain how a variety of factors (e.g., culture, family background, personal experiences, the media) have influenced their personal motivation and skills related to leadership and peer support roles; – create a personal profile reflecting the results of their self-assessment and incorporate it into their portfolio. Leadership Qualities By the end of this course, students will: – research and identify the leadership qualities and styles of a diverse range of people, including Aboriginal individuals, in leadership and support roles (e.g., in sports, politics, community, and/or school); – describe various learning styles (e.g., auditory, visual, kinesthetic) and identify strategies used to support people with these learning styles; – describe a set of criteria (e.g., personal-management skills, personal characteristics) to assess the effectiveness of individuals in leadership and peer support roles, and use these criteria to assess their own strengths and needs for further development. Personal Management By the end of this course, students will: – identify and describe personal-management strategies that contribute to academic success (e.g., strategies for dealing with homework, tests, missed classes, workload, procrastination), and demonstrate how to communicate these strategies in tutoring and mentoring roles; – demonstrate an understanding and appropriate application of the principles and protocols related to confidentiality and privacy rights (e.g., referral of an issue to the appropriate teacher or department) in a variety of leadership and peer support roles; – explain how acquiring experience in leadership and peer support roles at school and in the community can help them achieve their present and future goals (e.g., meeting diploma requirements for community involvement, developing skills for specific jobs, attaining scholarships and awards); – maintain an updated résumé and portfolio to reflect their abilities, skills, and experiences in leadership and peer support roles at school and in the community. Strategies and Resources By the end of this course, students will: – demonstrate an understanding of a range of teaching and learning strategies (e.g., positive reinforcement, individualized instruction, task management) that can be applied to assist others in achieving their goals; – identify and describe challenges (e.g., emotional,motivational,learning,socioeconomic, family-related) to effective learning and goal achievement; – explain how to recognize challenges to learning in others and how to determine their own role in helping others address these challenges; – describe school and community support programs and services (e.g., guidance services, social service agencies, cultural and religious organizations, mentorship programs available to support students’ needs) and explain how to access them. Interpersonal Knowledge and Skills Overall Expectations By the end of this course, students will: • use strategies that promote positive interpersonal relationships as they pertain to leadership and/or peer support; • demonstrate effective use of communication skills in a variety of settings; • apply theories related to group dynamics and leadership in various situations; • explain how community dynamics affect leadership and peer support roles. Specific Expectations Interpersonal Relations By the end of this course, students will: – identify the elements that contribute to building positive self-esteem (e.g., maintaining optimism, recovering from mistakes, overcoming fears, achieving goals, accepting positive reinforcement from others); – describe the elements of effective interpersonal relations (e.g., respect for differences, commitment to equity and fairness, flexibility, honesty, integrity) and demonstrate their use in selected leadership and peer support roles in school or in the community; – describe a conflict-resolution model and demonstrate its use in a variety of situations to reduce conflict and reach mutually agreeable solutions; – identify sources of pressure on adolescents (e.g., peer behaviour and attitudes, family relationships,prejudice,discrimination, media influences), and appropriate strategies to deal with these pressures. Communication Skills By the end of this course, students will: – describe the elements of effective communication (e.g., active listening, non-judgemental statements, paraphrasing) and demonstrate their use in selected leadership and peer support roles in school or in the community (e.g., tutoring,mentoring,coaching,mediating, assisting with school or community projects); – explain the benefits and pitfalls of expressing emotions, and demonstrate appropriate ways of managing their own emotions and responding to others’ expressions of emotions; – demonstrate an understanding of how to respond appropriately (e.g., remaining calm, empathizing, recommending a referral) to peers’ disclosures of serious personal matters (e.g., health problems, physical and emotional abuse, bullying, exclusion, discrimination, family issues, harassment, substance abuse); – demonstrate the ability to provide feedback to help others identify their strengths and areas needing improvement. Group Dynamics By the end of this course, students will: – describe theories of group dynamics (e.g., theories describing stages of group development, roles of group members) and produce an analysis of the dynamics of groups in which they participate; – demonstrate a variety of team-building strategies (e.g., listening, task sharing, providing positive feedback and constructive criticism, building consensus, identifying and using strengths of group members) and explain how they facilitate positive interaction and improve group and individual results; – explain how selected leadership styles (e.g.,autocratic,democratic,delegative) and strategies (e.g., organizing groups, soliciting support, setting goals) affect group interaction and results; – demonstrate effective use of leadership skills in classroom groups and in planning school or community events. Connecting With the Community By the end of this course, students will: – describe the dimensions of diversity within their community (e.g., gender, race,culture, ethnicity, ability, sexual orientation, age, religion, socioeconomic level) and identify the value of diversity as well as the challenges it poses; – explain how cultural diversity within groups may affect communication, interpersonal relations, and leadership styles, both positively and negatively; – explain how power can be used positively (e.g., to promote engagement and inclusion) or misused (e.g., in situations involving bullying, exclusion, workplace harassment) in work, family, and peer contexts, and identify strategies to deal with situations where power is misused; – describe their rights (e.g., a safe environment, freedom from harassment and discrimination, adequate training) and responsibilities (e.g., adhering to ethical behaviour, maintaining confidentiality, showing respect for others and their property, following safety procedures) in various leadership and peer support roles. Exploration of Opportunities Overall Expectations By the end of this course, students will: • describe, on the basis of research, the range of leadership and peer support opportunities in the school and the community, and identify those to which they are most suited; • demonstrate the ability to design and implement a plan or program that addresses needs identified in the school or the community; • identify a range of careers and postsecondary options requiring skills in leadership and peer support. Specific Expectations Accessing Options By the end of this course, students will: – produce a comprehensive list of the leadership and peer support opportunities available in their school and community, using print, electronic, and human resources; – analyse selected leadership or peer support roles (e.g., tutor, student host, team captain, student council member) in terms of responsibilities of the role, skills required, time commitments, and benefits and challenges; – evaluate their own suitability for a selected leadership or peer support role and provide a rationale for their choice of role. Developing a Plan By the end of this course, students will: – identify an opportunity within the school or community (e.g., orientation for new students to the school, career fair, school arts showcase, community agency fair, social justice event, fund-raising events) where they can take a leadership and/or support role; – design and present a plan to address a need identified within the school or community where they can make a positive contribution; – use appropriate software in accessing and managing information and producing materials appropriate to their plan (e.g., advertising brochure, posters, orientation day agenda); – design an evaluation tool (e.g., survey, feedback form) to assess the plan or program that they have developed. Exploring Careers By the end of this course, students will: – identify occupations or fields of work that require skills in leadership and peer support; – investigate postsecondary programs and learning options for careers requiring skills in leadership and peer support, using a variety of resources (e.g., course calendars, informational interviews, guest speakers, Internet websites), and identify those to which they are most suited; – explain the relationships among personal experiences, lifelong learning, and career development. Advanced Learning Strategies: Skills for Success After Secondary School, Grade 12, Open (GLS4O/GLE4O/GLE3O) This course improves students’ learning and personal-management skills, preparing them to make successful transitions to work, training, and/or postsecondary education destinations. Students will assess their learning abilities and use literacy, numeracy, and research skills and personal-management techniques to maximize their learning. Students will investigate trends and resources to support their postsecondary employment, training, and/or education choices and develop a plan to help them meet their learning and career goals. Prerequisite: For GLS4O – None For GLE4O and GLE3O – Recommendation of principal Learning Skills Overall Expectations By the end of this course, students will: • evaluate learning skills and strategies that contribute to success in various settings; • apply appropriate literacy and numeracy skills and strategies to support learning and planning for postsecondary choices; • analyse their learning skills and styles to determine their learning strengths and needs, and develop strategies to maximize their learning while in secondary school and throughout their lives. Specific Expectations Learning and Thinking Strategies By the end of this course, students will: – identify and apply appropriate strategies for improving concentration and minimizing internal and external distractions; – demonstrate effective use of the inquiry/research process and problem solving in a variety of learning situations; – describe and make effective use of memory strategies to support learning; – demonstrate the ability to adapt their study techniques and test-taking strategies to suit different subjects and testing formats (e.g., essay, multiple choice, open book, oral). Literacy and Numeracy Skills and Strategies By the end of this course, students will: – identify and apply appropriate reading skills and strategies (e.g., referring to headings and subheadings for content clues, using pictures and charts to help in understanding content, asking questions) to acquire and evaluate information from a variety of written materials; – apply a variety of skills and strategies (e.g., brainstorming, use of mind maps and charts, note taking) to improve their writing for various audiences and purposes (e.g., writing reports, completing job applications, preparing personal résumés); – identify and apply oral communication skills and strategies to improve interactions with others (e.g., participating in class discussions, conducting interviews, requesting assistance, asking for information) in school, the community, and the workplace; – identify and apply appropriate numeracy skills and strategies (e.g., calculating, interpreting data, budgeting) to meet academic and career-planning requirements. Planning for Learning By the end of this course, students will: – identify and analyse learning styles (e.g., auditory, visual, kinesthetic) to determine how they learn best; – list positive and negative personal factors that affect learning in secondary school (e.g.,motivation,values,attitude),and identify strategies to maximize their learning (e.g., connecting rewards to achieving goals, connecting learning to personal goals, engaging in practical learning experiences, using peer support); – identify difficulties they have experienced in educational settings (e.g., completing projects, tests, essays; working in groups; making oral presentations) and explain how they could improve in these areas; – identify possible challenges (e.g., learning difficulties, physical barriers, family, finances, location) to effective learning in their selected postsecondary work or educational destination; – identify a variety of resources (e.g., library, Internet, tutors, guidance office, school personnel, community agencies) available to support student learning; – identify and use strategies for self-advocacy to meet learning and personal needs; – describe how they will continue lifelong learning in both formal and informal ways after secondary school. Personal Management Overall Expectations By the end of this course, students will: • identify and apply the personal-management skills and strategies that contribute to success in a variety of settings; • explain the impact of personal factors on achievement and apply strategies for personal improvement; • apply the interpersonal skills and strategies required to achieve success in reaching goals in a variety of settings. Specific Expectations Applying Personal-Management Skills By the end of this course, students will: – compare the personal-management skills, habits, and characteristics needed for success in secondary school (e.g., setting goals, effort and persistence, willingness to reflect and learn from their mistakes) with those required in other learning and work environments; – evaluate their personal-management skills, habits, and characteristics through a self-assessment process (e.g., using personal inventories, skills tests; examining past successes and failures), and identify those areas most in need of improvement; – describe the variety of ways in which people manage themselves when dealing with issues such as risk, time, change, planning, and money; – demonstrate effective use of strategies for improving their personal-management skills (e.g., use of agenda, goal setting, time management, priority management, budgeting). Impact of Personal Factors By the end of this course, students will: – identify and describe personal factors that can negatively affect their learning and thinking (e.g., low self-esteem, high anxiety, substance abuse, poor interpersonal skills, family relationships); – describe the personal and social factors that contribute to positive and negative stress (e.g., disabilities, racism, discrimination, financial situation, family support), and explain how stress affects them in a variety of settings (e.g., school, family, workplace, peer group); – explain the relationship between a healthy lifestyle (e.g., adequate sleep, good nutrition, regular exercise; holistic approaches to well-being, such as those found in Aboriginal cultures) and daily performance in various settings; – assess their affective preparedness (e.g., sense of responsibility, independence, emotional readiness) for their postsecondary education or work goals. Interpersonal Skills By the end of this course, students will: – identify and use strategies and resources (e.g., conflict resolution, co-curricular activities, counselling) to maximize success in school and for daily living; – demonstrate an understanding of the importance of networking, mentorship, and self-advocacy to the achievement of postsecondary goals (e.g., work, travel, training, further education); – demonstrate the use of interpersonal skills that contribute to achievement of goals in a variety of areas (e.g., communicating with employers in the workplace, requesting information about community resources, applying for a job, obtaining work experience). Exploration of Opportunities Overall Expectations By the end of this course, students will: • demonstrate knowledge of selected workplace trends in order to make decisions about postsecondary choices and pathways; • apply research and career-exploration strategies to identify postsecondary options; • identify and describe the learning environments and resources available to support lifelong learning. Specific Expectations Trends By the end of this course, students will: – assess the effects of information technology on selected fields of work, including its impact on educational and skill requirements, learning opportunities, how work is done, and employment opportunities; – compare emerging work-style alternatives (e.g., contract work, telecommuting, talent pooling) and other employment-related trends (e.g., changing composition of the labour market, impact of education level on earnings and employment), and explain how these trends may influence their education and career plans; – identify traditional and emerging approaches to learning in modern workplaces (e.g., formal instruction, independent computer-based learning, mentorship, apprenticeship) and explain why businesses and other organizations value ongoing, self-directed learning; – assess how well their transferable and essential skills (e.g., writing, oral communication, numeracy, computer skills) and other personal information (e.g., learning styles, family commitment, finances) align with selected fields of work. Opportunities By the end of this course, students will: – locate, select, and summarize relevant educational and career information from a variety of sources (e.g., print material, Internet websites, information interviews, job shadowing, work experience) based on their personal interests and abilities; – identify and describe selected education/training options (e.g., independent study; college, university, workplace training) that could help them achieve their learning and career goals, and assess the suitability of these options on the basis of criteria that they have identified (e.g., cost, duration, learning environment); – describe the knowledge, talents, and skills required for success in selected occupations, and the education/training routes that prepare people for these occupations; – compare the eligibility criteria for programs relevant to their learning goals through the use of course calendars and other literature from educational institutions or training centres. Learning Environments and Resources By the end of this course, students will: – locate and assess resources and assistance programs that support learning in selected education/training programs (e.g., adult literacy centres, Human Resources and Social Development Canada website, programs for students with learning disabilities); – describe the benefits of such experiences as volunteering and part-time work and other out-of-school activities for acquiring new knowledge and skills; – describe the learning environments and the approaches to learning (e.g., apprenticeships, correspondence courses, online learning, field work, independent study, lectures and tutorials) that they can expect to encounter in postsecondary education or training programs. – demonstrate an understanding of career development as a process involving lifelong learning. Preparation for Transitions and Change Overall Expectations By the end of this course, students will: • evaluate their own transition skills and strategies, and identify those requiring improvement; • demonstrate the skills and strategies needed to prepare for the work search process; • demonstrate effective use of decision-making, goal-setting, and action-planning skills and strategies to prepare for transition to their first postsecondary destination. Specific Expectations Transition Skills By the end of this course, students will: – identify the successes and challenges of transitions and changes they have experienced (e.g., graduating from elementary to secondary school, dealing with changes in family situations, starting a new job); – describe the challenges (e.g., physical, social, emotional) and the positive experiences that may be part of secondary school students’ transitions to new roles and environments (e.g., work, postsecondary education/training, independent adult life); – analyse ways of thinking and behaving that support successful adjustments to new situations and environments (e.g., positive attitude, supportive team/group attitudes and behaviours, proactive problem solving, self-directed lifelong learning, professional work ethics, punctuality); – demonstrate effective use of transition management strategies and skills (e.g., managing stress, risk, time, change, and money; becoming familiar with new environments; anticipating challenges) to prepare for their first postsecondary destination. Work Search By the end of this course, students will: – create an up-to-date résumé and cover letter outlining their work skills and experiences for use in postsecondary planning; – demonstrate the ability to prepare and conduct themselves effectively in an interview process; – identify a variety of resources (e.g., personal networks, employment centres, Internet job postings) to identify fields of work and specific job opportunities suited to them; – maintain an updated portfolio (e.g., including an updated résumé, certifications, relevant assignments, letters of recommendation) as evidence of their learning and skill development. Planning for Transition By the end of this course, students will: – demonstrate an understanding of the personal financial skills that will be required for the future (e.g., budgeting, banking, saving, borrowing money); – investigate sources and types of financial assistance (e.g., Ontario Student Assistance Program, small business loans, government grants, bursaries) for postsecondary education/training and identify those appropriate to their situations; – use a decision-making process to produce a plan that addresses their learning and career goals, including the steps they can take to help make a successful transition to their selected postsecondary destination; – identify viable options to the plan that address anticipated or unexpected challenges (e.g., unsuccessful school or job applications, changes in financial or family circumstances). Navigating the Workplace, Grade 12, Open (GLN4O) This course provides students with opportunities to develop the workplace essential skills and work habits required for success in all types of workplaces. Students will explore occupations and careers of interest through participation in real workplace experiences.They will make plans for continued learning and work, work with others to design learning experiences, and investigate the resources and support required to make a smooth transition to their postsecondary destination. Prerequisite: None Essential Skills for Working and Learning Overall Expectations By the end of this course, students will: • demonstrate an understanding of the workplace essential skills necessary for success in life, school, and work; • demonstrate effective use of literacy and numeracy strategies that support the application of the workplace essential skills to complete specific tasks in real or simulated workplace settings; • demonstrate effective use of learning and thinking strategies in school and in real or simulated workplace settings; • plan for, assess, and document their ongoing development and demonstration of selected workplace essential skills. Specific Expectations Understanding Workplace Essential Skills By the end of this course, students will: – identify and describe the workplace essential skills, using a variety of electronic, print, and human resources (e.g., Human Resources and Social Development Canada website, Ontario Skills Passport, employers, brochures on essential skills), and explain how these skills are used in the workplace; – locate information on the most important workplace essential skill requirements for a range of occupations, and identify the varying complexity levels of tasks associated with these skills; – describe the transferability of the workplace essential skills (e.g., from home to school, school to work, occupation to occupation) on the basis of their experiences in the community or the workplace. Using Literacy and Numeracy Strategies By the end of this course, students will: – demonstrate effective use of numeracy strategies required for calculation and estimation in order to manage money (e.g., make change), to work with schedules and budgets (e.g., schedule room reservations), to analyse data (e.g., compare monthly reports), and to measure and make numerical calculations (e.g., measure ingredients and reduce quantity by half), using real workplace materials in real or simulated workplace settings; – demonstrate effective use of strategies for reading and interpreting text (e.g., pre-reading strategies, such as identifying signal words; strategies used during reading, such as sorting ideas using a concept map; post-reading strategies, such as writing brief notes in response to a text) for specific tasks, using real workplace materials in real or simulated workplace settings; – demonstrate effective use of strategies for writing text (e.g., generating ideas using rapid writing; developing ideas using mapping; revising using peer editing) for specific tasks, with or without a computer, in real or simulated workplace settings; – demonstrate effective use of strategies for communicating orally (e.g., active listening, paraphrasing, verbal affirmation) in real or simulated workplace settings; – assess the impact of their own non-verbal communication strategies and habits (e.g., body language, dress, facial expression, gestures) on their audiences, and determine strategies to clarify their intended message, using feedback from others (e.g., supervisor, teachers, peers). Using Learning and Thinking Strategies By the end of this course, students will: – demonstrate the ability to use a process to reflect on their home, school, or work experiences (that is, describe their experience, assess their performance, set goals for future performance, identify strategies for achieving them, apply the learning in a new situation), and explain how this reflection process contributes to continuous learning; – use knowledge of the ways they learn best (e.g., by visual means, in kinesthetic ways, by using various technologies, through discussion) to develop effective strategies for learning (e.g., taking notes, using audio devices) in school and in real or simulated workplace settings; – demonstrate effective use of strategies for remembering (e.g., using mnemonics, dividing written material into memorable “chunks”) in situations that require significant use of memory in school and in real or simulated workplace settings; – use a decision-making process to make informed choices (e.g., to select opportunities for learning, to prioritize workplace tasks) in the school, community, or workplace, and analyse the impact of their decisions on themselves and others; – demonstrate effective use of a problem-solving process to deal with issues in school and in the workplace. Developing Workplace Essential Skills By the end of this course, students will: – assess their application of selected workplace essential skills, using feedback from others (e.g., peers, teachers, supervisors); – produce a gap analysis of their workplace essential skills by identifying the workplace essential skill requirements for a specific occupation, comparing the requirements with the skills they have, and identifying the skills they need to develop; – produce a plan for the development of the workplace essential skills that they require to complete specific tasks in the community or workplace; – document their ongoing development of selected workplace essential skills, including evidence of demonstration of these skills from their Ontario Skills Passport. Personal Management Overall Expectations By the end of this course, students will: • demonstrate an understanding of their interests, strengths, and needs, and describe how these influence their postsecondary education, training, and career plans; • identify and describe self-management and teamwork skills and strategies, and use them effectively in working with others in real or simulated workplace settings; • identify and effectively apply strategies for managing time, planning tasks, and managing personal finances. Specific Expectations Self-Knowledge By the end of this course, students will: – summarize, assess, and document various aspects of their personal profile (e.g., interests, skills, needs, values), using feedback from others, personal reflection, and information from standardized assessment tools, and explain how this information influences their postsecondary education, training, and career plans; – describe how learning from experience (e.g., work done in school subjects, volunteer work, part-time jobs) contributes to the achievement of their goals for learning and work; – identify and describe internal and external factors that motivate them (e.g., sense of satisfaction, money, recognition), and explain how such factors contribute to the achievement of their goals for learning and work. Working With Others By the end of this course, students will: – describe self-management skills (e.g., prioritizing, managing stress, problem solving) and use them to deal effectively with challenging situations in the school, community, or workplace (e.g., situations involving harassment, unreliability of others); – describe and use strategies for managing conflict (e.g., negotiation, mediation) and explain the issues and difficulties that may be encountered when resolving conflict; – describe the value of diversity (e.g., in perspective, gender, culture) in teamwork as well as some of the challenges it may create; – identify strategies that contribute to effective teamwork (e.g., presuming positive intentions, managing conflict, paying attention to self and others, seeking diverse strengths and perspectives), and use them to work collaboratively to accomplish team goals in real or simulated workplace settings; – identify a specific need in the community and respond to this need, working as part of a team (e.g., organize a career fair for parents and teachers); – identify and use appropriate strategies (e.g., clarifying needs) to obtain the resources and support required to meet their needs when communicating with employers and postsecondary education and training providers. Resource Management By the end of this course, students will: – identify and use time-management skills (e.g., prioritizing, allocating adequate time, limiting interruptions) and time-management tools (e.g., personal planners, schedules,“to-do”lists) to complete tasks and projects in real or simulated workplace settings; – develop and implement a plan to complete a task or series of tasks in the community or the workplace (e.g., collect and organize materials and resources, sequence components of the task, create a timeline, delegate responsibilities, make adjustments as required), and assess the effectiveness of the plan; – describe how such factors as personal goals, priorities, and needs affect their use of money as a resource; – demonstrate an understanding of the money-management strategies (e.g., budgeting, using credit, investing) required to handle their short- and long-term expenses. Exploration of Opportunities Overall Expectations By the end of this course, students will: • demonstrate the ability to research information about learning and work opportunities, using print, electronic, and human resources; • describe occupations of interest and the postsecondary education or training required for these occupations; • demonstrate an understanding of the nature of work and of workplace expectations and issues; • identify, explain, and follow health and safety policies and procedures in school and in the workplace. Specific Expectations Researching Information By the end of this course, students will: – use an inquiry process (i.e., formulate questions;gather,organize,interpret,assess, and communicate information) to locate information about postsecondary learning and work options (e.g., on-the-job training,apprenticeship,college,university,fields of work, specific occupations); – locate information about learning opportunities and work, using a variety of career information resources (e.g., National Occupational Classification, Job Futures, Ontario Prospects) and human resources (e.g., mentors, placement supervisors); – design experiential learning opportunities (e.g., cooperative education, work experience, site visits, job shadowing) and conduct information interviews (e.g., in person, by telephone, by e-mail) to investigate types of employment, employment trends, and work-style alternatives (e.g., job sharing, shift work, flex-time arrangements, contract work, consulting). Exploring Learning and Work Opportunities By the end of this course, students will: – summarize and communicate information about occupations of interest (e.g., work environment, employment prospects, duties, required workplace essential skills) and the education and/or training recommended for these occupations; – describe resources and opportunities available in the community (e.g., small business loans, venture capital, adult and continuing education, career counselling and job placement agencies) that will support the achievement of their postsecondary learning and work goals; – describe types of employment and work-style alternatives (e.g., job sharing, shift work, flex-time arrangements, contract work, consulting) and explain the advantages and disadvantages in relation to their own lifestyle and work preferences; – explain how a variety of factors (e.g., supply and demand for workers, demographic changes, trends in various work sectors) affect work opportunities in their occupational areas of interest. Understanding the Workplace By the end of this course, students will: – identify workplace issues (e.g., harassment, ethics, confidentiality and the right to privacy, responsible use of computers, gender equity) and explain how policies and procedures dealing with them contribute to a positive and productive work environment; – explain workers’ rights (e.g., right to refuse unsafe work, right to reasonable accommodation) and responsibilities (e.g., accident reporting), and identify federal and provincial legislation in which they are described (e.g., Hazardous Products Act, Ontario Human Rights Act); – describe the role of unions and explain their impact in the workplace. Demonstrating Health and Safety Awareness By the end of this course, students will: – identify potential health and safety hazards in a workplace setting; – describe safety practices associated with work-related risk reduction and injury prevention (e.g., safety training, hazard recognition, risk management, ergonomic considerations, workplace accessibility) in a workplace setting; – explain and follow health and safety policies (e.g., proper handling of tools and equipment, use of personal protective equipment) and procedures (e.g., fire drill, evacuation, equipment lockouts) in a workplace setting; – describe procedures for reporting accidents and unsafe practices, and explain why they are necessary in the workplace. Preparation for Transitions and Change Overall Expectations By the end of this course, students will: • identify the possible changes they will encounter in the transition from secondary school to their first postsecondary destination, and develop strategies and resources to manage this transition; • produce plans for a smooth transition to their selected postsecondary destination; • apply job-search strategies, tools, and resources to find or create opportunities for work and for learning about work. Specific Expectations Managing Change By the end of this course, students will: – describe the challenges (e.g., financial obligations, moving) and opportunities (e.g., job offers, certification courses, reentry to school) that may occur during their transition from secondary school to new roles and environments (e.g., work, postsecondary education/training, community living); – use appropriate strategies (e.g., finding personal and financial support, compiling a list of kinds of community support) and identify resources (e.g., key contacts within the family, school, community, and workplace) to assist them with their transition to a postsecondary destination of interest; – describe how to manage planned changes (e.g., accepting a job offer) and unplanned changes (e.g., non-admission to a postsecondary program, illness) in their learning and work environments. Planning for Learning and Work By the end of this course, students will: – describe the career-planning process (i.e., identify personal interests and attributes; investigate education and career opportunities in the school, community, and workplace; decide which opportunities to select; plan the transition) and develop their postsecondary goals and plans using this process; – develop, assess, and refine a back-up plan describing the steps they would take and the resources and support they would need to make a smooth transition to their first postsecondary destination; – identify the financial requirements for their selected postsecondary destination, and produce and implement a plan for managing their finances (e.g., income, expenditures,savings). Searching for Work By the end of this course, students will: – use various job-search strategies (e.g., conducting online job searches, developing a personal network) to find work opportunities; – document evidence of the knowledge, skills (including workplace essential skills), and work habits that they have acquired in the workplace or through volunteering, using the Ontario Skills Passport and other tracking tools; – create effective job-search tools (e.g., job-specific résumé, covering letter, portfolio) that reflect their knowledge, strengths, experience, skills (including workplace essential skills), and work habits for an experiential learning, volunteer, or work opportunity; – communicate their interest in a volunteer or work opportunity by telephone or e-mail and by completing a real job application form; – present effectively their knowledge, skills (including workplace essential skills), and work habits in interviews with prospective employers or placement supervisors; – identify community-based agencies available to provide assistance in making the transition to the next stage in their lives. The Ministry of Education wishes to acknowledge the contribution of the many individuals, groups, and organizations that participated in the development and refinement of this curriculum policy document. Printed on recycled paper ISBN 1-4249-0908-2 (Print) ISBN 1-4249-0909-0 (TXT) ISBN 1-4249-0910-4 (PDF) 05-008 © Queen’s Printer for Ontario, 2006