Category: Featured Articles

Being a new student at a new  school can be very scary and intimidating. We all know what it’s like to have first day school jitters, but imagine joining a class in the middle of the year! That would be very nerve racking!

Why is someone joining my class now instead of at the start of the year?

A new student may be joining your class for many different reasons. Maybe they just moved to a new community, maybe their school got closed, or maybe they just didn’t enjoy their school’s community. Regardless of why they changed schools, I’m sure you can imagine how scary it would be to join a class where kids already know each other, and everyone is already caught up on all the work.

How can I make the new student feel welcome?

Be kind,open and be accepting. You can start off  by introducing yourself to the new student. Be polite and invite them to join you and your friends at recess or to sit with you during class time if the teacher doesn’t have assigned seating. This will make the new student feel less nervous, and accepted into the classroom community. You can ask them questions about themselves, for example what sports they enjoy, if they have any pets or siblings, etc. You can also tell them things about yourself. You may have more in common than you think, which could lead to a great friendship! You can also ask the new student if they want help get caught up on some of the work they’ve missed. The teacher will be helping the student to catch up, but having a friend who’s there to help as well can always feel great!

Put yourself in their shoes

Although it may feel strange to have a new face in the classroom during the middle of the year, try not to judge. Instead, be curious and welcoming to make the student feel like they belong. If you find it difficult to understand what the new student is saying or doing, for example if they aren’t making eye contact, or not replying to your questions, try to put yourself in their shoes. How would you feel if you joined a new class in the middle of the year? I know that I would be very nervous that’s for sure!

Overall things to remember

Being the new kid in a school can be very overwhelming. Be polite, be inclusive and try to imagine that it was you joining the school! Treat others the way you want to be treated. Who knows, the new kid could become your best friend!

Sources:

https://www.teachhub.com/classroom-management-welcome-new-student-midyear

https://www.wikihow.com/Welcome-the-New-Kid-at-School

https://www.wgu.edu/heyteach/article/welcoming-new-student-your-classroom1701.html

Hope: “Hold On Pain Ends”

Hope is a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain outcome  to happen. Hope pushes us and encourages us to do our daily tasks, in pursuit of a goal It helps us imagine  a better future.  When people are going through a difficult time, it is common for them to say things such as “I’ve lost all hope” or “I have no hope anymore”. In this article, we will talk about why it is important to find and grasp a hold of hope, even in your toughest times:

What exactly is hope and why it is so important to have?

The  definition of hope defined by Merriam-Webster Dictionary is “to desire with expectation of obtainment or fulfillment, to cherish a desire with anticipation, to want something to happen or be true, to expect with confidence.”. Hope gives us something to look forward to, something to hold on to throughout our lives. It makes us happy, it helps us through tough times.. Sometimes, the word hope is used as an acronym for “hold on pain ends”. I think this acronym is perfect and sums up the word in its entirety. Hope is like a rope to grab onto that will guide you through life.

The Tunnel, the Backpack, and the Rope

I have used the example of “the tunnel, the backpack, and the rope” many times to explain to others  how  I feel, and also to teach  others how they might be feeling or someone they love and care about may be feeling. Try to think of life as a tunnel. When you are born, you get put in this tunnel with nothing but a backpack which only you can see, and a rope that guides you to the end (this rope is hope). When you make friends and create relationships and are happy, the tunnel is optimistic and the backpack is light, the tunnel is filled with windows and brightness and life is easy. It’s easy to hold onto the rope that guides you through life… but sometimeslife gets hard when you start to isolate yourself, or your friends and family seem to be less present; the tunnel’s windows start to shrink, leaving you in the dark. The backpack starts to get filled with grief, loss, sadness, and worry. It feels like you’re going to collapse because the weight of the backpack is pulling you down, and you are scared because you’re all alone in the dark, never-ending tunnel. This is the time when you couldn’t get out bed because you were too sad, this is the time you couldn’t go to school because you were too scared, this is the time when you said: “I’ve lost all hope”. When you are deep in the dark tunnel with the backpack weighing you down, this is the most important time to grab ahold of that rope. The rope gives you the strength and the power to get out of the tunnel and find the end. The rope also can help you open up those windows again and help you find brightness.

In conclusion, the reason that it is necessary to keep hope even during your darkest times is that hope is the key to life. It helps guide you and helps you find your way, and finally, hope allows us to see and wish for a better future. Never give up!

Sources:

1. Campbell, Polly. “How Hope Helps Us.” Imperfect Spirituality, 10 July 2013, http://imperfectspirituality.com/2013/08/05/how-hope-helps-us/
2. “Finding Hope in Dark Times.” Psychology Today, Sussex Publishers, www.psychologytoday.com/ca/blog/your-personal-renaissance/201702/finding-hope-in-dark-times.
3. “Hope.” Merriam-Webster, Merriam-Webster, www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hope.

When it comes time to think about your future career, take heed of what you are learning presently in class. Examining what you are currently learning will help you figure out what you will be competing against in the future.  Computers are a big field right now, particularly in terms of infrastructure – internal and external. There are many jobs  available within the world of computers, from physically repairing them to designing websites to designing and building applications, maintaining a company’s computers, to even creating products for computers.  You can even work to build computer networks by becoming an electrician or an electrical engineer. There are so many career and job options for people interested in the world of computers!

There are many specialized IT careers out there, which is why career counselors strongly recommend you know what you are passionate about and what you would enjoy doing long-term..  It is a good idea to focus on jobs that are in demand, and that will be in demand for an extended period of time. If you focus on a career stream that will shortly become extinct, it is best to not invest your time and money into it. But that doesn’t necessarily happen when you are in school – opportunities open up all the time; it’s a matter of finding out what you want to do, when you want to do it, and how you’re going to do it.Remember as well that technology changes.  You need to be able to learn new things quickly when a company moves from one version of something to another.

Think big and different too: the skilled trades are in demand for various reasons. Technology breaks down, so you need a repair person. HVAC (heat, ventilation and air conditioning) systems are a growing field, in both new construction and existing buildings. You may even find a job within the trades that not many people know about that is both interesting to you and competitive in the job market, such as installing elevators or medical technology. You never know until you research both the things you’re interested in or searching through job profiles. The idea is to keep an open mind!

However, specialization is not always needed: you need to be able to vary your skills instead. Office jobs in particular seem like you need to be a jack-of-all-trades, because that’s the case – you need to be able to multitask and do your job quickly and effectively while you work on several other items. You can be handling phone calls while answering emails or filing papers. But more than ever, you need to vary your skills and experience with various kinds of software, varying from the older versions (as it can be expensive for a company to upgrade to the newest product), to the newest versions. But it’s not just software, either – there are several applications to help you communicate with your team better.

When it comes to the future of the job market, there are no hard-and-fast answers.  Things remain somewhat vague. It’s a rapidly changing world, with a focus on computers and technology, but other fields remain in constant demand. Ultimately, the best thing to do is to do your research to find what you want, and develop the skills and knowledge that future employers are searching for.

When you hear the word “courtroom,” most likely, you picture a distinguished judge, a jury, a client who is either guilty or not guilty, and lawyers opposing each other as best they can. Even when you catch a glimpse of reality TV shows like “Judge Judy” or drama shows like “Law & Order” when your parents watch, your eyes are most likely to be on the judge or the lawyers. Rarely would you think of an individual who is recording everything being said and transpiring in the courtroom, the court reporter, as part of the picture.

Court reporters may not be as noticeable as the judges or lawyers, but they are an integral part of the legal process in the justice system. If you are interested in a legal-focused career, a court reporter can be a fulfilling profession. Let’s get to know more about this below.

Court Reporters – What You Need to Know

A court reporter is considered as an official of the court, and the main duty is to record spoken communications at all court proceedings. These recordings, or transcripts as they are usually referred to, are serve as the records for all aspects of the trial. When a decision or verdict is made on trials, everything is recorded, and they are accessible for future reference should lawyers and their legal team want to research on similar cases. In some cases, judges or attorneys can also request court reporters to read back any items which were transcribed, typically when there are points of arguments or disputes or when they simply want something clarified or emphasized.

Most court reporters use a stenotype machine that mimics typed shorthand, allowing them to work at the similar fast rate of the verbal communication that typically transpires in the courtroom. Operating a stenotype efficiently requires formal training and a lot of hours of practice.

The more progressive courtrooms, on the other hand, have embraced technologies available for recording verbal correspondence, and the court reporters are then tasked to produce transcripts out of these recordings. While they don’t have to transcribe in real-time, they still work under very strict timelines to complete the transcripts.

Salary

According to PayScale.com, courtroom reporters can earn C$30,536 – C$53,107 a year with additional potential earnings for overtime work.

Skills

Since court reporters are court officials too, they are expected to conduct themselves in a highly professional manner, demonstrate tact and discretion, and remain unbiased and impartial. Court reporters also need to be detail-oriented and must possess a high degree of attentiveness, an excellent command of the English language (both verbal and written), and strong skills in multitasking. Courtrooms may have their own system in place when recording verbal communications, so it pays to have the strong capacity to learn new software and technology.

Technical school or vocational training designed specifically to a career as a court reporter is required. Aspiring courtroom reporters should expect to spend hours and hours learning to use a stenotype, as well as learning shorthand and transcription skills.

Each province might have their own requirements before you start working as a court reporter. In Ontario, for example, one has to undergo a testing and certification process to be a member of Court Reporters’ Association of Ontario. In Alberta, meanwhile, potential court reporters need to be a member of the Alberta Shorthand Reporters Association.

Pros and Cons

Like with any job, a career as a court reporter equals its own set of advantages and disadvantages. One common downside is the long hours that are associated with the job, where some may be required to work evenings and weekends, depending on the deadlines for the legal proceedings.

Operating a stenotype machine is a challenge in itself as well. As this equipment does not involve the QWERTY keyboard that we are all used to, some say that it’s similar to learning a new language.

An advantage of working as a court reporter though is the opportunity to meet a variety of people, and encountering a wide variation of legal cases. Some are also grateful for the travel opportunities that come with the job.

SOURCES:

https://www.payscale.com/research/CA/Job=Court_Reporter/Hourly_Rate

https://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/careers/career-advice/i-want-to-be-a-court-reporter-what-will-my-salary-be/article23477467/

https://www.cliquezjustice.ca/careers-in-justice/court-reporter

In a rich country like Canada, you might think that everyone should have a place to live. Yet thousands of people are homeless at various points each year, and even all of the government funding and other programs have not been enough to solve the problem. Everyone should help, and there are many things that you and your friends and family can do to change the situation.

Canada has different kinds of homelessness. The most visible kind is what you might see if you go out into a city late in the evening. Every night, about 35,000 people across Canada sleep on the streets, in abandoned buildings, or in shelters run by groups like the Salvation Army. Besides all of those people, about 50,000 others are part of the hidden homeless. This means that they have a temporary place to stay, such as a friend’s living room, but not anything permanent.

People become homeless for many reasons, such as job losses, long illnesses, and rising housing prices. Sometimes, people lose everything very suddenly, such as in a house fire or other disaster. At other times, it can be very slow, such as when a person is unemployed for a long time and doesn’t have enough money left to pay for housing.

Helping the homeless can be difficult, especially since part of the problem is with the system of housing and employment. One thing that you can do is sign petitions and write to the government to build low-cost housing or to make laws that help the homeless. For example, when property owners change apartments into condominiums, many low-income people have to move out because they cannot afford the price. You can urge the government to limit this kind of practice and to make sure that landlords cannot drive people out of apartments by raising the rent too much.

Another way to help is by supporting organizations that work with homeless or low-income people. Habitat for Humanity, for example, keeps many families from becoming homeless by helping them to build and buy low-cost homes without taking on huge debts. Other organizations provide soup kitchens where people can come to have a good meal that they might otherwise not be able to afford or have the space to cook. Serving meals at these places, donating money, or helping in other ways at homeless shelters can be very useful for people in need.

Besides helping in these ways, you can do many other things to make the lives of homeless people a bit easier. Giving money to a homeless person is one option, but other ways of helping are often better. You can make sandwiches or buy gift cards to give to people in need. Mittens, scarves, towels, and hand warmers are also useful, and you can ask for your friends and family to help you with that. Even a smile and a brief conversation can help a homeless person feel better.

Support is a very important part of working with the homeless. If you can get your friends and family involved or work with an organization that helps the homeless, that will make your efforts much easier. Whatever method you try, it is important to help Canada’s people in need because it could be anyone, even you one day.

Bibliography:

Chevalier, Jennifer. “5 Things You Can Do to Help the Homeless.” https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/ottawa/help-homeless-ottawa-1.4954083.

CTV News. “Helping the Homeless: What They Need, in Their Own Words.” https://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/helping-the-homeless-what-they-need-in-their-own-words-1.2819998.

Homeless Hub. “What is Homelessness?” https://www.homelesshub.ca/about-homelessness/homelessness-101/what-homelessness.

Paulsen, Monte. “50 Ways to Help the Homeless.” https://thetyee.ca/Views/2008/12/09/HelpHomeless

Graphic design is creating and designing logos, websites, layouts and brochures for consumers. As a graphic designer, you will be obligated to use design software on computers in order to produce the designs. They use text, fonts, pictures, symbols, and graphics to create designs that are fit for the audience they are trying to reach, and the company they may work for.

To become a successful graphic designer, some important skills to have include a great knowledge and understanding of technology, creativity, and typography. Graphic design is a part of many industries including publishing, advertising , and of course, arts and design, just to name a few. As with most jobs in the arts industry, there is a high chance for advancement. As a graphic designer in Canada, you typically start out with a salary of $40,000 per year or lower, depending on what company or job you take. However, the payment increases as your job title advances. Keep in mind that you can also work as a freelance Graphic Designer in which you can make your own hours and choose your own projects to work on. This may be more challenging than your typical 9am-5pm job, but the rewards can be plenty.  If you work for a company and you become an art director, your pay would range from $77,000-$132,000 per year.

As our economy becomes more technological, there is a growing need for graphic designers. More companies are using websites, logos, and media to promote their businesses, and therefore need graphic designers to be able to do so. In order to become a graphic designer, you are required to have either a college or university bachelor degree in graphic design. In Canada alone, there are numerous programs that are great for design including some excellent programs located at OCAD University, George Brown College and Vancouver College of Art and Design.

Along with the chance for advancement within the career, a couple pros of becoming a graphic designer is the ability to express your creativity and being able to freelance. Another pro is that graphic designers can normally work the standard  40 per week. If they are working in a corporate office, these hours are usually from 9:00am-5:00pm. This is not always true for all companies and freelance jobs, however. Despite the large amount of pros, there is one prolonged con that many freelance graphic designers face; instability. A large amount of freelance graphic designers struggle to find clients and business, and therefore lack payment. Overall, graphic design is a job with average pay, lots of area for growth, and great benefits.

References:

1.  https://www.interaction-design.org/literature/topics/graphic-design
2. https://www.bestdegreeprograms.org/lists/5-industries-that-are-hiring-graphic-designers
3. https://thebestschools.org/careers/art-design-careers/
4. http://www.ucreative.com/articles/10-benefits-of-being-a-graphic-artist/

Acceptance letters from your university or college of choice opens a lot of doors. You’ll be heading into the world of post-secondary education and you can’t wait to get a jump start on your independence. The idea of moving out entices any eager student, but the reality is that staying home may be the way to go.

Don’t let this news deter you from certain schools or crush any dreams. Staying at home for a few years has significant benefits you can cash in on. Even if you don’t remain at home for the entirety of your post-secondary career, those first few years are crucial to think about.

Here are a few of the main reasons living at home will benefit you:

Saving Money

 This might not seem like the biggest issue for anyone offered a scholarship, but it will be in the long run. School is expensive! Between books, classes, tutoring, meal plans, and living expenses, your bill is bound to skyrocket. Not to mention, certain schools are more expensive than others, and programs vary in prices as well.

Staying at home for a year or two allows you to save on rent, bills, and groceries. When you’re thinking about everything else you need to prepare for your first year of post-secondary education, additional expenses don’t need to be one of them.

Privacy

We know how irritating it is to have family barge into our rooms without knocking. Some days it seems like all we can do not to bolt our doors shut. Well, unless you’re living in a room of your own (which would cost more), you’ll have roommates in your dorm as well.

Chances are you won’t know who you’re bunking with, which might lead to some friction. It’s worth looking into and getting to know the people around your living space.

Familiarity

One of the biggest comforts of living at home is the familiarity of your loved ones. It’s comforting to come home to a safe place where we’re loved and cared for. Moving out equals newfound independence, which can be overwhelming to a first-year student.

You should also get a feel for your school before making the huge decision to move there. See if you like your classes, professors, atmosphere, and fellow students. What seems like a good idea at the time can quickly deteriorate into an impulsive decision you question later.

None of this is to say you should avoid flying the coop. Of course, living at home is a big decision to make. A lot of factors come into play, such as your relationship with your family, your financial situation, and how close you are to your institute. You’ll also need to weigh your options between familiarity and moving out of your comfort zone.

Speak to other students who are both at home and on campus to get their perspectives. The most important thing to remember is that there’s no need to move out if you’re not ready. There’s no shame in it either.

When you go to the grocery store, it is easy to take the wide selection of fruits and vegetables for granted. Getting this wide selection into your local store requires a lot of work from the agricultural production industry, a load of expertise from scientists that know the soil like the back of their hand and a solid understanding of trade regulations. Agriculture plays a huge role in our economy and it will always be an essential industry to not only sustain the nation, but to provide products to export. Despite the importance and job availability, the Calgary Herald reported a significant labour shortage in the farming industry, presenting a problem in sales shortages and reliance on foreign labour. This essential industry requires more expertise and labour power. Above all, it needs experts to educate the future workforce to keep this industry going strong. This is where the agricultural science teacher comes in.

Agricultural science teachers are professors that teach in postsecondary educational institutions and cover subjects related to agriculture. A few of their responsibilities include: instructing a classroom full of students on courses related to agriculture and writing scholarly articles on the field to provide additional research to the field with your own findings.

What are the perks of the job?

Professors can generally enjoy flexible hours and a fulfilling engagement with the future workforce. If you are particularly passionate about the agricultural sciences, the perks of this career choice are many. However, it doesn’t hurt that professors can generally receive an average salary of $89,895 (which is well over the Canadian national average salary of $51,000, according to Workopolis). It is also a career with a higher demand than most careers since there is a shortage of labour and expertise in the industry.

What are some of the setbacks?

The most notable setbacks associated with this career path can be the educational requirements which may present a barrier to some. Professors generally require a Master’s degree on top of a Bachelor’s degree and a standard high school education. The workload can also be excessive as professors have to grade many papers, set up tests and prepare courses.

How can I grow with this career?

Like with many professor careers, agricultural science teachers can grow to become the heads of their department as well as grow into a well-respected lecturer within the community. Professors can also become non-fiction writers that specialize in the field of their expertise. There are a few ways to grow within the role and expand it as well.

That’s all great, but could I be hired for other careers?

Of course! Having an expertise in agricultural sciences can land you a decent career within the agricultural field, including work as a farm manager, a researcher or research assistant for agriculture, a soil scientist or practice other forms of geology with additional training, plant breeder or geneticist, etc. There are many options to choose from, as long as they hold some form of knowledge surrounding the growth of crops and science of agriculture.

Reference:

Bureau of Labor Statistics, “Occupational Employment Statistics: Agricultural Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary”: https://www.bls.gov/oes/2017/may/oes251041.htm

MyPlan.com, “Agricultural Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary”: https://www.myplan.com/careers/agricultural-sciences-teachers-postsecondary/summary-25-1041.00.html

PayScale.com, “Average Professor, Postsecondary / Higher Education Salary”:

https://www.payscale.com/research/CA/Job=Professor%2C_Postsecondary_%2F_Higher_Education/Salary

If you like attending events with your family or friends within your city or province, whether it’s the launch of the latest iPhone model or a fundraising concert that raises money for cancer research and awareness, did you ever wonder how it all comes together? However, it’s common that when you pop into an event, say an album launch of your favourite artist, you pay little attention to the big picture. After all, you’re there to enjoy what you came for, and hopefully meet like-minded individuals who share similar interests with you.

However, there’s painstaking work behind every special event, and an important individual who makes sure everything is in place before, during, and after the event is the special events coordinator. Read on to understand more about this exciting profession, and if this is something you can consider if you’re looking into a career that offers excitement and spontaneity.

Special Events Coordinator – What You Need to Know

Special event coordinators are mainly responsible for overseeing the full life cycle of special events from its inception to implementation. The special events can range from private events like conferences for CEOs of large-scale companies or birthday parties for a prominent member of a community or a high-ranking official. It can also be a public event like a trade show or a charity event.

Special event coordinators play a key role in planning the event, but often in collaboration with their own company, a particular client, and their team. They make major decisions from the event’s concept or theme up to the clean-up committee or media coverage following the event. In addition, they hold the responsibility of finding entertainment, catering, and venues, ensuring that every item is in line with the company’s timelines and budget. Special event coordinators also take on other tasks including sampling food, deciding on the decorations and floral arrangements, and finalizing the guest list and seating arrangements. For high-profile company events such as a fundraising event with special dignitaries as guests, special events coordinators also take charge of promotional and marketing duties to ensure it gains media and public attention.

Salary

According to PayScale.com, special events coordinator can earn up to an average of C$42,765 a year, with bonus and profit sharing earning potential.

Skills

As the main tasks of special events coordinator revolve around planning and organizing, it’s required to have strengths in time management and organization. In addition, since they often work with a team or have staff members working for them, it’s also a must for a special event coordinator to have excellent leadership abilities and collaborative skills. They also need to be outstanding in analytical and critical thinking as they must always ensure they keep to an established schedule and budget. As the profession is often under time constraints, special events coordinator must be able to handle pressure well and be someone who’s quick on their feet for resolving conflicts.

To kick off a career as a special events coordinator, an Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree in any related field such as Business Administration or Public Relations is required, plus experience in customer service and/or public relations with at least one year at a supervisor level can be a huge advantage.

Pros and Cons

Working as a special events coordinator can be an exciting one. It’s definitely spontaneous and not monotonous as with other professions as you have the authority to handle a special event in any way you want, which means you can make it different every time.

Due to budget or time constraints, however, being in charge of special events can mean a lot of pressure and stress. You also have to have the stamina to keep up with the tasks and sometimes you may be required to work beyond office hours or even weekends just to meet requirements for a special event.

However, what will keep you going is the excitement that each event has to offer.

SOURCES:

https://www.mediabistro.com/climb-the-ladder/skills-expertise/what-does-an-event-coordinator-do/

 

https://www.bizcommunity.com/Job/196/40/358799.html

https://www.payscale.com/research/CA/Job=Special_Events_Coordinator/Salary