Elizabeth Moore - Blog 7

Children come to class everyday from a home life that has a strong effect on them. There are many factors that can effect their day, one of them is their family dynamic. This chapter talked a lot about how the family of a student can effect them socailly. Before this weeks reading I was aware that “The way that a child is socialized depends on many characteristics of the family" (pg.197). However, the extent to which it effected students was not known to me. It was interesting to learn that "Children from lone parent families are more likely to drop out of high school" (pg.200). This makes me wonder what can be done to provide extra support for these children. Same goes for "Children living in stepfamilies are more likely to display hyperactivity" (pg. 202). This are aspects of fmaily dynamics that I will be keeping in mind in my future career. I understand that children will most likely not drop out of my early years class, but I want to make sure I set them up properly for a future that includes finishing highschool.

Discussion Question:

How can we ensure that our students who may have difficulities with their family situation continue to try and ultamitely finish their school career?

Lexi - Blog 8

I found the discussion in Chapter 8 “School-to-Work Transitions” on how educational attainment in Canada is highly polarized interesting. I have always found that there is so much emphasis and importance on attending university after high school and that it almost being conveyed as the only acceptable option for high school graduates to choose. This failure of teachers in giving information and guidance regarding other options has the “effect of having youth enrolling in high school courses that are not appropriate to their interests or skills, and can lead to youth getting poor grades and dropping out of school in frustration.” (236)  Many who have argued against the stigma towards any “non-academic” pathways say that “Canadian schools need to be ‘re-cultured’ so that college and university are not stressed as the ‘preferred’ pathway and that the benchmark of the success of a school is not the proportion of students that are enrolled in university preparation courses.” (236) When we watched the video from the show ‘The Passionate Eye’ in class on how other countries such as Switzerland approach post-secondary education, I was intrigued. In Switzerland they only admit a small number of students to their universities but also treat other work-education programs with equal importance and significance. This has helped the employment rates of new grads in the country improve and remain steady. In Canada unemployment rates among younger adults are “much higher than in the average adult workforce – often double or even higher.” (239)I do agree that new grads should have to compete for jobs and that earning a degree does not necessarily come with the 100% certainty of having a job right after school. However, it seems that too many young people after completing university are out of a job.

Discussion question: How do you think Canada can work towards improving job opportunities for young adults?

Evangelin Francis - Blog #8

For this week’s sociology blog, we were required to read chapter 8, "School-to-Work Transitions." I found this chapter very relatable to my / our lives at the moment. Within the next year and bit, we will all be looking for jobs as we try to make our way in to the labour force. There were many things that stood out to me in this chapter but for the sake of this blog I would like to highlight on three.

The first was the concept of opportunity cost. The text defines this as, referring "to the benefits that have to be forgone in order to pursue the activity of choice" (pg. 232) For example (as the text outlines) this could be choosing to pursue higher education as opposed to working straight after high school. This is in hopes that once graduated will lead to a higher paying job (due to having credentials) rather than the low-paying jobs that are available to high school diploma holders. I know for me personally, I choose the higher education route specifically for these reasons. However, in doing so I definitely fell into the "broke university student" category. Even though I am working part time, I still find myself financially stressed at times. This most likely isn't too big of a problem (in terms of simply having money as opposed to how much) for someone who started working straight after (e.g. able to save, not have to pay lump sums of money like tuition ... etc). However I do believe that the sacrifices made now will be worth it eventually.

Another thing that stood out me during this chapter was the section on new immigrants. Being closely connected to my cultural community (Tamil people) here in Winnipeg, I often hear stories of new Tamil immigrants who are not able to find work that matches to their area of study. One example that hits close to home is my mother was a nurse back in Sri Lanka however once she immigrated to Canada; she was not able to get the same job. The text would describe this as being an example of brain waste. Brain waste is defined as “the underutilization of the skills sets of new immigrants” (pg. 243).

The last thing that stood out to me in this chapter was the section on apprenticeship programs (although this was dispersed throughout the chapter). Apprenticeship programs are defined as programs that are “oriented toward training people in skills of a trade… a young person works for an employer while taught the skills of the trade on the job” (pg. 260). I definitely think it would be of more value and beneficial to society as a whole if we had a system similar to that of Germany – in which the school and employers work together to outline what is expected (pg. 259). This is in contrast to what in Canada have as the text calls it a “decoupling system” (pg. 260). In this system the employers and education system are loosely tied (260). Often we hear stories of how our schooling did not prepare us for our job (at least adequately) or vice versa how employers say that new recruits are not prepared. I think in a nutshell that by having a better system would allow for us to feel more confident / self assured, knowledgeable and prepared going into new jobs in addition this would add to our social capital (being able to make connections and networks). Rather than for example (now) not having the preparedness or confidence as well as no networks. For example, although I enjoy our educational courses I wish we had more practical lessons over theory – say in the context of strategies to address classroom management, forms that we should know how to fill out (e.g. field trips, grants for books .. etc), how to set up a classroom, how to plan lessons … etc) and interviewing skills and so forth.

Question: Our educational system is pretty embedded as it is. However, given the chance to restructure - let’s say on a smaller level the whole BA educational program; is there anything you would change? For example, more apprenticeship like opportunities out of the school setting but still related to education, or longer apprenticeship / practicum commitment, more practical over theory courses?

Randi Brooks 8

Blog #8

I found the second last chapter of the textbook to be quite informative and a little eye opening. I found it to be very disheartening to hear that “individuals whose highest level of completed education is high school face the highest unemployment rates” (239). When getting accepted into the Faculty of Education, most people react with the question “but are you going to be able to find a teaching job?” I find this to be a little worrisome because no, I am not guaranteed to find a teaching job once I finish my Education degree, but I’d like to think that I have some sort of advantage for employment over other people who don’t have any post-secondary degree. But in fact, this is not reality. In regards to student employment, the textbook mentions, “Tuition fees have increased at a faster rate than inflation during the last 20 years, creating a greater need for students to work in order to cover the costs of attending post-secondary education” (248). I’ve been very fortunate and have had the same job over the past 7 years. This job allows me to be fulltime over the summer, and drop to any kind of part time I’m comfortable with during the school year. It allows me to work while I’m in school, as well as giving me time to study when I need it. Although, without having this job I would never be able to attend school, and I also have to continue working while I’m in school, otherwise I would not be able to pay for my schooling.

This brings me to the “transition to adulthood” that the text talks about. “Compared to their parents, young adults today stay in the parental home longer and spend more years in education” (249). I can definitely relate to this. It was cheaper for me to stay living at home in Portage with my parents and commute to Winnipeg for school. So that is what I did until I was 24 in order to save myself some money. Now, I have my own house (in Portage still, I’m just not a city girl) and along with transitioning into adulthood come way more financial responsibilities. It has definitely been eye opening and sometimes really hard to have to pay for everything that comes with a house (mortgage, hydro, water, property taxes, etc) along with everything else such as tuition for school, gas money for commuting, groceries, etc. Although it may seem hard and living with your parents until you’re done school is definitely less stressful financially, at 24 I made the decision to get my own place and I do not regret it. The text describes five key transitions into adulthood, “completing education, leaving the parental home, completing one year of full-time employment, entering a spousal or “conjugal” partnership; and having children” (249). I’m at 3/5 for adulthood transition and I think that’s pretty good. The other two will soon follow once I finish my Education degree.

Discussion question: How do you feel about your transition to adulthood?

Randi Brooks 7

Blog #7

Throughout Chapter 7 of our textbook, it mainly focuses on the ascribed characteristics among us that affect how well a child does in school. What I found interesting was the topic regarding immigrants and how one reason why they may do better than Canadian born children is because “visible minority youth in Canada have high aspirations toward post-secondary education” (209). The text goes on to mention that visible minorities have higher aspirations than Canadian born youth to receive an education, as well as “first generation immigrant parents have higher educational expectations of their children compared to those parents who were born in the country” (209). This doesn’t really surprise me because when immigrants come to Canada from another country, it is difficult for them sometimes to pack up there entire life and move somewhere new. In fact, sometimes they don’t even know the language. So for immigrant parents to have a higher expectation for their children makes sense because they have to somewhat work harder in order to “fit in” with other Canadian children.

One thing that really interested me in this entire chapter was the section on sexual orientation and The Triangle Program. This program is an alternative school in Toronto that is focused on lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgendered youth. “The goals of the program are to foster the success of students who are targets of homophobia and who are at a high risk of dropping out or committing suicide” (219).  I never knew that such a school existed and I think it’s a great idea. Some youth today are very self-conscious about their sexual identity and are afraid to go to school because of the bullying and homophobic comments. Even though these negative actions should never be occurring within schools, the reality is that they are still present. It’s nice to see that there is an alternative school for LGBT youth to attend if they do have those insecurities about being in a public school setting.

This section made me think of this video that I happened to see on Facebook a few days ago. It’s called “Love is blind” and it supports different types of diversity. Check it out, it’s a really cute video!

http://magazine.good.is/videos/skeletons-diversity-love  

Discussion question: What are your thoughts on The Triangle Program? Do you think it's beneficial for today's youth or do you think it segregates LGBT youth?

Ashley Fredette: Blog 8

This chapter was somewhat a confirmation of what I already knew going into education. I was told that there are no jobs, that the only way I might land a position would be through networking, "knowing the right people". While I can't confirm that this is a truth for certain (not having yet applied for a job myself), I believe it to be true. I am very lucky in that I am a music specialist in early years. Everyone says that "if you are a specialist or you are fluent in French, you're set." If you're a generalist, good luck. It's a matter of fact that people aren't retiring, or if they do, they continue subbing and taking those jobs, as well. We currently live in a less-than-perfect economic world, making it difficult to "get our foot in the door." Because we are the youngest and least experienced, we are the first ones to get the boot. And getting our Master's after our Undergraduate degree? FORGET ABOUT IT! Then you'll be over-qualified, no experience and too expensive to hire. But I'm not discouraged, because 1) I am a music specialist, 2) a job is bound to open up sometime, and 3) I can always teach voice or piano privately if times are tough. But I would love to be an early years teacher. I can't imagine a more rewarding profession. So even though the climate is rough, it is worth persisting.

Discussion Question: Coming out of the education program, how can we, as teachers with not much experience, make ourselves stand out enough to get hired?

Amanda Devion – Yep, You Can Say That I ‘Purchased’ My Ed. Degree!

Chapter 9 touches on the concepts of consumerism and academic entitlement and how these two concepts are linked. The idea of ‘degree purchasing’ is seen as completing a degree as a means for employment, not for pursuing higher knowledge (pg. 292). I don’t know about you, but I want to be a teacher and in order to do so I need an education degree. I am definitely learning something through obtaining the degree, but honestly completing it is a means to an end. So yes, I am part of the ‘degree purchasing’ phenomenon.

The amount of effort and time a student puts into school and studying is considered in the text to be ‘student engagement’ (pg. 292). I am not surprised that research indicates that students who work while in school show more ‘student engagement’ over students who do not work while studying (pg. 292). Making a huge assumption based on my experiences I feel that the students who are working while going to school are most likely having to foot the bill for those classes. I know that I am more invested in activities that I have to pay for because I have worked hard for the money I have and to see it go up in flames by flunking out of school is not an option. With that said, this degree is different from my first because my husband is financing this endeavor. I love and respect him too much to flunk out of school using his money and I can see how this could be true for students who have seen their parents work hard to help them with their student fees.

Discussion Question: How do you see the Education Degree with respect to ‘degree purchasing’? Are you in the program so that you can have a teaching occupation, or are you in the program to receive higher learning in the area of teaching?

Jordyn Fernandes Blog 6

The idea of the hidden curriculum bothers me, especially as these are things that my children will encounter. (p.164)  I do not believe it is right for us as teachers to decide what our students values should be except for the law abiding requirements. It is not our place to decide what a 'family' consists of, it is not our place to share what the 'right' religion is. It is simply our jobs to provide our students with the different ideas that are out there to choose from but also let them know that they can make their own choices too.

My cousins are twins and because of this were seperated and there for streamed into different groups at school. Keane was streamed into a class that encouraged hands-on learning, yoga breaks and group work whereas Chyanne was streamed into a classroom that had multiple projects and very individual based. When they get home and are both doing their school work, Chyanne looks down on Keane and his class because she feels they are not as smart. Keane looks down on Chyanne's class because he feels like they are too serious and do not learn they just memorize and that's not interesting. Streaming bothers me simply because of the perceptions associated with them. (p.167) At my elementary school it was explained to us that we were put in different classes based on our learning styles. Students that preferred to cover multiple topics and move from subject to subject quickly and enjoyed group work were put in multi-age classrooms and students who preferred individual work and moving at a slower pace to focus on details were put in a single age classroom. This differentiation removed the idea that one group was better than the other, each group was just different and that was okay.

DISCUSSION QUESTION: I believe the idea of a code of conduct (p. 172) is also important for both students and teachers. If you got to make a code of conduct for a teacher you had in school, would it have changed your outlook on the learning environment?

Jordyn Fernandes Blog 8

It was difficult to get through this chapter while staying positive about getting a job after graduating and being able to afford the rest of the years I have in school. The cost of education is a huge deterrent for many people, especially those that have a lower socioeconomic status. (p. 231) We are now living in a society that generally requires not only a post-secondary education but also a after degree to get a successful job that we have been told to try and get all our lives. My first year in university my tuition was a little bit over a grand and it was an overwhelming figure and the numbers have only gotten bigger over the years. The amount of money my kids will have to pay to attend university is a frightening idea if this trend continues and the demand for degrees increases.

A few days ago we saw a video about mob-education mismatch. (p.242) This is a very real problem in Canada. I work and know numerous people who are much too qualified for the jobs they are currently working and have to stay in those jobs because there are no opening in the field. Schools need to work off a the idea of supply and demand. If there is not an overwhelming number of jobs in the field people are applying too there should not be an overwhelming number of people graduating with that degree. Having waitresses and people working minimum-wage jobs and holding a degree only adds to the problem of credential inflation.

"Compared to their parents, young adults today stay in the parental home longer and spend more years in education." (p.249) This would not be a problem if these young adults were fairing better than their parents but this is not the case. There are many young adults today that want to move out but cannot afford it because the cost of tuition is to high, so they have to work but they are only working in minimum wage jobs, and then when they graduate job openings are not available. The world is getting harder and things are getting more expensive and as a result the children in our world today are becoming more reliant on their parents. This does not help to create a world of change if most of our citizens are afraid and cannot afford to move out.

DISCUSSION QUESTION: What transition do you feel is the hardest to successfully complete? Are there clear indicators of when you have successfully completed a transition?  

Tyler Schade Blog #8

        After reading chapter 8 “School to Work Transitions” I found it frightening the lack of job prospects available to us after graduation from a post secondary institute. This is becoming an increasingly challenging problem with more and more youth choosing the university pathway (pg. 230). 

        It is staggering the number of students that couldn’t find a job with an adequate pay rate or related to their education (pg. 239). I found that the strategies used to find jobs are quite interesting. Since nearly a third of students found jobs simply through networking I believe post secondary educations should inform students of the importance of making connections with people in their field. (pg. 240). During my undergrad degree we had an assignment that forced us go to out  make connections and learn about the daily routines professions in our field undertook. I found this to be very helpful in getting to know people in the education profession.

Discussion question: How can post-secondary institutes better prepare their students for the workplace?

L’Été Molnar "School to Work Transitions"

Blog Eight

            I found this chapter focused on the transition from the education system to the work force to be informative.  It is apparent from figure 8.2 on page 234, that there are so many paths an individual can choose to engage in when leaving a school career and entering the work force.  I have always been fascinated with the stigma towards individuals who choose to pursue a career in trades, and wondered why a majority of society perceive it to be inferior to an occupation that requires a university degree.  Personally I believe positions in the trade field are extremely vital to maintain a functioning society, and that the individuals who dedicate their lives to trade professions deserve greater recognition for their skills.  There is discussion on page 236 in box 8.1 that talks about the “forgotten half”; students who do not hold interests in attending a post secondary institute are not being provided with the tools or opportunities to explore options that they value or have a passion towards.  As a future educator, I would like to ensure that my students are provided with diverse options, from various fields, so that stigmas towards specific facets of the work force are not conceptualized and embellished.

            Reading the segment on the “transition to adulthood” beginning on page 248 was interesting to me.  There are many stages that youth encounter which shape who they are as an adult and prepare them for independence, and as the text mentions, there is no specific cut and dry moment when these steps occur.  In my opinion today’s youth, including my generation, are overly entitled and to be put frankly they are coddled.  Of course the is a generalization, since every situation is unique, but I believe there needs to be a shift pertaining to the accountability and expectations placed on young adults.  As we are aware, children are quite capable, but when we dote on them and reinforce hyper dependence we strip them of their ability to think critically and make individual decisions.  I am not a parent, so I cannot speak from experience, but I think we need to allow adolescents to make their own decisions, make mistakes, and gain perspective, if we hope to shape successful adults; and as parents and educators we can be in the wings waiting when they truly need our support.  As a future educator I believe it is my role to provide guidance for the pursuits that every student intends to pursue.

Discussion Question:  How did your transition to adulthood unfold; or is it still unravelling?

L.

Krista - Blog 8

Chapter 8 focuses on the transition from school to work. There was a lot of emphasis on job mismatching in relation to the field of study taken in post secondary institutions, and unfortunately, it is a lot more common than it should be. On page 242, there are three types of mismatching that can occur within the work force.

The first type of mismatch that can occur is called job-education mismatch, which is when the education and training do not match the employee’s qualifications. The one that I often hear discussed by involuntary eavesdropping is horizontal mismatch, and this is when the individual’s field of study does not match their job description. A good example of this is when many post secondary students are working on the side of taking their program courses. This is mainly due to need to pay off loans or pay rent if they are not living in a campus residence, among many other important obligations. In my case, I don’t work or have time to work. My band sponsorship gives enrolled students in any post secondary institution what they call “living allowance”, which is equal to a bi weekly paycheque if they were to work. I absolutely depend on this living allowance, since I would never have the means to work or spend time with my son. People often ask me what I do for a living, and my response always is “I’m a student” – need I say more?

Something else that stuck out for me was the discussion on “liberal arts” degrees, and what they mean for people who possess them. To get into the Faculty of Education, it is required that students have one undergrad degree before they apply to the faculty. I understand what the implications mean for students, but I have to question whether these are useful at all in terms of the stream you teach? Alone, a Bachelor of Arts degree is not sufficient enough for most minimum wage jobs because many jobs depend on experience. I often hear debates on whether education vetoes job experience, or vice versa. I always wonder why they are not equally important when looking for jobs, since many university and college students need jobs to live while they are in university.

A lot of people have discussed the 5 key transitions to adulthood. When I compare my life path to others’, I have done things a little bit backwards, and I’ve conquered at least 3/5 of them. I am thinking this list is just a baseline of criteria and not something people should check off with a grain of salt. What defines an individual as an adult is subjective to judgment by others because not everyone matures emotionally and mentally at the same rate.

Holly Blog #8

Post-secondary education is increasing in population with 28 percent of Canadians attending such in 2006, compared to only 13 percent in 1981 (pg. 230). This relates to credential inflation of education, which refers to the decreased value of a university degree. It doesn’t seem to be worth as much as it used to be generations ago. Canada is also one of the countries that allots the most GDP to education- a total of 6.1 percent (pg. 231)

One reason for the increase of post-secondary degrees is due to “an expansion of ‘white-collar’ positions that target educated semi-professionals in administrative or office positions” (pg. 230). We can see that more and more jobs require at least a university degree of some sort. As discussed in the video that we watched in class, there is a steady increase in technology-based jobs. The text states that “a key feature of such economies is that the workers must be able to continuously adapt to and learn new technologies” (pg.230). Although there are pros and cons, computers and robots are now able to do jobs that humans were once needed to perform. A downfall of this is that it is effecting the job market in a huge way because people are losing their jobs and there are not as many job opportunities available. Something that I found staggering from a video we watched in class was that 4 online company’s (which I can’t remember right now) total employees were less than 20,000 and could fit in Madison Square Garden!

One nice thing about the teaching profession, as far as I’m thinking is that we will always have a job. The day when robots take over teaching would be a very sad day!

Discussion question: With more and more people with university degrees not being able to find jobs, should we be encouraging our up and coming generation to go after more apprenticeship programs or co-operative education?

Elizabeth Moore - Blog 8

The cost of opportunity "refers to the benefits that have to be forgone in order to pursue the activity of choice" (pg. 232).When I was 18 I wasn't aware that I had a choice. I honestly thought that pursuing post secondary education was my only option. Well, I guess I could have worked at McDonald's for the rest of my life. I have since learned that there are many path options (the textbook lists 20 of them) and I wish I had been made more aware of my options prior to beginning my pursuit of post-secondary education. And now I find out that "the highest proportions of graduates working were those who had recently completed a masters program" (pg. 241). Does this mean that I will have to continue on my education after I finish my second degree? When will it end? Is it even necessary? Is it worth it?

Overall, I have been left feeling cheated and little confused about my education. I love to learn, but at what cost. I could have just taken free online courses offered by Harvard or Yale and learned only the things I am really interested in. I don't have time for that now, so I'm left paying a bunch of money to learn about things I don't particularity care for, but "don't' worry, it will land you a job"... or not. Well, I better get to networking then because "one-third of graduates found their job through "networking" (pg. 239). Wish me luck, I don't want to end up one of those 23 percent of don't get a job.

Discussion Questions:
Do I  have to continue on my education after I finish my second degree? When will it end? Is it even necessary? Is it worth it?

Cheryl Wood (Blog 8)

This week we looked at chapter 8 “School-to-Work Transitions”. Throughout the text it was comparing students today to students of the past as well as students from different countries. All throughout the percentages of students being in school longer now than years ago have all gone up making changes as to when students move out of their parent’s homes get married and have a family (page 249).

“23 percent of Canadians indicated that there was no relationship between their education and their job,” (page 242). More Canadians are finding their selves in a position where they cannot find jobs that match their educational training. Right now I would consider myself in this category. I work at a Home Hardware. This has nothing to do with my arts degree or Education in any way. Even though I am the only person with a degree at my work place I am not being paid more because of this. I have also noticed a divide between pay between the males and females. The males at my work place get paid more than the females. It’s discouraging when they are the ones who tend to be sitting around, fooling around, and disappearing more often than anyone else. 

Page 247 discusses student employment. I am considered an employed student. Throughout all of my schooling beginning in middle years all the way through my university schooling I have had at least one job if not more. There has been a juggle between studying and doing well in school along with working as much as I can to make a paycheck. My social life has suffered some but not completely. By the end of my schooling I will be debt free for schooling, although I can’t say debt free altogether as I will still be paying for our mortgage on our house. 

Throughout the transitions I was surprised that buying a house or condo or apartment was not a transition. To me, buying our first house would be considered a transition, but it was not mentioned in this chapter, unless if it was supposed to be tied into leaving the parental home. I also recognize that not all people own their own home in a life time and also considered this as to why it was not included as one of the key transitions.   

Discussion question:

Where do you find yourself when it comes to the five key transitions (completing education, leaving the parental home, completing one year of full-time employment, entering a spousal or “conjugal” partnership, and having children)?