There you are, ready for summer when you hear yourself say those eight dreaded words: “I’ve got to go to summer school.” Your first impression is that summer is finished before it has even begun. Don’t despair, you can still get your missing credit this summer without feeling confined to a classroom. In fact, you can get your credit while you’re on holidays, sitting at home or just relaxing up at the cottage. “No way!” you say. It’s true, through Ottawa Carleton E-School you can take the missing course you need online.  View complete newsletter

Have you ever put off your most important homework tasks until later, and then later and later, while you are getting busy with many not so important activities? Did you hope that you may have more time and be in a better mood in the future to start the task and do it properly? Does an approaching deadline often mean a crisis for you?

If you often see yourself putting off the things you should be doing now, there is a big chance your life is under the control of procrastination habits.

Causes of procrastination

There’s nothing wrong with taking the time to read a book, watch television, or chill in your favourite chair. Just be aware that the feel-good benefits of procrastination can quickly erode into panic. You need to find the sweet spot between procrastination and frenzy, the magic pace at which your life runs smoothly. Here are some common causes of procrastination and corresponding tips to help you overcome them:

1.  Complicated-homework anxiety: Do you find that some homework tasks seem so hard and overwhelming you just don’t know where to get started?  Break big, complicated tasks into smaller pieces; when you feel lost and overwhelmed focus only on the next small step in the project. Complete a starter task, no matter how small.

2.  Priority confusion: Distinguish must do’s from options.  List and prioritize homework.

3.  Indecision: Having trouble making a decision about what your project or paper should be about? Determine your decision-making criteria, then set a deadline for your decision.

4.  Underestimating Free Time:  Between regular school hours, part-time jobs, sports and friends, we often underestimate how much free time we really have to devote to homework.  Print out a blank calendar and write in deadline goals for major homework tasks.  Using your calendar make a schedule for completion.

5.  Discombobulated when getting started: You’ve cleaned your room, arranged your books, gotten a snack…an hour has passed and you’re still not sure where to start? Before you finish your homework each day, make a list of where you left off and the tasks you want to begin first thing the following day.

6.  Lack of focus: Minimize distractions such as turning off your  cell phone. Find a quiet room where you can concentrate. Resist the urge to keep taking breaks and texting with friends.  The sooner you get your work done, the sooner you will be on your way to fun time with friends!

7.  Lack of energy: Maintain a regular sleep routine; irregular sleep cycles can be a primary cause of tiredness, and lack of motivation and energy.  Eat healthy and regularly throughout the day (every 3 hours) – lay off the candy bars to avoid sugar crashes.

8.  Fear of imperfection: Accept that perfection is rarely attainable and seldom necessary. You’re a student, not a robot. Use the 80/20 rule whenever appropriate (focus 80 percent of your time and energy on the 20 percent of your work that is really important).

By taking time to understand your own reasons for putting things off and devoting energy to moving forward, you too can beat procrastination.

For more eSchool student tips, please visit www.myeschool.ca .

If a student attending eSchool is currently enrolled in another high school program, we will automatically forward their midterm/final marks on to their home school after the report card has been issued. Report cards are issued on a customized timeline that corresponds with the percentage of course work a student has completed. Students will receive a midterm report card when they have completed the first 50% of their course, and a final report card when they have completed 100% of the course work, their Independent Study Unit, and their final exam.

It is becoming evident that the uses of Social Media platforms are for more than keeping in touch with friends; schools and businesses are also keeping connected with teens this way. Because Ottawa Carleton E-School is an online high school, this is a natural way for us to enhance our relationship with our students. In just a few clicks eSchool students can check out our blog, Facebook page, view our tweets, see us on YouTube, read our newsletter, find us on LinkedIn, and see who made the Honour Roll. Social media benefits eSchool and our students by creating a large online school community.  As potential students learn about and join eSchool, they come together from around the world, making connections possible.

Fun is our first stop on the social media tour – and that means Facebook.  This is where we connect with eSchool students in a light-hearted and interactive way through contests, trivia, and game-playing. With more than 1,000 friends and fans combined, we can interact with our student population in their preferred environment. We think of this as our online cafeteria, where our students can relax and keep in touch with other students between classes.

YouTube, Twitter and blogging are also great social media options. Our blog is a great resource for students and their parents where they can read articles that may be of relevance as they reach graduation and seek employment. On YouTube you can view our television commercial. It’s a great way to marry two of the most powerful forms of media. Twitter and LinkedIn are two other places to learn about what’s happening with eSchool. Tweeting about our school and online learning at large, on a global scale, and following those who do the same, help us maintain our place as leaders in eLearning . All of these avenues for students and their parents learn about who we are, make it fun and easy.

And, though it’s not a social media site, all of this would be harder to find and track, without the use of Google. By simply Googling ”Ottawa Carleton E-School” you can learn everything from who we are, what we do, the courses we offer, how to enrol in one of our high school courses, and even take a peek at our eNewsletter. As an online high school, the Web our natural place to socialize, inform, and create awareness for our school, and students for who are seeking academic success.

“We learn by doing.” – Aristotle

Cooperative education exemplifies the concept that learning takes place not only in the classroom but also in the world at large. Coop students gain valuable resume and interviewing skills and then experience a possible career of interest with hands-on learning at a work placement. Schools and businesses partner to provide students the opportunity to gain transferable skills through experience. The personal interactions in a workplace, learning from mistakes, and exposure to the practices of a specific work culture are invaluable skills to which a classroom simply cannot give exposure.  Local Coop student Stephanie Dufraine said, “I would never get this much opportunity from my classes back at my high school.” In the work place, with the assistance of a mentor, a student can act upon an initiative and pursue the best way to achieve a goal with real results.

eCoop provides the opportunity to explore a potential career and, in many cases, get paid for it! Students can literally earn while they learn. In addition to experiencing the day to day tasks involved with certain careers, students get to work with the latest systems or technologies and begin to understand  work conditions and environments. They may encounter and witness what stresses can be involved and then experience the exhilaration of a job well done! With the work-integrated learning of eCoop, students have double the benefit of a stand alone academic credit – they also acquire experience in the real world to go with it.

Some real world skills students may learn in an eCoop placement in addition to career- specific skills:

Communication

Time Management

Project management

Problem solving

Conflict resolution

Concept brainstorming

Team building Business software applications

LeadershipWith only four years in which to earn the credits needed to move on to university or college, students race toward their perceived goals, gathering prerequisites and focusing on high grades. There is rarely time for them to consider what it is they’re racing toward. Get your diploma! Get your degree!

Then what?

eCoop helps to answer this question. With on-the-job training, an entry on their resume, and the confidence that can only come with life experience, Coop students enter college, university or gain employment better prepared to face the challenges ahead.

Summer holidays are precious. Parents book time off work months in advance. The weather is perfect for family adventures where memories of a lifetime are made. School is out for the summer … or is it?

Summer school can ruin a family’s carefully planned summer holidays – but, not if students attend online high school. Ottawa Carleton E-School students can study by the pool, the campfire, the cottage, and the trailer! It’s perfect; students can start any time, make their own schedule, and set their own pace. They can work on courses even if the Internet access is still dial-up at the cottage, and they don’t have to be online to work. All eSchool courses are accredited by the Ministry of Education in Ontario and count toward the Ontario Secondary School Diploma (OSSD).

Students often find themselves needing to upgrade with a make-up course, or pick up a missing credit needed for college or university. In the past, attending summer school for the month of July was the only solution. Families now have the option of having their high school student acquire one of more than 50 courses offered with Ottawa Carleton E-School. Some of the most popular courses students are choosing are Advanced Functions, Calculus and Vectors, as well as University Preparation English. The following letter from a happy parent speaks volumes:

“We are extremely pleased with everything regarding the course!! It was the first time one of my sons took an on-line course (before, we did not know that they were available), and everything: assignments, teacher’s comments, promptness in marking, communication with the teacher, contents of the assignments, level of expectations… etc. have been excellent!! The teacher, Amy Ross, has been wonderful! We are going to strongly recommend your school’s courses to other students. It has been a great experience of learning! Thanks a lot for everything!”

Study online with Ottawa Carleton E-School so that one little high school credit doesn’t stand in the way of your family making memories of a lifetime this summer.

By making money-wise decisions on a daily basis students can avoid overwhelming debt and emerge from post-secondary education with little or no debt. Begin with where you choose to go to school and where you choose to live. Tuition and housing will be your greatest expenses so reducing those from the beginning is a strong start. Books, food and daily expenses such as bus-fare, laundry, clothing, phone bills, are the next area to focus your attention. Entertainment and transportation expenses are great places to save a buck. Access credit and loan funds for emergencies only!

Some costs are unavoidable: tuition, books, housing and food are the big ones, but also have the largest opportunities to save money. Let’s examine expenses one area at a time and keep track of the difference small decisions can make on the bottom line.

$20 per day on housing by living at home: Living with your parents can allow you to save money on rent, monthly bills for heat and hydro, laundry, toiletries, phone, food and electronics. Although many parents ask adult children to cover a portion of their room and board; living at home, if at all possible, can save hundreds of dollars per month. If living with Mom and Dad isn’t an option, consider finding a roommate or two in order to share expenses. Living close to your parents will also reduce the travel expenses of going home to visit.

$3 per day on tuition by attending a slightly less expensive school: Tuition between equally prestigious schools could be the difference of $1000 or more a year and thousands over the course of your education.

$1 per day on books: Buying used books can save you up to 50% and many school bookstores help facilitate this process.

$2 per day on coffee by having your own coffee maker: A coffee maker will pay for itself in the first month. Get one with automatic shut-off so you don’t have to remember.

All of this adds up to $26 per day = $9490 each year!

Other expenses such as transportation, laundry, toiletries, clothing, entertainment, and phone bills can be a great place to cut back spending.

Debt is expensive! Understanding how costly debt can be is a great incentive to stick to cash.  http://www.mathsisfun.com/money/compound-interest-derivation.html

Now that we’ve gained control over the money going out, let’s examine the money coming in. Look for work opportunities that can offer more than a pay-cheque.

Get discounted tuition fees: Employees of universities and colleges often have access to discounted tuition fees.  Start looking for next year’s job opportunities today.

Earn while you learn: Co-op positions are often paid positions where you can earn money and new skills.

Build a competitive resume: Part-time and summer jobs where you have the opportunity to develop new skills such as software proficiency, typing and language development will give you a competitive edge in the future when applying for jobs.

Get paid to study: Some jobs, while not challenging, or with few benefits can provide the opportunity to study on company time.

Smile: Service industry jobs provide the opportunity to receive tips and can increase your total income.

Look forward to the benefits of all of your efforts! Not only will you have the education you need to help you secure the job of your choice, you will also be free to spend your hard-earned pay-cheques on what you want rather than repaying debts you racked up years ago. You will thank yourself for making the little decisions you made along the way that have made a big difference.

The path that takes you from student to employee can be tricky to navigate. There are a few simple steps you can follow to ease the transition; consider your interests and talents, develop your skills, choose your occupation and, find a job. Asking the right questions can help you to find the right answers . You can ask yourself, talk to Guidance councillors, professionals – starting with your relatives and teachers, career councillors, or do some research online. Other resources include career studies classes and clubs, as well as cooperative education programs like eCo-op.  Take every opportunity to attend career fairs, go-to-work days, and informally interview everyone and anyone when you get a chance. As you set out to discover what career path you should follow, keep in mind that choosing your career is an ongoing journey of discovery that you can start by taking these few steps in the right direction.

Step one: ask yourself these questions and take note of your answers:

What subjects do I enjoy, and why?

In what subjects do I perform well?

Are there classes I haven’t taken but am very curious about?

If I could imagine myself waking up each and every morning happy to be going to a job, what would I be doing?

What is my dream occupation?

What do I do for fun?

What do I like, or did I like, about my current job or volunteer positions I have, or have had?

Now, do you see a trend or is there a picture forming?

The next step to finding your eventual occupation is to develop your skills. At this point in your journey you may not be sure which skills you will need. And, in the environment of changing technologies and the global marketplace, the skills you will need may not even exist yet. So start with a strong foundation – an education. Get your diploma and get started on your post-secondary journey. Maths, sciences, the arts, social studies, technology or a trade – take a step in the direction of your choice and learn something new.

Gaining hands-on experience is another way you can move closer to your goal of finding the job that suits you best. When employers hire students they hope that they will be able to teach you new skills and train you. Cooperative education is one other way to gain skills and knowledge. In a workplace you begin to understand the dynamics of the environment and gain exposure to jobs you may not have known even existed. A combination of education and practical experience are powerful tools to help you understand where you would like to see your journey lead you.

As you move along this path to knowing and understanding what interests you and what you will be happy to wake up and do each day, keep revisiting the questions you asked yourself in step one. With your responses in mind, seek the guidance of a professional. Many personality, aptitude and career-finding surveys have been created to help students discover, first, what jobs exist, and secondly which of those may best suit the student. Councillors will also have data on what careers are in decline and which areas are experiencing growth. Professional councillors are there to help you, guide you and give direction. Would you start any other long journey without even consulting a map, asking for directions or advice, or at least searching it on Google Maps? Ask for help.

Ask someone who has already started their journey along the career path such as your parents, teachers, and other friends. How did they decide? What is their dream job? What level of education have they achieved?  What have they learned along the way that might help you as you take these first steps?  Remember that every person started from a different place and that many are pleasantly surprised about where their individual career path has taken them.

Yes, some people know what they want to do from a young age, get the required education and live the lifestyle of their dreams. However if you don’t know, prepare for the journey ahead by following your heart, your head, and taking one small step after another along your life-long career path.

Sudents have lives between classes. Study online at www.myeschool.ca

        Family responsibilities, health, celebrations, homework, stress, jobs and social pressure, are just some of the aspects of students lives that exist beyond the classroom. For the duration of their academic careers, activities occurring in class provide purpose but do not define any student’s life. From the moment students wake up until they finally close their eyes to sleep at night, students face days filled with studies, obstacles and successes.

       On school days, some students rise as late as possible and run out the door with barely enough time to have brushed their teeth. Others wake early to help care for siblings, spend time grooming, study, practice music, train for a sport, or do chores.

       The way students commute to school can be as varied as their morning routines.  School bus, public transportation, getting a drive, walking, biking, boarding, blading, and driving their own vehicle are just some of the ways students get to school. By the time a group of peers reach their desks to begin their official academic day the lives of students have been as varied and unique as any fingerprint.

       After school routines for students are as diverse as the mornings. Activities range from predictable team and club meetings, gaming and social networking, part-time jobs and co-op placements, babysitting to the less-obvious participation in organizations working toward the greater good. Eco-friendly initiatives and charitable efforts, Amnesty international, M.A.D.D., Key Club, cultural groups are among them. Some student entrepreneurial groups create and operate small businesses. Yearbook and Newspaper, and now even eNewsletters are traditional student-lead projects which benefit the entire school community. Of course, there are still decorating committees and gardening clubs to beautify our schools, but today’s students’ interests and skills are so vast that every student is able to find a way to become involved and make new friends.

       Although each student is unique as are the lives they lead, students also have much in common. Listening to music, relaxing with friends and playing games and sports are just some of the ways teens cope with the pressures of their day to day life. Teens can also seek out groups where it is the common interest above all that is the focus, like gaming groups, charitable groups, and outdoor enthusiasts. Introverts may want to find a club where they may not be asked to speak out so much but can still fully participate, such, as a photography club. No matter which club or group students join, balancing academic work, social and family commitments with stress-reducing extracurricular activities enhances students’ life.

Study online at www.myeschool.ca

      If your university application has been rejected, chin up! Call the admissions office and find out why. Ask what you can do in order to turn that “no” into a “yes”. Don’t let one low grade keep you from studying at the school of your choice.

      Study online with Ottawa Carleton eSchool in time to bring up your marks for university and meet the requirements of conditional acceptance. With more than 50 courses online including the most popular grade 12 courses, such as English: ENG4U, Maths: MCV4U and MHF4U, Sciences: SCH4U and SBI4U, you can still get the marks you need for acceptance. Also, available, are 47 make-up courses which take only half the time. It is still possible to meet deadlines to submit final grades and summer school marks.

      The key is to let the university and the Ontario Universities’ Application Centre (OUAC) know that you are still working toward meeting the acceptance requirements of your program of choice. Credits earned at eSchool are identical to those earned in a traditional classroom and will be displayed on your transcript and at OUAC as Ontario credits.

      Online courses allow you to study at your own pace and set your own schedule. You can start now, or any time. There’s no need to attend summer school or wait to get started. Your eSchool teacher can help you work through the course material at the pace you set for yourself. And, because you can study when and where it is convenient for you, you can still keep your summer job and other summer plans. Enjoy the freedom and accomplishment of completing your OSSD online.