Job Shadowing Unit - 2011 Job shadowing is giving you an opportunity to observe or “shadow” someone to see what his/her job or career is like. You will get the chance to see first hand what a specific career really does and what it is like to do it.

This is how it works. After we have explored careers with the I Have a Plan website, narrow your career choices to two and locate a worker engaged in those careers. Choose one; this contact person must be okayed before you make contact. The second choice is a backup. It is important that you explore occupations which are not familiar to you. For example, if you work on a family farm, shadowing family farming would be repetitious. However, you might choose to explore a related field such as agricultural sales or animal technology. For this reason each job shadowing experience must be pre-approved by me. You are not allowed to shadow a family member!

▫ 1. Your contact must be approved before you write, phone or email!▫ 2. You need to write and send a letter to that person explaining what you are doing and

what you want. Your letter needs to be approved before you send it. This letter is worth 100 points. My letter explaining job shadowing must be sent along with yours.

▫ 3. After you have received confirmation, telephone the contact to finalize your visit. Be sure to be specific about time, place, dress, directions, etc.

▫ 4. Job Shadowing Permission Forms for the visit should be returned to me at least three days prior to your job shadowing.

▫ 5. A Preabsence Sheet must be filled out, signed by your parent and all of your teachers, and turned in to the office by noon the day before you leave.

▫ 6. You must also show a proof of insurance. If you do not have your own insurance or a purchased policy through the school, you must have a parent sign the responsibility waver that says the school is not responsible in the case of accidents.

▫ 7. You will then spend at least three or four hours on the job with those workers. The time there and travel time must equal a full school day, or you must attend the rest of the day. Your objective here is to gain a feel for the job and gather as much information as possible so you can decide if this is something you want to pursue or not. ALSO, you must bring back at least one physical example of writing, speaking, or reading done on that job.

▫ 8. You must also have your contact sign a Job Shadowing Completion Form that validates that you have done your job shadowing, not just gone shopping for the morning. This is on the bottom of the parent permission form.

▫ 9. After shadowing send a thank you letter to your contact person. Your letter needs to be approved before you send it. It must be sent within five days of the job shadowing.

▫ 10. You will prepare an online presentation about your experiences. (More details about this will come soon.)

▫ 11. After the job shadowing experience you are required to compile observations and information about the job AND ABOUT THE WRITING, SPEAKING OR READING DONE IN THAT JOB in a written report. This is worth 150 points for content and 50 points for presentation; see rubric for specifics. The report should be turned in within six days of the job shadowing. (More details about the electronic requirements for this assignment will come soon.)

Before you send either letter it must be approved. Remember, this is your credibility we’re talking about here, mine, and the school’s. I am picky about that. We will go over proper business letter forms. Print your letter (after they have been approved) on school letterhead.

Remember you are responsible for initiating this experience. You are also responsible for arranging transportation to and from the job site. If it is impossible for you to leave town, you will need to find a job to shadow in Bedford; but everyone must do one! There have been sophomores who have flunked the trimester because they didn’t do any job shadowing. This is a major part of the grade for Second Trimester.

Everything must be completed and turned in by February 19. Although we will spend some class time discussing this project, most of this must be done on an individual basis. It will take some time to get all of the details worked out, so I suggest you start right away. I will not accept anything after Feb 18, unless we arrange it ahead a time! (That means because of a problem with your shadowing person, not because you waited until it was too late!)

Some things to think about:What is the best time to schedule your visit? (According to your class schedule, games, work) How will you get there? (Can you drive? Commute with your contact person?) What should you wear? (Match the type of work and dress your contact does) Where will you meet your contact person? (Be sure to make arrangements before you go) Do you need directions to get there? (You don’t want to be late)Should you bring anything? (Yes, something to take notes on for your report)

Ask what you should wear on this particular job. You should know the regular stuff about being a representative of your school. Please don’t blow this opportunity for future classes. Make your job shadowing as convenient as you can for the contact person. Remember they are doing you a favor! Also, remember that Second Trimester means winter weather. Be sure to have a way for both of you to contact each other if one of you has to cancel or postpone because of weather.

Keep a copy of everything in your Job Shadowing folder and on your laptop! Especially important is the Job Shadowing Worksheet with the information on the contact person. We may need it later. Parental permission forms for the visit should be in your folder at least three days prior to your job shadowing. This will be an excused absence from from school, but that day’s

work must be completed before you leave. Don’t forget to get a Preab sheet filled out and signed by your parent and all of your teachers. You must also have your contact sign a certification that you have done your job shadowing. This is on the bottom of the parent permission form. You must also complete the proof of insurance form.

Be prepared for the interview portion of the shadowing. To be able to properly write the paper about the shadowing, you must ask the right questions first. Look at the rubric for the paper to find the appropriate information you need to put in your paper.

Don’t forget to bring back legitimate examples of the writing and reading done on the job. This artifact will be worth 100 points, same as each letter. The more you bring, the more points you get. There may even be extra credit involved if you bring many good examples. You will also need to know the English skills need in that job for the report.

If you have any questions, comments or concerns about the program or a particular shadowing event please talk to me about it ASAP. Good luck with this. Remember that you stand to gain much more here than points for my English class.

(Business Letter Example!)

(10 returns down from the automatic 1 inch top margin)

February 10, 1996

(3 empty lines)

Mrs. Lorinda O’Neal, DirectorSooner Office Temporaries, Inc.1325 North StreetTulsa, OK 74172

(1 empty line)Dear Mrs. O’Neal

(1 empty line)The block format in which this letter is arranged has grown rapidly in popularity for business letters and is the current standard.

(1 empty line)Users of personal computers, word processors, and typewriters prefer block format because no tab settings or indenting motions are required. The result is greater efficiency. In addition, block style avoids the errors that occur in other formats when operators forget to indent certain letter parts.

(1 empty line)Changes are being made in document formats and placement to simplify the use of modern office machines and to make people more productive. The growing use of block format is just one of many such changes.

(1 empty line)Sincerely yours

(Sign name here) (3 empty lines)

Jeffrey T. Bellamy

Bedford Community High SchoolP.O. Box 234, 906 PennBedford, IA 50833November 2010

Dear Parents:

Once again the English II class will participate in a job shadowing program. This program is designed not only to ease the transition between school to work, but also to make the students aware of specific skills needed in the workplace. We feel the students will benefit most if the educational world and the job world work together to prepare them for the future. Also, we hope the students will take more of a stock in their education if they see first hand a reason to learn the material in high school.

The students are required to research several careers, narrow their choices to two, contact a worker engaged in one of those jobs and spend three or four hours on the job with that worker. After the job shadowing experience the student is required to compile observations and information in a written report. This is a required unit and grades will be given for their work.

It is not only important that students choose realistic career goals for this program, but it is also important that they explore occupations which are not familiar to them. Because of that we do not allow students to shadow their own parents, or someone who does the same job as a parent. Each job shadowing experience must be approved in advance by me.

I will be working with the students in choosing and communicating with the workers, but the student is responsible for choosing and initiating this experience. The student’s family is also responsible for arranging transportation to and from the job site.

Parental permission forms for the visit should be returned to the school at least three days prior to your child’s job shadowing. This will be an excused absence from school. That day’s work must be completed before the student leaves and a Preab form must be completed by the student.

Your child must also show a proof of insurance. If you do not have your own insurance or a purchased policy through the school, a parent must sign the responsibility waver that says the school is not responsible in the case of accidents.

If you have any questions, comments or concerns about the activity or a particular shadowing event please contact me by email or telephone at the school. Also, if you would be interested in being shadowed by one of your student’s classmates, please contact me as soon as possible.

Sincerely,

Carl W. Rankincrankin@bedford.k12.ia.us

Bedford Community High SchoolP.O. Box 234, 906 PennBedford, IA 50833March 2010

Dear Professional:

Bedford Community Schools requires English II students to participate in a job shadowing program. This program is designed to not only ease the transition between school and work, but also to make the student aware of specific skills needed in the workplace.

The students are required to research several careers, narrow their choices to two, contact a worker engaged in those jobs and spend three or four hours on the job with those workers. After the job shadowing experience the student is required to compile observations and information in a written report. To gain this information the student will probably be asking some questions concerning training, job availability, positives and negatives of the job, etc. If possible, you might use a “hands on” approach to familiarize the student with the demands of the job, or you might choose to simply let the student follow you for a time as you complete your tasks. Once the student has completed the job shadowing, please fill out and sign the Job Shadowing Completion Form to validate the student’s visit.

We appreciate your cooperation in this effort. The students will benefit most if the educational world and the job world work together to prepare them for the future.

If you have any questions or comments concerning the program or a particular shadowing event, please contact me at the school by email <crankin@bedford.k12.ia.us> or by phone at 712-523-2114.

Sincerely,

Carl W. RankinSecondary Language Arts Teacher

Job Shadowing Worksheet Student Name: ______________________________________________

Home Address: ______________________________________________

______________________________________________

Phone Number: ______________________________________________

Career Interest:

Contact Person: Name: ______________________________________________

Address: ______________________________________________

______________________________________________

Phone Number: ______________________________________________

Position and/or job description:

Date, Time & Location of Visit:

Approved: ___________________________ _______ (Mr. Rankin) (date)

Job Shadowing Permission FormMy child _______________________________________ has my permission to participate in a (Student’s Name)

job shadowing experience at ______________________________________________________ (Business & Location)

on ____________________________________ . I understand that the student is responsible for (Date)

arranging transportation to and from the job site.

_______________________________________________ (Parent or Guardian’s Name)

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Job Shadowing Completion Form

I certify that _______________________________________ participated in the job shadowing (Student’s Name)

program by visiting me and my workplace at _______________________________ between the (Name of Business)

hours of ___________________ on _____________________________________ . (Time) (Date)

Signature of Employee: __________________________________________________________

Job Title: _____________________________________________________________________

Place of Employment: ___________________________________________________________

Proof of Insurance FormIt is the policy of BCHS that all participants in Job Shadowing must provide verification of health/accident insurance coverage or a responsibility waver must be signed saying the school is not responsible in the case of accidents. Students may purchase insurance through the school, like for athletics and industrial arts.

Please fill out one of the options below.

Option 1:

______________________________________________________________I verify that has school insurance.

_________________________________________________________List the types of School insurance coverage:

_____________________________________________________________________________________________ (Signature of Parent or Guardian) (Date of Signature)

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Option 2:

______________________________________________________________I verify that has insurance other

_________________________than school insurance. Name of the Insurance company: _____________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________ (Signature of Parent or Guardian) (Date of Signature)

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Option 3:

______________________________________________________________________As the parent or guardian of

I verify that he/she does not have insurance, nor am I purchasing insurance through the school. I

take full responsibility for any accidents that may occur during Job Shadowing and understand

the Bedford Community Schools is no longer liable for any accidents.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________ (Signature of Parent or Guardian) (Date of Signature)

Rubric for Inquiry Letter

F D C B A A+

Letter is laser printed and is visually pleasing: 5.9 6.5 7.5 8.5 9.5 10

Heading and inside address are correct & directed to a specific person 5.9 6.5 7.5 8.5 9.5 10

Salutation, closing, and signature are correct and in standard form: 5.9 6.5 7.5 8.5 9.5 10

Letter clearly states its purpose: 5.9 6.5 7.5 8.5 9.5 10

Letter clearly states what the reader is asked to do: 5.9 6.5 7.5 8.5 9.5 10

Letter is worded clearly and concisely: 5.9 6.5 7.5 8.5 9.5 10

Writing style is courteous and easy to read, but business like: 5.9 6.5 7.5 8.5 9.5 10

Spelling, punct., usage, capitalization and sentence structure are perfect 5.9 6.5 7.5 8.5 9.5 10

Letter is folded correctly: 5.9 6.5 7.5 8.5 9.5 10

Envelope is correctly addressed: 5.9 6.5 7.5 8.5 9.5 10

Total: ______________

100

Comments:

Rubric for Thank You Letter

F D C B A A+

Letter is laser printed and is visually pleasing: 5.9 6.5 7.5 8.5 9.5 10

Heading and inside address are correct & directed to a specific person 5.9 6.5 7.5 8.5 9.5 10

Salutation, closing, and signature are correct and in standard form: 5.9 6.5 7.5 8.5 9.5 10

Letter clearly states its purpose: 5.9 6.5 7.5 8.5 9.5 10

Letter was sent within five (5) days of visit: 5.9 6.5 7.5 8.5 9.5 10

Letter is worded clearly and concisely: 5.9 6.5 7.5 8.5 9.5 10

Writing style is courteous and easy to read, but business like: 5.9 6.5 7.5 8.5 9.5 10

Spelling, punct., usage, capitalization and sentence structure are perfect 5.9 6.5 7.5 8.5 9.5 10

Letter is folded correctly: 5.9 6.5 7.5 8.5 9.5 10

Envelope is correctly addressed: 5.9 6.5 7.5 8.5 9.5 10

Total: ______________

100

Comments:

Rubric for Job Shadowing Report F D C B A A+

The essay is completed within (6) school days after the shadowing: 5.9 6.5 7.5 8.5 9.5 10

Essay names the specific place and date of the shadowing: 2.95 3.25 3.75 4.25 4.75 5

The name of the occupation is included: 2.95 3.25 3.75 4.25 4.75 5

The name and address of the contact person is included: 2.95 3.25 3.75 4.25 4.75 5

The process by which the employee was contacted is discussed: 2.95 3.25 3.75 4.25 4.75 5

The essay discusses currently required training for the position: 2.95 3.25 3.75 4.25 4.75 5

Duties included in this occupation are discussed: 5.9 6.5 7.5 8.5 9.5 10

The essay discusses salary ranges: 2.95 3.25 3.75 4.25 4.75 5

The essay discusses employment outlooks for the present and future: 5.9 6.5 7.5 8.5 9.5 10

The essay defines specific skills needed to do well in this job: 5.9 6.5 7.5 8.5 9.5 10

The essay outlines positives (benefits, locations, etc.) of the job: 11.8 13 15 17 19 20

The essay outlines negatives of the job: 11.8 13 15 17 19 20

The essay outlines and discusses the events of the shadowing 11.8 13 15 17 19 20

The essay offers the student’s conclusions drawn from the shadowing: 11.8 13 15 17 19 20

The essay is logically organized: 5.9 6.5 7.5 8.5 9.5 10

The essay is adequately developed: 5.9 6.5 7.5 8.5 9.5 10

The essay is typed and visually pleasing: 5.9 6.5 7.5 8.5 9.5 10

The essay is mechanically sound: 11.8 13 15 17 19 20

Total: ______________

Proper writing and reading artifacts provided 100 Points: ______________

Grand Total: ______________

300

Comments: