This will go down on your permanent record!!!!

Monday, May 01, 2006

I'm sitting here in my computer class. Thank god it is the last class for this semester. As a part of our teacher preparation program we have to purchase a subscription to Taskstream.com so we can post our lesson plans and our professors can review our work. The subscription is for one year and it is for around $40. Not too onerous considering the price of actual textbooks we are forced to buy and read.

We need to take a technology class in order to get our certification. They teach things like how to cut and paste in Word, how to set up a formula in Excel, and how to compress and email a PowerPoint presentation. All useful stuff, but all stuff that I already know. I was able to test out of all of the general computer stuff and the Microsoft program sessions because of my stellar computer skills.

I did have to show up to the classes learn how to use Taskstream.com. It took me about 5 minutes to figure out. For me it is a clear, easy to use program and I like it a lot. That did not get me out of showing up to 5 of these classes to learn how to use it.

My instructor is talking about assembling our online portfolio that employers can look at once we get our credential. She is really selling this feature of the website. I think it is neat that we can put all of our reflections, lessons, and units in one place for someone to look at if they like. The problem is that NOBODY is going to look at this once I graduate from Sac State.

It reminds me of the time when I was a sophomore in college and a professor swore to me that future employers would care if I got a B or a C in my second semester of Spanish. Other professors during my undergrad experience stressed the importance of GPA to prospective employers.

Well, turns out it was all bullshit. Nobody cares if I had a 3.0 in college. All the jobs I have acquired were either by nepotism, a good reference, a clear resume and a good series of interviews. More often than not, getting a job usually boils down to being in the right place at the right time.

If you are out of high school and someone tells you hat something is going to go down on your permanent record, tell them to go pound sand. Usually people who have spent their life in academia have no idea what it takes to get a job in the real world.