DEPARTMENT OF CAREER & TECHNICAL EDUCATION

DOWNERS GROVE SOUTH

1436 NORFOLK STREET
DOWNERS GROVE, IL 60516
FALL 2010

Downers Grove South Mission

The mission of District 99, in cooperation with parents and the community, is to provide a caring
and challenging environment where all students develop as lifelong learners to become
contributing, responsible members of a changing world.
Applied Arts and Technology Mission

Rigorous academic content tied to technical subject matter ensures that these students will be
ready for college and work. Cooperative work experiences, a hallmark of career and technical
education, are attractive to all students who want to get a head start on a career.

COURSE INFORMATION

Instructor: Nicole A. Bjes

Course Number & Title: BTE 110, Cooperative Work Experience

Prerequisites: Junior Standing

Credit Hours: 2

Duration: 2 semesters consecutively

Time and Location: M/T/W/R/F- 5th period (11:45- 12:35), Room

C351

Website:

INSTRUCTOR INFORMATION

Phone / e-mail: Office: 795-8613 / email: nabjes@ilstu.edu

Office Location: C350

Office Hours: 4th and 7th period

RESOURCES/MATERIALS

Textbook: Good news! There is no text book for this class—hurray! The
only information you will be needing will come from me, your instructor!
COURSE DESCRIPTION:

This course is intended to provide students with various skills regarding the work
place. Students will learn how to obtain a job, keep their job, as well as work
through obstacles their job may present. Students will learn proper ways of dealing
with employers, employees, customers, etc. while learn, in the classroom, how a
business works. Students will hold a job for the entire an entire semester, or year,
depending on their enrollment, and are expected to maintain the same place of
employment. Failure to do so will result in a drop from the class as well as a failing
grade. Also included in this course is a unit on ethics, positive work habits, career
exploration, managing money and paying taxes. Local businesses will be used to
provide on-the-job work experience.

COURSE RATIONALE

This course is designed to provide students with the work experience and
knowledge needed to successfully participate in the work world.

EXPECTATIONS

With being enrolled in this class, students have certain expectations they must
meet throughout the entire semester/year. The student:
• Must be 16 years of age or older by the beginning of the school year.
• Will work a minimum of 15 hours PER WEEK.
• Obtain, and hold, ONE job for the duration of the class. This means that
once you pick a job and commit, you will remain at that place of
employment unless extreme circumstances result, and I will decide,
based on the situation, if you are able to seek another place of
employment.
• Must have transportation to job.
• Will participate in DECA.

ATTENDANCE POLICY

Attendance for this class is not optional. In order to be successful and understand
how the working world operates, students must begin understanding absences are
not professional. In addition, in order to have the hours you worked count towards
your minimum requirement; students must be present at school. Failure to attend
school will result in failure to use the hours worked towards the minimum
requirements for that week. In other words, if you miss school one day, but still go
to work, those hours will not count towards the 15 hours you must work each
week.

PARTICIPATION RUBRIC

As part of class, you will be receiving daily participation points to be added to your
final grade. Participation is key if students wish to maximize their experience in
this course. You will be graded on four categories and participation will be worth
one point a day. To view the participation rubric, please visit the Wiki page.
COURSE OBJECTIVES: Students will be able to:

1. Obtain work experience which is mutually agreed upon by the student,

instructor, Cooperative Work Education program, and employer.
2. Problem solve in the work place; when a situation arises, students should
be able to effectively and maturely work towards a resolution. Students
should also understand they are to ask for help if they cannot figure out a
reasonable solution.
3. Complete weekly time sheets documenting hours worked for a particular
week. In addition, students will need to verify their hours documented by
bringing pay stubs to class, which will be photocopied and held in school
files.
4. Identify and reflect on positive/negative work experiences.
5. Participate in DECA Marketing Club through fund raisers, volunteer work,
and competition.

STUDENT/EMPLOYER EVALUATIONS

Each quarter, I will meet with your employers and obtain evaluations based on
your work demonstrated in the work place. These evaluations will determine the
majority of your grade each quarter (see below for break down) and I will have a
chance to speak with your employer about the progress you have made and any
serious concerns that arise or need to be addressed, I will speak with you privately.
Recognize, however, that while employer evaluations do not make up your entire
grade, a failing grade from your employer will result in a failing grade for the
course. We take employer evaluations very seriously, and you should work just as
hard at work, as you would at school, to obtain a satisfactory grade from your
employer.

COURSE REQUIREMENTS (Per semester)

1. Time Cards 75 points

2. Weekly Reflections 100 points
3. Individual/Group Assignments 125 points
4. Employer Evaluations 400 points (200 points each
quarter)
5. Quizzes/Tests 100 points
6. DECA Participation 200 points

LEARNING STANDARDS (http://www.nbea.org/curriculum/bes.html, 2007)

I. Self-Awareness
Achievement Standard: Assess personal skills, abilities, and aptitudes and
personal strengths and weaknesses as they relate to career exploration
and development.
II. Career Research
Achievement Standard: Utilize career resources to develop a career
information database that includes international career opportunities.
 III.Workplace Expectations
Achievement Standard: Relate the importance of workplace expectations
to career development.
IV. Career Strategy
Achievement Standard: Apply knowledge gained from individual
assessment to a comprehensive set of goals and an individual career
plan.
V. School-to-Career Transition
Achievement Standard: Develop strategies to make an effective transition
from school to career.
VI. Lifelong Learning
Achievement Standard: Relate the importance of lifelong learning to
career success.

TEACHING PHILOSOPHY

GRADING

A (> 90%) 900 and above

B (89%-80%) 800 – 899
C (79%-70%) 700 – 799
D (69%-60%) 600 – 699
F (< 59%) below 600
 COURSE CALENDAR
WEE MO. DATE TOPIC ASSIGNMENT
K
1 Jan. Tue. 12 Introduction Chapter 1
Thur. 14 Legal Foundations Chapter 1

2 Tue. 19 Legal Foundations Chapter 1 and 2

Thur. 21 Ethics Chapter 2

3 Tue. 26 Ethics Chapter 2

Thur. 28 Ethics Chapter 2

4 Feb. Tue. 2 Quiz (Chapters 1 and 2) Chapter 3

Thur. 4 Court System Chapter 3

5 Tue. 9 Court System Chapter 3

Thur. 11 Court System Chapter 4

6 Tue. 16 Constitution Chapter 4

Thur. 18 Constitution Chapter 4 and 5

7 Tue. 23 Constitution / Administrative Study

Law
Thur. 25 Test (Chapters 1, 2, 3, 4, Chapter 7
and 5)

8 Mar. Tue. 2 Business Crime Chapter 7

Thur. 4 Business Crime Chapter 8
9 Tue. 9 SPRING BREAK - MARCH 6-14, 2010
Thur. 11 NO CLASSES

10 Tue. 16 Business Torts Chapter 8

Thur. 18 Business Torts Chapter 10

11 Tue. 23 Contracts Chapters 10 and 11

Thur. 25 Contracts Chapters 10 and 11

12 Tue. 30 Contracts Chapters 11 and 13

Apr. Thur. 1 Contracts & Forms of Doing Study
Bus.

13 Tue. 6 Test (Chapters 7, 8, 10, Chapter 17

11 and 13)
Thur. 8 Mgt. and Employee Rights & Chapter 17
Laws

14 Tue. 13 Mgt. and Employee Rights & Chapter 17

Laws
Thur. 15 Mgt. and Employee Rights & Chapter 18
 Laws

15 Tue. 20 Employment Discrimination Chapter 18

Thur. 22 Employment Discrimination Chapter 18

16 Tue. 28 Employment Discrimination Chapter 9

Thur. 30 Advertising / Review Study
FINAL: May 6, 2010 (Thursday) (3:10 p.m.) (Chapters 17, 18, 9 and 2)
SyllabusMWF_Sp06.doc