Additional Announcements

ADDITIONAL ANNOUNCEMENTS:

1. Click the link to see the Smart Commute Schedule for the Don Mills Corporate Shuttle.

2. Chris Searles, the student-teacher from Seneca College who did his practicum with us in February 2012, has kindly indicated his availability for private English lessons. Please contact him by email at 2012chrislsearles@gmail.com (delete "2012").

Friday, March 30, 2012

Public Libraries Open Again!

This is Toronto. We love our libraries.



Good news! The library strike is finally over, and library doors are finally open again.

So, what happens to your books or DVDs that are overdue? What's the fine like?

What about your books on hold? Or your library conversation circle?

For answers to these and other questions, here's a very convenient FAQ!

Thursday, March 29, 2012

Friday's Assignment

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  1. Complete Peter's workshop assignment on your blog and/or do your editing.
  2. Listening and vocabulary: Tough Negotiations 
  3. Role Play with a partner: Dealing with an Apartment Super
Answers to the Put in the Right Order listening exercise:
A13, B2, C6, D7, E12, F8, G14, H5, I1, J3, K9, L4, M11, N10

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Wednesday's Assignment

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  1. Edit/Update your blogs using the Editing Checklist.
  2. Together with a partner, read this FAQ and discuss.
  3. Listening and vocabulary: Sharing an Apartment
  4. Reading along: Renting Apartments

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Field Trips in April

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  1. Friday, April 5: City Hall, chartered school bus leaving from MicroSkills
  2. Friday, April 13: Toronto Zoo, chartered school bus leaving from MicroSkills
  3. Monday April 23: Hamilton Children's Choir, meeting at the entrance of Roy Thomson Hall

Monday, March 26, 2012

Monday's Assignment

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  1. Update your blog on last Friday’s field trip to the job fair.
  2. Vocabulary of Renting Apartments
  3. Role Play with a Partner: Renting an Apartment
  4. Listening exercise: Apartments for Rent 

Friday, March 23, 2012

Opportunities and Openings

"Apply online" seems a weird thing to hear when you walk up to a booth at a job fair, resume in hand.

But that seems to have been the order of the day at today's job fair at Scarborough Town Centre. Perhaps they want to give you the opportunity to talk to them, to ask hard questions, to accumulate souvenirs. But this was as compact a job fair as one could imagine--located at the heart of the mall, there were Loblaws, Home Depot, Primerica, Centennial College, and a host of other tightly positioned exhibitors.



Watch the video and make sure you talk to one of the stars in the movie!

Thursday, March 22, 2012

Two Field Trips This Week: MP's Office and Job Fair



This week we have two exciting field trips:

  1. Friday 10:30 am: The City Career Expo. Meet at the entrance of Scarborough Town Centre. Leave Don Mills Station on the 10:07 a.m. TTC bus service 190, and arrive at Scarborough Town Centre at 10:29 a.m. Have your resumes and interview answers ready!

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

Wednesday's Assignment

 driver's ed cartoons, driver's ed cartoon, driver's ed picture, driver's ed pictures, driver's ed image, driver's ed images, driver's ed illustration, driver's ed illustrations
Welcome to our last computer time for this week as we're going to the job fair on Friday! Here's what we are to do for this afternoon:
  1. Edit your blog the best you can according to the Editing Checklist we did today: e.g. check for mistakes in 1. Preposition ... 9. Spelling. Ask a partner to help you to check it one more time before publishing/updating.
  2. Listening and vocabulary on driving
  3. Role Play: A Hit and Run Accident

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Immigrants Welcome to Representation!

Participants on MicroSkills East's visit to the MP's office today had a closer look at Canada's system of government. And what a treat it was to have Dr. Joe Daniel, our Member of Parliament, an immigrant himself, share about his personal decision and experience of going into politics. To assure us that getting your name on the ballot for the federal election is not that difficult, he told us all we needed was $1,000.




Of even greater relevance was his advice to newcomers wanting to break into the Canadian job market: volunteer. He also gave some wonderful advice on accreditation for engineers, being one himself. As well, various nuggets and snippets of parliamentary life--what an interesting and inspiring meeting it was.

Monday, March 19, 2012

Monday's Assignment

Welcome back, folks! It's good to see all of you again!

Let's do some exercises on our weekly theme of driving in Ontario:

Canada's Worst Driver (2005) Poster
  1. Take 15 minutes to read the official Driver's Handbook online.
  2. Practise form filling; do not make any payments! 
  3. Enjoy doing this listening exercise on getting a driving licence.
  4. Update your blog on what you did over the March Break. If you need to do your editing, please do it now.

Sunday, March 18, 2012

What's the dumbest thing you've said in a job interview?

Shh, don't say.

Here are some interesting statements taken from job interviews in America:



Think about the meaning of the following words; then listen to the video again:
  • Anger management
  • Awkward termination
  • Bounced off other people
  • Former coworker
  • Grotesque or extravagant or stupid
  • Locked a mentally ill patient to teach him a lesson
  • Pretty obvious
  • Understanding of social acceptance
  • Xanax
Did you hear the words in the interview? Do they make sense?

Saturday, March 17, 2012

Not Free But Nicely Discounted Dental Care

$35 for a Complete Oral Exam, Including a 60 Minute Cleaning and Examination, Teeth Polishing and Fluoride Treatment at Anaida Dental Hygiene (Up to $312 Value)
Well, if you don't want to see a college student for your dental care, you can go to a dental hygiene clinic for just $35 (instead of hundreds of dollars).



Anaida Dental Hygiene

2333 Dundas Street West, Suite 204
Toronto, Ontario M6R 3A6



Included are:

  1. 60-Minute Cleaning and Examination
  2. Teeth Polishing
  3. Fluoride Treatment 


Full disclosure: When you click on this link and buy the coupon, you not only save money but I also get a payment towards my orthodontic treatment, haha.

Thursday, March 15, 2012

Farewell, Winter, What Little There Was of It!

Another nine to ten months to go till you return.


Thank God for the fun we had, though!

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

"FREE" Dental Cleaning

Dental hygiene is notoriously costly in Ontario, but it's also essential for overall health. Not covered by OHIP, what can the average Joe or Jane do in terms of dental cleaning?



Just spotted on Craigslist:
I am looking to book some clients for dental cleanings. I'm in my last year of dental hygiene!
Adults and children ages 5-13 years of age are all FREE.

This includes a full checkup with X-rays, fluoride, cleaning, polish, education !!!
Its a great deal!!!
Its located at 670 PROGRESS AVENUE
Message me for more details and too book an appointment for April this year! I have MANY availabilities in both months!! call for more details!!!!

Check out the details at the Craigslist site or on Toronto Public Health's Dental Services page.