Prepping for OSSLT

Well for starters, need a tutor?

Hello. I am Carmelo Bono-here online in most applicable cases-but an experienced and well received English Literature teacher who is willing to work with you on your OSSLT prep...FOR FREE!? Ya, for free. I'm looking to build a bit of a following and depending on how things go-I'll take it from there.

If you are interested feel free to reach out, that's your first step showing your commitment to the cause by figuring out how you are going to express to me that you WANT help and are willing to try throughout the process. Message-if you can figure out how.

Nonetheless, feel free to check out the resources below that I usually follow as a principle to what your tutoring would involve.

https://www.thornhill-tutor.com/blogs/educationblogparents/how-to-prepare-for-the-ontario-secondary-school-literacy-test-osslt

https://www.eqao.com/en/assessments/OSSLT/Pages/example-assessment-materials-2015.aspx

http://www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/document/brochure/osslt/

In this blog I will be referring to some resources I have created to prepare students of the Ontario Curriculum for the OSSLT and its specific components.

Note that the OSSLT has been updated and there are going to new attributes/features that students will need to be prepared for.

"Non-Resident"? Make those contributions to your RRSP if you can't to your TFSA

Ultimately, TFSA is a superior investment package/vehicle/product to that of an RRSP.

Fact: Non-residents cannot contribute to a TFSA

Fact: Non-residents lose the contribution increase to their TFSA if they are a non-resident for the taxation year

Fact: TFSA's cannot be purchased by a non-resident

Fact: RRSP's can still be contributed to while a non-resident

-->but how much of your salary can you contribute to your RRSP?

Taxes for the Overseas Teacher

Congratulations, you have started your overseas teaching career and/or have moved around and now find yourself overseas.

I would ask you to reference this when making your decision to file resident/non-resident with Canadian government.

One CAN save a lot of money if they are going overseas for work through a long period of time, however, there are other implications if one does not.

Where do I fit in all this...

https://meurrensonimmigration.com/am-i-a-tax-resident-in-canada-or-chinain/

Residency Forms for government observance and determination

https://www.canada.ca/en/revenue-agency/services/forms-publications/forms/nr73.html
-->File introduction

https://www.canada.ca/content/dam/cra-arc/formspubs/pbg/nr73/nr73-fill-s-17e.pdf
--> Fillable PDF

https://www.canada.ca/content/dam/cra-arc/formspubs/pbg/nr73/nr73-17e.pdf
-->Printable PDF

Further reading on Tax Treaty between Canada and China (dated to 2012)
https://www.canada.ca/en/news/archive/2012/02/conclusion-tax-treaty-negotiations-china.html

On another note,

I had a conversation with a teacher in an International School (located in Shenzhen, GuangDong China-PRC), it seems that there is a flight risk for getting cheated a bit in regards to extended benefits and packages with some schools regarding Chinese Taxation Evasion,

Ed Dawes to Carmelo Bono via Linkedin, Topic of discussion is teaching experience at OISS (Oxstand)

"The school tax dodge by making you sign a fake contract with an incredibly reduced salary which they use for the tax and Education burea. This also means they pay less towards your pension fund. So you could work there for years and barely get anything back when you decide to leave China.

Unfortunately many schools do crap like this so be sure to find one which you can either be sure of the legality of things or be able to look by this sort of business"

**Updated Taxes in China 2023**

I have (since tthis orginal publication), experienced something peculiar in regards to taxes (aside from paying ridiculous amounts only to recieve next to no social beenfits) that only until now did I have understanding of the event that I experienced a couple years ago (when I first moved to Guangdong). It turns out that when a foreigner moves from one province to the next, because of the difference and the lack of communication between the finance offices, the foreign worker will need to pay taxes that were unpaid in the previous province resided in. 

The current finance office will tell the worker "you don't need to pay anything", they don't know, they didn't ask-don't believe them. You will find out sooner or later that there is a ridiculously large amount of unpaid tendor. 

How to avoid this, speak with your current finance office to ensure that you have paid up the last of your taxes there in that province before moving and specifically reference the situation where in which a foreign worker will be called upon to pay taxes when arriving in a new province, I am still investigating this more myself, but I personally paid around 2500 RMB and recently colleagues have have paid 6000 RMB, 4000 RMB and another 10,000 RMB. Confusing is a word, but from what information has been informally shared with us from our secretary, this is related to unpaid taxes in another province.

Again, if you have further information, please send a comment with more information!

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Foreginers-Taxes-China-2021

So, in 2021-Working in Guangzhou at HBIC Huamei Bonds International School-taxes are accounted for and paid-the problem falls upon communication between the school and the tax brueau. Had an interestingly anti-climatic experience today (literally-June 25, 2021). 

A few foreigners at our school went to pay taxes-being in China 183 days some people quickly learned its either a good time to collect tax rebates or build credit if you are going for the mythed green card status. People did a great job about raising awareness for the need in regards to paying taxes-however so much in the "how"-side of things other than a location and "ask fro English service".

Regardless of all that, in Guangzhou-a couple friends and myself got the phone application, brought our passports and headed to Zhujiang New Town for processing. We were able to get English service...THANK YOU! We needed to register-whiich was a bit of a silly process with technology and language barriers-didn't want to bug the lady for E-V-E-R-Y-T-H-I-N-G but needed to in the end anyways. 

After getting registered, they asked time/length in China-arrival-end of contracct-where you live/do you pay rent/do you have a child/do you pay mortage? etc. These are things that can be deducted from your taxes. 

I knew a few foreigners in Dalian who said "it doesn't matter-it doesn't affect you"-to them-I flip you a bird an a half. I did what Maple Leaf couldn't be bothered to do-what the finance offer here was unwilling to double check-I went there and asked questions. 

FOLKS! please note that you have a social responsibility and ignorance is bliss, these organizations don't care if you pay your taxes or not because that falls on your shoulders in the end-you do get penalized if you don't pay-Had a few coworkers here who went to get processed-found out they owed money and just thought-"meh not gonna pay". Turns out they have been getting phone calls in regards to their payment. 

On the otherhand, did have friends who got money back-like 3000RMB sort of amounts-I don't fully understand it, but I understand enough to confidently warn you to inquire about this with your school financial office, ASK QUESTIONS and if it is "well-it seems like it doesn't impact you..." take the initiative to go into a novel situation and not make all foreigners look like ignorant tards. As idiotic as we already look bumping around on an application asking "where do I put my name?", but I mean it goes without saying-you don't pay taxes here-you do/you probably got taxes to pay back home, this counts against the taxes back home-do yourself a favour!

Cheers.

My WLSA (World Leading Schools Association) Application Experience

Did not get an offer or answer after the interview-bit cold but whatever.
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   Recently I applied to...MANY schools-varying levels of success. In some cases the schools are more than I could dream of in regards to environment and workplace/life balance, however this move that my family would be undergoing is not for the luxury of "comfortable work". With the goal of advancement in mind, this move is going to be tough because the standards my wife and I set are high...however it seems like one school has come into the light through a head hunter agency and wants to play ball.

  Needless to say they are going to be giving me a run for the money. The School is called WLSA and located in Shanghai. It seems like a well established school with a controlled population (not too large and business-like, as MLIS is). Based out of the Netherlands, they boast of student enrollment in many of the Top Tier Canadian/American Universities as well as Universities in Australia, and the U.K. They seemed to get demolished in their reviews on Glassdoor...sounds like MLIS...but then again, who knows. I am going go through the interview process, see what they determine as a suitable contract for me and make a decision, seems like the demo should be completed by the 15th, perfect timing! MLIS opens up the campus to Grade 12 students that morning. Seems like a coincidence?

I am...nervous to say the least, this will have been the most SERIOUS looking employment I have ever taken up and although it is not IGCSE or IB, it seems like there is an expectation-the interview process is outlined as follows,

1. Verify application documents to make sure the candidate meets visa requirements

2. Review the lesson plans and demo video (if cannot do the demo in person)

3. The first round interview with our department chair

4.  The final interview with our principal/GM

They have presented with a lesson surrounding William Blake's "The Tyger"; from the sounds of it, they are expecting a Unit Plan, wow...go my work cut out for me now, where to begin?

1 Week Unit on Poets writing Romanticism and the use of effective Imagery, "The Analysis of Poem" with supports for ELL. This would be a Grade 12 course presumably, so let's imagine that this poem is integrated into a unit just plainly about Poetry; the later part of this week will lead to a compare and contrast lesson that is concluded with a take home reading of Pauline Johnson's "The Wolf" and completion of the Synthesis essay in class.

Well, my unit below seemed to turn a head (along with a video demo), got an preliminary meeting to decide if we will move forward with the interview or not.

The unit has been made available on TpT here for those interested in a purchase...friends, feel free to contact me and I will send a copy!
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William Blake's Biographical Introduction:

Important for the class to know that William Blake,

https://www.biography.com/writer/william-blake

William Blake's Poem, The Tyger:

https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/43687/the-tyger

The Tyger 

BY WILLIAM BLAKE

Tyger Tyger, burning bright, 

In the forests of the night; 

What immortal hand or eye, 

Could frame thy fearful symmetry?

In what distant deeps or skies. 

Burnt the fire of thine eyes?

On what wings dare he aspire?

What the hand, dare seize the fire?

And what shoulder, & what art,

Could twist the sinews of thy heart?

And when thy heart began to beat,

What dread hand? & what dread feet?

What the hammer? what the chain, 

In what furnace was thy brain?

What the anvil? what dread grasp, 

Dare its deadly terrors clasp! 

When the stars threw down their spears 

And water'd heaven with their tears: 

Did he smile his work to see?

Did he who made the Lamb make thee?

Tyger Tyger burning bright, 

In the forests of the night: 

What immortal hand or eye,

Dare frame thy fearful symmetry?

___________________________________________________________________________________________________

Analysis of William Blake's The Tyger:

https://www.brighthubeducation.com/high-school-english-lessons/61723-the-tyger-analysis-and-meaning/

https://poemanalysis.com/william-blake/the-tyger

Personal Notes:

"Twinkle Twinkle Little Star"? (Same Meter)?

The Wolf

Pauline E. Johnson

Like a grey shadow lurking in the light,
He ventures forth along the edge of night;
With silent foot he scouts the coulie's rim
And scents the carrion awaiting him.
His savage eyeballs lurid with a flare
Seen but in unfed beasts which leave their lair
To wrangle with their fellows for a meal
Of bones ill-covered. Sets he forth to steal,
To search and snarl and forage hungrily;
A worthless prairie vagabond is he.
Luckless the settler's heifer which astray
Falls to his fangs and violence a prey;
Useless her blatant calling when his teeth
Are fast upon her quivering flank--beneath
His fell voracity she falls and dies
With inarticulate and piteous cries,
Unheard, unheeded in the barren waste,
To be devoured with savage greed and haste.
Up the horizon once again he prowls
And far across its desolation howls;
Sneaking and satisfied his lair he gains
And leaves her bones to bleach upon the plains
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Essential Question of the Week: "How does imagery impact the theme of a poem?"

Rationale: Students who are studying literature or high stakes English Literature examinations need to be able to identify context of imagery in order to determine or speculate the potential theme of a reading

Link to Demo Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XM6jjLypzjY&list=UUvun0tmdgcHRqa-9bwhOtfA&index=1

Introduction to Poet (Day 1) (75min)

Learning Objective: (Understanding the Author) Who was William Blake?

Introduction: 

Students are given three pictures of different poets and different names, they are asked to solve the mix an match that allows them to be led to the successful identification of "William Blake"

Task: Small Group readings from different sources and class created infographic creation about Blake to present a couple key ideas for classroom reference piece.

Teacher notes:

-Romanticism, Late 18th Century (England)

Exit Ticket:

Close reading and recording; save and post to freshgrade.com

Homework: 

"New Vocabulary Bingo"-Students take their bingo pages home and record a list of ten words maximum that they feel are new words are essential to their understanding of the poem

Introduction to Poem (Day 2) (75min)

Learning Objective: (Identifying Tone, Mood) Understanding Imagery

Introduction:

Ensure students have posted to freshgrade via attendance; if they did, offer a "dramatic reading by the teacher as reward"

New Vocabulary Bingo: Words selected are,

1 Immortal

-undying; cannot die

2 Symmetry

-two sides that are exactly same

3 Thine

-Another word that means "Yours"; e.g. "Thine" eyes="Your" eyes

4 Aspire

-Goal to achieve

5 Dread

-Not look forward to an event/situation

6 Furnace

-Iron oven used to heat objects

7 Anvil 

-A large hunk of Iron used as a table for smashing heated steel into shapes with a hammer

8 Frame

-Create, or present something in a particular way

9 Clasp

-Close tightly

10 Dare

-Risk to do something

Read initially as a class and design a tiger that reflects the tone, mood and atmosphere they felt through the reading. This will be a second reading of the text (in theory)

Task: Small Groups, hand out with a tiger on it, lines pointing at different parts of the tiger, what are lines of the poem that depict the tiger; in what ways?

Exit Ticket: Create a short plan for how you are going to learn these ten new words over a span of 7 days (starting tomorrow)

Deconstructing the Poem (Day 3) (75 min)

Learning Objective: (Identifying Literary Devices) Understanding Connotation/Figurative Devices

Introduction:

"Figurative Language/Device" Jeopardy (Recall Task)

Task: Small Groups, hand out with poem on it as well as lines beside the different stanzas of "The Tyger", Each group is given a different literary device to investigate in the poem. Students shall record their observations and understandings of the literary devices as defined on the page (provided by teacher) as well as the way it is used in the poem.

Students will create a small illustration or document demonstrating their findings from the lesson for sharing purposes the next day, this document will be sent to the teacher before the end of the lesson.

Exit Ticket:

New Vocabulary Word Review: TPR

-->Students should active in their participation with the words and repeat with the teacher

1 Immortal

-undying; cannot die

-->Cross arms over chest so hands meet shoulders

2 Symmetry

-two sides that are exactly same
-->Holds out in front of one's person and flip them in sync, front and back

3 Thine

-Another word that means "Yours"; e.g. "Thine" eyes="Your" eyes

-->Point at one's eyes

4 Aspire

-Goal to achieve
-->Put right hand over one's heart

5 Dread

-Not look forward to an event/situation
-->Make a facial expression that resembles fear

6 Furnace

-Iron oven used to heat objects
-->wave one's hands by one's face as though it were very hot in the room

7 Anvil 

-A large hunk of Iron used as a table for smashing heated steel into shapes with a hammer
-->Hammer fist to one's other open hand

8 Frame

-Create, or present something in a particular way
-->Make a square shape using the index and thumbs of both hands in the shape of an "L"

9 Clasp

-Close tightly
-Clench one's fist around index finger of one's other hand

10 Dare

-Risk to do something
-->Make an evil snickering smile

Analyzing the Poem (Day 4) (75 min)

Learning Objective: (Deriving Meaning from Connotation) Understanding how the author uses Connotation/Figurative Devices

Introduction:

Handing out the electronic copies/making them available so students all have at least a copy of each group's notes (discussing as a class what some of the key uses of the literary devices were)

Task: Small Groups, hand out with poem deconstruction pages to each group; instruct each group to illustrate or electronically create a digital/hand drawn infographic that demonstrates the deconstruction of the poem incorporating the different ideas from different groups; students may be allowed to change other group's notes to reflect their own original ideas if needed.

Exit Ticket:

Students will complete a Kahoot quiz regarding the literary devices that they were observing from this poem specifically.

Link: 

Application of Deconstruction Abilities (Day 5) (75 min)

Learning Objective: (Demonstration of skills) Presenting knowledge learned through scaffolding

Introduction:(10 min)

Handing out the poem "The Wolf" by Pauline E. Johnson with research questions/close reading technology use 

Resources: https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/pauline-johnson

Task: Partners as needed, independent close reading of poem for the first 10 minutes; then opening up the room for discussions between partners (no out of seat activity/movement) Teacher will be circulating to provide assistance as needed.

Exit Ticket:

Students will answer questions posed by the teacher verbally in regards to the following task, with several images that represent both poem's focus on animal imagery, in the form of a venn diagram of what a Wolf and tiger look like and briefly 

Homework: 

Identify the use of at least 3 literary devices using quotations and explanations from the poem; Watch through the video at your leisure
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7ylPxcFhOQ

Identifying Theme (Day 6) (75 min)

Learning Objective: (Developing Writing skills) Presenting knowledge learned in a particular form

Introduction:(10 min)

The fable of the lamb and the lion,

 "The story of the lion, who was drinking water from a stream. Seeing a lamb having a drink nearby whetted his appetite. 'Why are you making the water dirty?' he roared.
'But I am down stream while you are drinking water upstream' said the lamb meekly.
'Maybe so, but you called me names last summer when I came this way' said the lion visible annoyed.
'It could not be me, because I was only born in spring this year' said the lamb somewhat relieved.

Feeling embarrassed the king of the jungle cut the conversation short 'That is enough. I know that you intend to call me bad names now' before eating up his prey in his pre-emptive wisdom.

Task: Students will be given a TPFASTT/TPCASTT page for both poems "The Wolf" and "The Tyger", the teacher will make infographics as completed by student groups available around the room where students will be able to complete the work through gallery walks. The "T's" will all be completed as a class in group discussion in regular seating arrangements.

Exit Ticket:

Students will reflect on their terminology study plans and any successes in their plans created earlier.

Synthesis Writing (Day 7) (75 min)

Learning Objective: (Developing Writing skills) Presenting knowledge learned in a particular form

Introduction:(10 min)

Students will be given their Exit Tickets from yesterday; Teacher hands out a venn diagram that has room for similarities and differences between "The Wolf" by Pauline E. Johnson and "The Tyger" by William Blake ; teacher will lead into discussion of themes between the two

Task: Students will be given a Synthesis Writing package and instructed complete page one along with the teacher "Step by Step". Page one is how to respond to the prompt: "Animals were created unequally, how do writers reflect on the theme of "innocence and experience".

Today students is an overview of what the essay looks like as a whole-discussion of what the essay may look like based on this prompt

Exit Ticket:

Students will answer questions posed by the teacher verbally in regards to the following task, with several images that represent both poem's focus on animal imagery, in the form of a venn diagram of what a Wolf and tiger look like and briefly 

Homework: 

Identify the use of at least 3 literary devices using quotations and explanations from the poem

Synthesis Writing (Day 8) (75 min)

Learning Objective: (Developing Writing skills) Presenting knowledge learned in a particular form

Introduction:(10 min)

Students will be asked to share in pop-corn style some of their choices for literary devices that they looked at and discussed in the homework from the night before

Task: Students will be given a Synthesis Writing package and instructed complete page one along with the teacher "Step by Step". Page two is development of a thesis to the prompt: "Animals were created unequally, how do writers reflect on the theme of "innocence and experience".

Today is thesis support, the teacher will provide instruction on how to develop a thesis; offering conferencing as needed

Exit Ticket:

Students will hand in on a separate piece of paper what their thesis is

Homework: 

Completion of today's task as needed

Synthesis Writing (Day 9) (75 min)

Learning Objective: (Developing Writing skills) Presenting knowledge learned in a particular form

Introduction:(10 min)

Students will be asked to discuss how this quote "What immortal hand or eye, 

Could frame thy fearful symmetry? (Blake, Line 3-4)

Task: Students will be given a Synthesis Writing package and instructed complete page one along with the teacher "Step by Step". The next few pages are about the development of supporting paragraphs to the prompt: "Animals were created unequally, how do writers reflect on the theme of "innocence and experience".

Today is supporting argument (PEEC/ACE) assistance, the teacher will provide instruction on how to develop supporting arguments (PEEC/ACE); offering conferencing as needed

Exit Ticket:

Students will hand in on a separate piece of paper with one of the quotes used in their paragraphs with a citation made beneath it

Homework: 

Completion of today's task as needed

Synthesis Writing (Day 10) (75 min)

Learning Objective: (Developing Writing skills) Presenting knowledge learned in a particular form

Introduction:(10 min)

Students will be asked to open up class with a round of applause, "you have done it, you have made it to the end of the essay, today we finish and wrap up the draft of your synthesis essay! What is a draft?...Tomorrow we will be starting a brief job as editors! How can it be beneficial to edit for someone else/have someone edit for you?" 

Task: Students will be given a Synthesis Writing package and instructed complete page one along with the teacher "Step by Step". the next set of pages are about development of a conclusion to the prompt: "Animals were created unequally, how do writers reflect on the theme of "innocence and experience".

Today is thesis/conclusion support, the teacher will provide instruction on how to develop a conclusion; teacher is offering conferencing as needed

Vocabulary Quiz

Exit Ticket:

Synthesis Writing (Day 11) (75 min)

Learning Objective: (Developing Writing skills) Proofreading and Editing

Introduction:(10 min)

Students will be asked to open to this website: https://www.grammarcheck.net/editor/

Task: Students will be given a partner based on teacher's judgment and have students edit one another's Synthesis essays to ensure there is enough experts spread out around the room that the teacher is also able to provide conferencing to/with select students as needed.

Exit Ticket:

Students will hand in a slip of paper with a star rating system of how helpful they felt their editor's feedback was to their improvements

Homework: 

Give yourself a mark using the rubric provided by the teacher

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Closure of Unit Materials (BIG IDEA):
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‘Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? 

Marianne Williamson