Simon Coady

Posted on Thursday, July 7th, 2016

How did you learn about the dual credit program? Who did you complete your application with?

I found out about the dual credit program through my school and students who had been at Algonquin before. I completed my applications with my classroom teacher, Celina Cada-Matasawagon.

Simon Coady

Did you attend an orientation session? What did you find most helpful about orientation?

I attended both orientation sessions. It made me less nervous about going to the college and calmed my nerves. It wasn’t as difficult as I thought. I learned about Blackboard and using the same account. I would recommend all students attend the orientation session.

Do you think the dual credit was a good fit?

First course, Career and College Success Skills: This wasn’t my choice to take it, but it got my foot in the door. This is what I’ve got to do. Sure, it was boring sometimes, but I had to do it. The teacher was good. It helped me prepare for college in general and my next dual credits, in life skills, in everyday things. It was very encouraging and not so specific. We learned about all the possible opportunities and to go for it.

Second course, Culinary Fundamentals: This course was a very good fit for me because I am very interested in the culinary arts. I like baking… you could leave stuff in the oven and do other things, whereas cooking you are in the moment and have to pay more attention.

Did you require any accommodations? Were your needs meet?

NA

How was transportation?

I took the bus. Sometimes I was late in the beginning because I didn’t know how far the class was. I had a presto card. That was okay.

How comfortable were you with the technology aspect of the course?

Blackboard was not new to me. I had already used it. I was able to keep up and it was straight forward; putting what I learned into action.

What were the greatest differences between high school and college?

I liked being treated like an adult. They expect you to do your work like an adult, not a high school student.

If you needed to communicate with your college instructor, what was the best way?

The best way for me to communicate with my college instructor was asking questions after class was done or by email. Margie Chaput, my dual credit support teacher, checked in on me regularly.

Challenges

I found it hard to be motivated to be there. Sometimes I found it boring. It is good to brush up and I learned a few more things. I wanted to just get through the class and finish it.

In the Culinary Fundamentals course, I was always learning something new every week and that was good.

I found the lockers were far from the class.

Would you recommend that other students take a dual credit? Why or why not?

I would recommend students take a dual credit because the experience can boost your confidence and help you in what you want to do with your life.

What do you hope to do once you’ve graduated from High School?

I hope to do something with culinary arts … something with cooking or baking… it a great hobby. It is an artistic venture… people always need to eat!

I have thought of taking a fashion course also as a possibility; I like men’s urban street wear. I have a lot of interests and want to infuse my creative Inuit culture into fashion.

Last say/best advice

Try to find whatever you’re interest in, what your passion is, and it might be in college setting. Your high school setting may not have that area of what you want.

Before the dual credit program, I wasn’t too sure of what I wanted to do with my time and career, but after dual credit it gave me more insight and options about what I wanted to do with my life.

Both courses kept me engaged in school and gave me more ideas about what I could do after I graduate. Definitely the culinary course kept me going; I could relate to it and I really enjoyed it.

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• Congregated Multiple OCDSB Urban