Trade your pink slip for a passport

Teachers who've lost their jobs or been unable to find work might want to trade that pink slip for a passport. UCR Extension, in conjunction with Disney English™, is offering a fabulous opportunity for teachers to spend a year in China as a "foreign trainer" teaching English to young children.

The Walt Disney Corporation worked with an academic advisory board to create a unique and dynamic English language learning system that stimulates children's natural learning abilities using Disney songs, stories and characters. The first Disney English center opened in Shanghai in 2008. Since then, Disney English has expanded throughout the country, with centers in several major cities in China. The centers have been so successful that the Walt Disney Corporation has big plans for expansion.

Bronwyn Jenkins-Deas, Associate Dean, International Programs, said the challenge has been finding enough quality teachers and making sure they are properly prepared for their international teaching experience in China.

The Walt Disney Corporation contacted UCR Extension to develop a 10-day training program for teachers to be delivered at UCR right before they leave. The Walt Disney Corporation will pay the full cost of the training, including housing in Riverside. Teachers will be oriented to living in China and learn hand-on techniques for teaching at Disney English. Chinese students, who are studying at UCR Extension, will be enlisted as conversation partners to help teachers better understand the Chinese language and culture.

This is the second partnership between UCR Extension and The Walt Disney Corporation. Three years ago, they became academic collaborators in an international student program that brings 350 students from around the world to Riverside every year to participate in a two-week training program before they travel to Disney World where they spend six months studying Hospitality and Management and gaining valuable training experience with the company in a variety of positions at Disney World.

Jenkins-Deas said Disney likes working with UCR Extension because of its flexibility. "We can respond really quickly to ideas they have," Jenkins-Deas said. "And, one of things Disney has is lots of ideas."

UCR Extension is recruiting two groups of teachers, who will be trained at UCR in July and August. All of them will be teaching at one center in Beijing. Carol Leighty, former superintendent of the Temecula Valley Unified School District, was hired to recruit teachers, who have been pink-slipped or who have been unable to find jobs.

The program is not limited to credentialed teachers. It is open to anyone with a bachelor's degree who has spent at least two years after college working with children, whether they were camp counselors or teaching Sunday school.

Jenkins-Deas said one of the best things about the program is teachers get to work for a year for a company that is known worldwide, they receive certificates from UC Riverside for the training and Columbia University for an online Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) program and, after they're hired, they have access to a Rosetta Stone language program in Mandarin.

When they return, they will be the teacher that school districts want to hire. "They will stand out from the others because they will have international experience, two certificates from highly respected universities and experience with a company that's world renowned," Jenkins-Deas said. If the program is successful, Jenkins-Deas said UCR plans to train more than 200 teachers a year with the hopes of becoming a regional training center for Disney teachers.

Learn more about TEFL Training for Disney English™ program.

Dahl, who owns Chic Productions and has been involved in the wedding and event industry for more than 15 years, said it's hard not to like your job when you're always planning parties. "As a planner, when an event comes to fruition you experience a huge sense of satisfaction in seeing what you created and seeing the benefits from it. It's almost like you're an important part of somebody else's life. You're creating an experience for someone they will never forget," Dahl said.

Successful event planners need strong communication skills. They must be organized and have the ability to multitask. "Without those three things, you will fail," Dahl said. Other essential skills include risk management especially when dealing with something as unpredictable as the weather and contract negotiations when you're dealing with multiple venues and vendors. And, you always should have a Plan B.

"You need to be able to step outside of the regular planning box when you're doing design, décor and food, and say 'if we rig these chandeliers 20 feet above peoples' heads, what's the possibility of something bad happening if the wind blows?'" Dahl said. Currently, she is planning a June wedding and is dealing with 60 different vendors, each with his own separate contract full of clauses covering stipulations, cancellation policies, the weather and acts of God.

Dahl suggests anyone interested in an event planning career should get education and experience. Event Management Certificates like the one offered by UCR Extension are very helpful for those breaking into the business or looking to move up. Associations like the International Special Event Society and Meeting Planners International offer training as well for their members. She also recommends spending at least a year working for or interning with a professional event planner before trying to go it alone.

"So many people come out and start a business without an ounce of any education or experience and they fail," Dahl said.

Learn more about the Event Management Certificate offered at the UCR Extension.

This is one in a series of newsletter articles about in-demand professions.

CSI: Riverside

UCR Extension's CSI Academy returns this summer with its usual line-up of experts in the field of Crime Scene Investigation. The Academy, with its strong hands-on component, attracts students from across the state and the nation who are seeking careers in the forensics field.

Instructors include: Steve Staggs, retired captain with the UCR Police Department, who wrote THE book on crime scene photography; Carlton Fuller, Forensic Unit Supervisor, Riverside Police Department, and Dr. Frank P. Sheridan, Chief Medical Examiner, San Bernardino County. The Academy, which runs July 6 through August 9, features courses in: Crime Scene Management; Crime Scene Photography; Fingerprint Techniques and Impression Evidence; Autopsy: Medicolegal Death Investigation; Survey of Criminalistics; Blood Stain Pattern Analysis, and Forensic Entomology. Field trips include visits to the local crime lab and the coroner's office.

The job market for individuals with CSI backgrounds is expanding in part because of the influence of the popular CSI television series. Law enforcement agencies are beefing up their CSI units because jurors are demanding more forensic evidence such as DNA in the courtroom.

Roseanne Rosenthal, a clinical coordinator at Inland Valley Medical Center in Wildomar, signed up for the five-week academy last summer after taking the Autopsy class as an elective for the Forensic Nursing program. Rosenthal was impressed with the caliber of teachers and the effectiveness and efficiency of their instruction.

Rosenthal's favorite classes included Blood Stain Pattern Analysis taught by Craig Ogino, Crime Lab Manager for the Chula Vista Police Department. Ogino used cow's blood to simulate different patterns of spray from various weapons including a hammer, pipe and a knife. He set up five different crime scenes based on actual experiences and had the students determine the type of spray, velocity and angle. They also got experience acting as expert witnesses in a simulated courtroom scene. "It was fascinating," Rosenthal said.

Rosenthal completed her Forensic Nursing certificate in July. Now, she's enrolled in the Certificate in Crime and Intelligence Analysis program. Eventually, Rosenthal would like to pursue a career related to crime investigation and intelligence. For now, lessons learned from the CSI Academy will be useful in her current position where she deals with victims of violence. And, if a crime occurred at the hospital, Rosenthal knows how to manage it until law enforcement arrived. "All three of the programs kind of go hand-in-hand," Rosenthal said. "Forensic Nursing deals with the aftermath of a crime. CSI occurs right at the point when it happened. And then, Criminal Intelligence predicts what's going to happen."

Students who complete the 16-unit CSI academy plus a three-unit course on "Introduction to Criminal Law and Procedure" at UCR Extension or an equivalent course at an accredited institution will earn a Certificate in Crime Scene Investigation.

Many take advantage of UCR Extension's CSI lecture series, which is free and open to the public. The series begins July 11 at the UCR Extension Center, 1200 University Ave., Riverside, and will continue every Wednesday evening through July.

Topics and speakers are:

• July 11 - Using GIS in Crime Analysis
  Brian Gray, Senior Crime and Intelligence Analyst, Riverside County Sheriff's Department
• July 18 - Fire Related Crimes
  Charlie Dehart, Battalion Chief, Riverside County Fire Department
• July 25 - Aftermath of a Crime Scene: Cleaning Up
  Patti Powers, owner, A-1 Clean the Scene

Learn more about the CSI Academy and CSI Lecture Series.

Hoarding: Beyond the TV stereotypes

The difference between a collector and a hoarder is the collector likes to display his possessions for himself and others to enjoy. A hoarder amasses so many possessions that no one can step foot inside his house.

"The vast majority of people, who hoard, obtain and keep items of questionable value," said Mark Odom, a licensed clinical social worker and founding chairman of the Orange County Task Force on Hoarding. "But, we have seen people who hoard art and the house gets so filled up with art that it becomes a storage facility and they are still trying to live there."

Odom and Barbara Massey, who specializes in mental health services for older adults, will be co-teaching "Hoarding and the Older Adult," a Fiduciary Management Seminar sponsored by UCR Extension from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, May 19.

Hoarding disorder is a commonly misunderstood condition that afflicts an estimated 5 percent of American adults. While hoarding is not an officially recognized mental illness, Odom said efforts are being made to include diagnostic criteria for hoarding disorder in the next edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders coming out in 2013.

Hoarding is a mental and emotional disorder with no single cause. Research has shown that it runs in families although it's not known whether it's genetic or a learned behavior. Individuals with hoarding disorder commonly have issues with vulnerability, depression, anxiety, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder or Attention Deficit Disorder, Odom said.

Hoarding includes all three of these hallmarks:

1. Persistent difficulty discarding or parting with possessions, regardless of the value others may attribute to these possessions, due to strong urges to save items and/or distress associated with discarding them;
2. Accumulation of a large number of possessions that clutters the person's living or work spaces and keeps the person from using the spaces as they were intended;
3. The accumulation of belongings that causes significant distress or impairment in day-to-day activities and may pose a health or safety hazard.

Family members and others may try to force the person to change their behavior because they mistakenly believe that hoarding is a conscious decision. Frequently, they will try to remove items from the person's house without their permission such as sending grandma on a cruise and cleaning out her house while she's gone. "Removing the stuff won't cure the problem," Odom said. "It's like taking the bottle away from an alcoholic and saying the alcoholic is cured." The type of treatment depends largely on whether or not the individual believes they have a problem and is motivated to change their behavior. Odom said that for those, who acknowledge their disorder and who are motivated to improve their situation, cognitive behavior therapy can be effective.

"The success of the intervention really comes down to the degree of insight and willingness of the person, who hoards, to address their problem," Odom said.

Learn more about the "Hoarding and the Older Adult" seminar offered by the UCR Extension.

Job Seeker's Toolkit

Top 5 Tips for a Successful Networking

If you're not tapping into the hidden job market, then you need to rethink your job search strategies. Seventy-five percent of jobs today are filled by people, who find out about openings before they are even posted. Instead of relying on want ads or online job sites, successful job seekers build a strong network of contacts and develop relationships that put them on the inside employment track.

Here are some networking tips to help you make strong connections that will pay off:

1. Print up some networking cards: Networking cards are very similar to business cards. Think of them as mini-resumes. They tell the recipient your expertise, your experience and how to get in touch with you. If you choose to create a website for your online resume, make sure to include the address on your networking card. Instead of listing your position under your name, list your area of expertise i.e. website designer. Leave room for a brief statement that includes your experience and objective. For example, "Website development and design with three years WordPress experience." Add your contact information – phone number, email address and FAX number – and you're done.
2. Capitalize on your existing network: Your network includes: family, friends, neighbors, social acquaintances, professors, classmates, Chamber of Commerce associates, service club members, the person you sit across from in church, people you play golf with and those you meet at conferences and conventions. Make sure every one of them knows that you are looking for a job and what you have to offer. Give them your card so they can easily pass on your information to others.
3. Join a professional association: Associations exist for nearly every profession and area of interest imaginable. They are great vehicles for networking with potential employers in your chosen field. Many offer workshops, seminars and other events where you can connect with people and find out about job openings. You can join a committee or participate in online forums and discussion boards where you can share ideas and ask advice. And, a professional association adds value to your resume.
4. LinkedIn: LinkedIn is the world's largest network of professionals. It is designed for individuals to make connections beginning with people they already know. They grow their connections by asking their connections to introduce them to people they want to know and so on. Once you've established your account, make sure your profile is detailed and complete. Join groups with common interests and fields. Ask for recommendations from former employers, co-workers or college professors. List as many skills as possible to improve your odds of getting found. Start building your connections by inviting people you know and trust to join your network. Then, review their contacts for potential connections. Connect strategically. There's no need to connect with everyone whose name pops up.
5. Networking groups: Numerous networking groups, both formal and informal, have popped up in recent years. Some, like BNI, are geared toward building connections among working professionals. However, there are a large number of informal groups, whose members gather on a regular basis to talk about themselves and their businesses and to exchange business cards. Start by going to MeetUp.com and searching for networking groups in your area. Then, go, meet and hand out your networking cards.

Networking is easy, inexpensive and effective. And, it boils down to one thing: Making connections.

Test your travel IQ

While the kids are playing I Spy or the Alphabet Game in the back seat, pass some time on your summer road trip by taking this travel quiz.

1). What is the top summer vacation destination for Americans, according to AAA?

1. Honolulu, Hawaii
2. London, England
3. Anaheim, California
4. Orlando, Florida
5. Rome, Italy

2) Which two countries spent the most money traveling to the United State last year ?

1. Japan
2. Mexico
3. Canada
4. Germany
5. Korea

3) If fuel costs continue to rise, what percentage of Americans said they would rethink their summer road trip plans, according to a national survey by the U.S. Travel Association.

1. 30%
2. 54%
3. 62%

4) Which one of these national parks was not among the 10 most visited in 2011:

1. Great Smoky Mountains National Park

2. Olympic National Park

3. Acadia National Park

4. Bryce Canyon National Park

5. Cuyahoga Valley National Park

5) True or False? The average American household spends 3% of its income on travel.

Answers: 1) D; 2) B and C; 3) B; 4) D; 5) True

Sources: AAA, National Park Service, US Travel Association, US Commerce Department

Rising Star

Jeffrey Ferrin knows a lot about curriculum.

After all, he has a master's degree in Curriculum Instruction and School Administration and has been teaching for the past 16 years. But, it wasn't until he enrolled in UCR Extension's CLAD Through CTEL (Cross-Cultural English and Academic Development through California Teachers of English Learners) certificate program that he learned how to address the specific needs of his students, who were learning English.

Ferrin said the program helped him improve his teaching and rekindled his passion for writing curriculum. Before, he relied on standard curriculum provided by the district. Now, he writes his own additional lessons tailored to his student's needs, making them more effective for those who are learning English. "As a result, the students seem happier, their grades are better and they are more involved," said Ferrin, who runs a program for at-risk students in the Antelope Valley Union High School District. Ferrin is also a member of the Palmdale School District Board of Trustees.

The California Commission on Teacher Credentialing (CTC) requires all credentialed teachers to have their CLAD Through CTEL Certificate. UCR Extension's program is entirely online and can be completed in six months or less.

Learn more about CLAD through CTEL Certificate program.