The many benefits of volunteer work

By now, you're familiar with the concept of volunteer work. Perhaps you've already done volunteer work of some kind, or are currently doing it. And at your age, you have very little, if any, paid work experience to put on your resume and job applications, so things like volunteer service, co-curricular activities such as sports and clubs, and student leadership positions are going to comprise the bulk of your resume.

Volunteer work can provide a wealth of opportunities for learning new skills, strengthening skills, making meaningful connections through networking, gaining new perspectives, sharing talents, and making a difference in the lives of others.

I've been volunteering my time and expertise for a number of organizations and causes over the years, and I find great satisfaction in doing so. Whether through community service clubs like Lions, Rotary, and Kiwanis; as a board member of two chambers of commerce; as a member of two local government boards; or as a member of a committee that runs a large weekend-long festival every summer in my hometown, Muskego Fest, I've met so many talented and wonderful people, and I've learned so much, and continue to learn and meet great people.

I've also found that my volunteer work really goes hand-in-hand with the work I do for pay. I look at it like a continuous cycle, where everything comes back around full-circle - my volunteer work enhances my abilities for other volunteer work; my volunteer work enhances my abilities for my paid work; and my paid work enhances my abilities for my volunteer work. See, all too often, to get a little philosophical here for a moment, we tend to distinguish between volunteer work and paid work, or between personal development and professional development, as if they're all separate and disconnected from one another. In the end, however, we each possess just one mind, and it's a single, fully-unified unit. It's very vast and complex, but it's all connected through countless bridges, roads, and tunnels. In terms of the mind, work is work. Experience is experience. Learning is learning. Skills and talents are skills and talents. You get the point. There's definitely an interdependence between volunteer and paid work, where all of this learning and skill development is easily transferable to other jobs and situations. End of philosophical moment.



Areas where I've developed and reinforced skills over the years through a plethora of volunteer work and projects include leadership, negotiation, marketing, event planning and management, fundraising, customer service, strategic planning, basic accounting and bookkeeping, idea generation, presentations, and public relations and communications. 

So, we know that volunteer work is great for your resume, for preparing for the workforce, and for continuing to build and strengthen your talents throughout your life while meeting awesome people and making a difference in your community and beyond. Many scholarship and college admission applications are looking for meaningful volunteering experiences, as well. But you're asking, "Where do I start?"

Well, for starters, ask yourself what you'd like to get out of it. And really give this some thought. Put it on paper so that you have something concrete to look at, reflect on, and refine as needed. And then, go out and seek those opportunities.

Ideally, when it comes to paid work, we all want to do something that's meaningful and engaging to us, right? Something that's enjoyable for us and gives us a feeling that we're making a difference. Now sure, we all take or have taken paid jobs not living up to that ideal out of necessity at times, let's be realistic. But you get the picture. Well, the same goes with volunteer work. We want it to be meaningful for us. Something that's of interest to us and enjoyable. Something that can complement and enhance our professional and career goals. We know the work won't always be easy, but in the end, we know we're learning and growing while sharing our gifts with others and making key contacts.



So start by asking yourself what you'd like to get out of it. Here are some example scenarios to get you thinking about your own goals:

Let's say you'd like to eventually become a veterinarian. You're taking as many science courses as you can right now at the high school level. You're exploring college programs for veterinarian science. Are there any animal shelters or kennels in your area that you can volunteer for? How about a local veterinarian clinic? Or, let's say you're wanting to become a nurse or doctor. You're taking those science classes and exploring your college options. Any clinics or hospitals you can volunteer at?

You love sports. Can't get enough. You're thinking about sports management or sports marketing as a career. You're loading up on any relevant business courses you can fit into your schedule. Maybe you're taking a few English electives to augment the business classes because creative messaging, writing, and the overall ability to communicate effectively to an audience will be key. Are there any volunteer opportunities with your school's teams or athletic department? How about any local professional or minor league teams? Your community's parks and recreation department?

The trades are your thing. Maybe you're still figuring out which trade you'd really like to pursue. You're taking a variety of shop classes. Learning math. Any volunteer opportunities with Habitat for Humanity? How about your local National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI) chapter? Any contractors in your area looking for help? Maybe they can help open the door to paid apprenticeships and give you some additional guidance on courses to take at your local technical college?

You're thinking about a career in law enforcement. Joining your local police explorers program is a great way to get involved in community service, network, learn about the profession, and figure out if this is a career you'd really like to pursue. In my hometown of Muskego, our Explorers regularly assist other community service clubs with projects and events around town, and we're grateful for their help! Call your local police department to see if there's an explorers program in your community and how you can get involved.

Business is your passion. You're stocking up on as many business courses as you can. Maybe you have one or more entrepreneurial ventures going for you, like your own lawn mowing or car detailing business. Perhaps you're involved in DECA, FBLA, or a similar club at your school. You're exploring business and management programs at the college level. How about calling your local chamber of commerce to see if they're in need of any volunteers? If the chamber is not in need of any volunteers itself, perhaps it can put you in touch with any of its member businesses and organizations that are looking for help? 

These are just a few basic examples out of an endless number of possibilities to get you thinking and exploring. You may find this article from U.S. News & World Report, Find Career-Focused Volunteer Opportunities in High School, helpful, as well.

Best of luck!

The Seeker

I'd like to devote this first installment of my "Exploring the world of music" series to a single song, "The Seeker." Written by Pete Townshend of The Who, I've always enjoyed "The Seeker" for both its style and its lyrics, which are highly philosophical in nature and really speak to me. As a self-described lifelong learner and deep thinker, I'm always in a restless pursuit for answers and truth. You'll just have to listen to the song to know what I'm talking about. The first video here is of The Who performing it, while the second is of Rush covering the song in 2004.

Exploring the world of music series

I love music. Virtually all kinds of music. Different genres, eras, speeds, you name it. I play bass a little bit, but haven't picked it up in a while. I recently joined the committee that runs the Muskego Community Festival, also known as Muskego Fest, where I'll be heading up its marketing efforts and have a role in booking bands. And in my work as a freelance journalist and online publisher, I've had the opportunity to interview some amazingly talented artists in the music world, including the likes of Carl Giammarese of The Buckinghams; Godfrey Townsend; Doug Clifford and Stu Cook of Creedence Clearwater Revival (CCR); Mark Dawson of The Grass Roots; Chris Szebeni of Boxkar; David White of Danny & The Juniors; Jefferson Grizzard; and Bill Turner of Bill Haley and His Comets. I was in the process of trying to secure an interview with Jack Bruce of Cream a number of years back when it was suddenly announced that he had passed away. That was a real heart-breaker. That would have been one hell of a story to share with the world.

Anyway, I'm sharing all of this with you to introduce a new, occasional series on this blog I'm just calling, "Exploring the world of music." Look for the "Exploring the world of music" label under the Labels list located on the right-hand side of the blog to follow along.

We'll explore a variety of music while also learning a bit about the lives and times of the artists and bands. We'll have what you hopefully feel are interesting and engaging conversations involving art, philosophy, history, biography, and reflection.

I hope you enjoy! Stay tuned...

The double-edged sword of technology

Recently, I heard a few students discussing how we no longer have to really memorize or think about answers, facts, or information of any kind because of today's technology - the Internet; artificial intelligence (AI); calculators; GPS; devices like Google Home, Siri, and Amazon Alexa that retrieve information for us and then verbally communicate it back to us; etc., etc.

The double-edged sword of technology.

While it is true that technology has come a long way and that it's only going to get better with time, technology can never replace, nor should it ever, the original computer - our own individual minds.

Technology is meant to make certain tasks and aspects of our lives easier, including learning. Without technology, we would still be attempting to start a fire by rubbing two sticks together; getting from place to place by horse and carriage; making our own clothing; and, because I know you go to the library frequently, still looking for books with the card catalog.

But technology can't stand in for our own built-in need and desire to think critically, reason, memorize, reflect, experience, feel, process, synthesize, create, build connections - be human. The moment we begin to allow that to happen, our own existence as both individuals and as a species may as well be deemed worthless because at that point, are we truly living when we have surrendered our very essence?

The mind is so truly beautiful, filled with endless potential, and so very unique to the individual. Having the same mass-produced technology think, calculate, memorize, etc. for all of us will reduce us to being nothing more than zombies.

As a collective species, it's the human mind that gives us superiority over technology and over all other species on this planet. And at the individual level, it's our own unique minds - our very essence, really - that differentiate ourselves from other individuals. And when multiple minds come together, that's where the real magic can happen - collaboration, new or improved ideas and inventions, deeper understandings, shared vision, and so on.   

Don't let technology come to slowly replace your mind. Don't let that happen. Don't waste that incredible gift you have. Technology is a valuable tool. Master it. But never let it master you. 

How to get the most from this blog

Last updated July 11, 2024.

If this is your first visit to the Mr. Robertson's Corner blog, welcome! Be sure to introduce yourself to our learning community. If you've been returning from time to time, welcome back! I sincerely hope you find this site to be of some value to you.

As traffic has been growing significantly and a lot more content has been added to this blog over the last several years, I thought I'd put this brief guide together to help you get the best learning experience possible from your time here. So, here are some helpful suggestions:

• Use the long search box located above to search within the blog. If any of your search terms match or partially match any of the blog's posts, they will come up for you.
• You can also make use of the "Labels" list on the left-hand side to search for posts by broader categories. The "Labels" list is in alphabetical order and can be found below the "Popular Posts" list.
• Going down the right-hand side of the blog are several news and article feeds that provide content from other education-related blogs and websites on a variety of subjects.
• Feel free to leave comments and questions under the blog posts! I value your feedback and want to have a dialogue. Share your experiences and insights, offer suggestions for future posts, and challenge what you read here - I'm definitely not an expert at everything. I'm just a guy that's been blessed to receive a wonderful education and to have learned a few things about the world from working, traveling, talking with others, and exploring for a number of years. I simply have a passion for being of service to others.

So again, welcome, enjoy your time here, and I look forward to chatting with you and learning together! If you do find this blog to be of some value to you, I'd really appreciate it if you shared it with others! This is truly the best compliment I could receive, sharing it with others. This blog is for students, parents and families, and fellow educators, so spread the word!

Preparing for the ACT test

There are many resources and strategies available online and in bookstores, and a lot of advice out there, devoted to the subject of ACT test preparation. In this post, I weigh in by offering my own advice and ideas for preparing for this test.

First, let's cover some real basics about the ACT test. The test is broken up into five sections: English, Math, Reading, Science, and Writing. The test is scored from 1 to 36.

English - 75 questions, 45 minutes
Math - 60 questions, 60 minutes
Reading - 40 questions, 35 minutes
Science - 40 questions, 35 minutes
Writing - Five paragraph essay on a given prompt, 40 minutes

Here's some general advice I've heard from teachers and those who've taken the test in recent years: If you're doing test prep, focus more on the English and Math sections, and you'll do well. For the Reading portion, don't spend too much time on any one question (a good general rule for all sections, actually). You'll need to skim quickly. Reading is arguably the easiest section, but you have to move through it fairly quick due to time constraints. For the Science part, you probably never learned or will remember half this stuff, if not more. But that's certainly okay. We already expect that. Check out this post specifically devoted to preparing for the science test on ACT for some great advice and strategies.

Now, while there are many resources, strategies, and opinions out there on how best to study and prepare for the ACT, I respectfully submit that you should focus more on building your long-term memory retention and learning strategies over an extended period of time, rather than searching for a quick fix to the test, so to speak.  Here's what I propose:

For starters, as I point out in a previous post on how to properly prepare for tests and exams, cramming for any test is a useless strategy. Any benefit that may derive from cramming is far too small to be worth the hassle.

Take all of your classes seriously. If you do, you're already naturally learning, expanding your mind, and preparing for the test. You're learning math; you're practicing and sharpening your reading, writing, and vocabulary skills; you're learning science; you're learning how to think critically and connect the dots to a bigger picture; etc. Commit to taking all of your classes seriously, and seek additional help where needed. There is never any shame in asking for help.

Get in the habit of studying and reviewing regularly. If you do that, you can study for shorter amounts of time at a time, and you can avoid the pains and stress that come with trying to cram. Plus, you're naturally building up your long-term memory.

Supplement your learning in the classroom by learning outside of the classroom. This can be very fun and tailored to your own interests and curiosities. Museums and historical sites, documentaries, insightful conversations with others, participation in clubs and activities at school, reading for enjoyment, and lessons through Khan Academy are just a few examples. Read this previous post for more ideas.

Practice and build on your writing and vocabulary skills with writing prompts.

Consider making use of flash cards when studying and reviewing. You can buy them or create your own for a more tailored studying experience. Making your own will also naturally help with the long-term memory retention because you're actively building your own study aids and learning while you create.

Sure, invest in a good ACT prep guide or two. Attend a practice workshop. Take a couple ACT practice tests. But don't buy/read/attend/take them the week or even several weeks before the actual test and think you're going to instantly master it. Buy these materials far, far in advance, and build them into a regular study and review routine that includes the work you're already doing for your classes. Again, if you can get into the habit of studying and reviewing regularly, you can actually study for shorter amounts of time at a time, while simultaneously strengthening your long-term memory and avoiding the unnecessary pains and lack of results that come with cramming.

Finally, remember that you can retake the test, and know that the test does not define you. Take it from me - I was a total slacker in high school, and I'm now a Ph.D. student.

Best of luck!

"ACT test tips" search on YouTube

"ACT test prep 2019-2020" search on Amazon

"ACT Tips and Tricks to Reach Your Target Score" (from PrincetonReview.com)

Letter of the day method for guessing on tests (from GetSmartPrep.com)

Writing prompts for fun and practice

Significant additions made to this post on March 2, 2023 and on May 18, 2024.

Within my last few posts, I've been talking a lot about writing - like this post on how to pair writing with your own hobbies and interests to build a fun and successful career, or this brief one about Poets & Writers magazine's database of writing contests.

Today, I'd like to offer you a number of writing prompt ideas.

Writing prompts are a tremendous way to exercise your mind while practicing and sharpening your writing skills, which you'll need in order to be successful in just about any career or venture in life.

What's also cool about doing writing prompts is that they may give you ideas for actual papers and other assignments. While you're writing for fun and practice, you may be getting a head start on a future assignment you're not even aware of yet. How cool is that?!

So, following are those writing prompt ideas. Write as much as you'd like, but try to get at least two or three solid paragraphs done for each. And handwrite them in a notebook - practice your writing, not your typing.

Do you have a particular place that you just absolutely love and can't get enough of? It could be a favorite vacation spot, or just a place you like to escape to once in a while to think and get away from the daily hustle and bustle of life. What makes this place so special for you?


Here's how I think [insert your favorite sport or game] teaches us about life...


At this point in your life, what would you like to do for work when you're older? What's your dream job, and why? What skills and talents do you need to have for this type of work?


What's your favorite school subject, and why?


If you could go back in time and change one thing about your life, what would it be?


What kind of world would you create if you had the power to shape any reality as you wished?


If money were no object, how would you use your free time?


Describe a character from a novel or movie that has impacted your understanding of yourself.


Write about a value or belief that has shaped who you are today.


Create an alternate version of history where one major event had a different outcome than in our current timeline.


How has technology changed the way we communicate today compared to 10 years ago?


If there was an invention that could solve any problem, what problem would you choose to solve and why?


Discuss the importance of taking risks and pushing boundaries as part of personal growth and self-development.


Analyze an important political decision or event from recent history and describe its long-term effects on society today.


Craft an argument defending or opposing a current social issue using research-backed evidence to support your stance.


Reflect upon past experiences that shaped your views on morality, justice, and ethics – how do these values guide your actions today?


Create a speculative fiction story set in the future where humanity is dealing with a new technological advancement or discovery - how will they respond differently than us now?


My friends would describe me as...


What are you most thankful for in life, and why?


Write about your favorite TV show.


Talk about your role model in life.


Write about your favorite class/subject. What do you know so far? What do you want to learn? What do you like/dislike, and why?


If I won the lottery, I would...


Here's how I think Boy Scouts or Girls Scouts will help me prepare for my career...


What's your favorite type(s) of music, and why? What causes you to really enjoy it?


If I could meet anyone right now, living or deceased, it would be __________, and here's why...


Write a note to one of your teachers.


Write a note to a friend.


Discuss three goals you have set for yourself. What are you doing to accomplish them? How is the progress coming along, and what more do you need to do?


What's your favorite holiday, and what do you love about it?


My favorite meal is __________, and here's what I absolutely love about it...


Discuss a valuable life lesson you wish you would have learned years earlier.


Describe a challenging time or moment in your life, and the steps or actions you took to overcome it.


Talk about a movie or book that left you really thinking.


Here are some things I'd like to add to my birthday wish list...


A day in the life of my future self: Imagine yourself 10 years from now. What does a typical day look like? Describe it in detail.


If I could have any superpower: If you could choose any superpower, what would it be, and why? How would you use it in your everyday life?


The most memorable day of my life: Write about a day that stands out in your memory. What happened, and why is it so memorable?


The world without technology: Imagine a world where modern technology doesn’t exist. How would your life be different?


An unexpected adventure: Write a story about an ordinary day that turns into an unexpected adventure. What happens, and how do you react?


If animals could talk: Choose an animal and imagine it could speak. What would it say, and what kind of personality would it have?


My ideal school: Describe what your perfect school would be like. What subjects would be taught, and how would the classes be conducted?


A letter to my future self: Write a letter to yourself 10 years from now. What advice or insights would you want to share?


The impact of a kind gesture: Write about a time when a small act of kindness made a big difference in your life or in the life of someone you know.


My hero: Write about someone you consider a hero. Why do you look up to this person, and what have they done to earn your admiration?


The magic book: Imagine you find a magic book that can transport you to any place or time. Where do you go, and what happens?


The perfect day: Describe what your perfect day would look like from start to finish. What activities would you do, and who would you spend it with?


If I were president: If you were elected president, what are the first three things you would do? How would you improve the country?


A world of your own creation: Imagine you could create your own world. What would it look like, and who would live there?


A time travel experience: Write about traveling to a different time period. Where do you go, and what do you see and do?


The power of a song: Describe a song that has a special meaning to you. How does it make you feel, and why is it significant?


Life as a historical figure: Choose a historical figure you admire. Write a diary entry from their perspective on a significant day in their life.


The day everything changed: Write a story about a day when everything in your life changed dramatically. What happened, and how did you cope?


An interview with a fictional character: Choose a character from a book, movie, or TV show. Write an interview with this character, asking them questions about their life and experiences.


Fun activity with a favorite video game


Fun activity with your favorite song


Form A Daily Writing Habit - It Will Improve Your Life (an article on GetPocket.com)