JOB READINESS

WEEK TWO DAY ONE 

Lesson Title: Why Work?  

Subject Matter/Life Skill Area: Job Readiness 

Learning Level/Prerequisite Skills:  9th Grade reading and math 

Lesson Length: Two hours

Instruction Type: Individual/Group 

Overview and Rationale: 

This lesson will help students to understand the importance of work, roles in society, and belief systems for work.  Also, this lesson will give a general overview of last week's theme. 

Learning Objectives / Skills: 

At the completion of this lesson, students will be able to recognize the need to work and the different roles they play in society. 

Skills: Oral and Written Communication, Critical Thinking/Reasoning 

Materials /Equipment Needed:          

Paper

Pencils, pens

Journals

Handout: Journal Activity (Cut into strips)

Poster paper (for the web diagram) 

How to Prepare: 

Review last week's theme "Discovery."    Prepare a general overview of week two.  Be prepared to discuss values. 

Introduction / Warm Up / Review: 

Review last weeks activities by asking students to share what they learned last week in class with a partner and describe the activity that meant the most to them and why. Partners can make a list of the activities and discuss them with each other. Let them know that they should also present their discussion to the class as a team.

Presentation of Lesson:  

After students have had the opportunity to work in pairs, bring the class back together so that pairs can present their discussion to the class.  

At the end of the presentations, facilitate a discussion on barriers to work. Ideas might include: transportation, childcare, etc. Give ample time to the discussion on barriers to work and ask for student input on how the problems might be solved. Record student responses on poster paper and tape to the wall. Let students know that as they think of other barriers or suggestions for solving barriers, they can add them to the list. 

Lead a similar discussion on enhancers that contribute to the ability to work with limited stress. Ideas might include: supportive family, flexible time, tele-commuting, etc. Find the same format by facilitating a discussion on enhancers. Record student responses on poster paper and allow students the opportunity to amend the recordings at any time. 

Practice / Activity: 

Have students take out a piece of paper (or use a journal) and divide it in half (vertically) and label each side "barriers" and "enhancers." With a partner, have each pair make a list of barriers and enhancers that match their IDP short-term goals. Students can then discuss their lists with their partners who can offer suggestions for overcoming barriers and accentuating enhancers. 

Application / Transfer: 

Working individually, students should use their journals to list and record the skills and talents that they have that will help them to reach their short-term goals. They should do the same for the long-term goals. Allow 20-30 minutes. 

When students have completed the journal activity, hand out the next journal assignment addressing personal achievement and overcoming barriers. Allow 20 minutes.

When students have finished the journal assignments, break into groups of 2-3. Give each group a sheet of poster paper for this assignment. Each group should make a web diagram of the ideal work environment. An example of a web diagram could be drawn on the board using a similar topic. Example:

Innovative

Directive        Interest Types        Methodical

 

After each group has finished making their web diagram, groups should present their diagrams to the class and post them for observation by other class members.

Reflection by Teacher:

Make note of the discussions in class and bring in any resources that might be helpful to help students overcome barriers to work and add enhancers to their work situations.

Planning for the Next Lesson:

Look over tomorrow's lesson and be ready to address the importance of time management as it pertains to life roles (parent, citizen, student, worker, etc.)     


JOB READINESS

WEEK TWO DAY TWO 

Lesson Title: Managing Time 

Subject Matter / Life Skill Area: Job Readiness       

Learning Level / Prerequisite Skills: 9th Grade reading and Math            

Lesson Length: Two Hours 

Instruction Type: Pairs Presentations and Individual Activity with Calendars 

Overview /Rationale: 

Students will be studying various tips and techniques for managing time effectively. Students will work in pairs to access information from the handout, organize the information in to a presentation, and will present then present the information using an OHP. Each pair will have different information about time management, though some tips may overlap. After presentations, students will work on calendars to apply time management skills. 

Learning Objectives / Skills: 

At the completion of this lesson, the student will be able to set and prioritize time effectively. Students will be able to plan personal and professional time according to effective time management information presented during class time. 

Skills: Managing time, planning, organization techniques, teamwork, critical thinking, material and facilities, human resources, understands systems, monitors and corrects performance.

Material/Equipment Needed:

Paper and Pencil

A clock that all students can see, and a timer for presentations

Overhead Projector, with two/three transparencies for each group

Handouts: (Five handouts, two copies each for pair work [Based on ten students])

Pair One: Time Management Skills on the Job Are Expected (http://www.madisonmag.com/employment/qti/tips/qti-tips-990317-162515.htm)

Pair Two: Time Management Tips

(http://www.gmu.edu/gmu/personal/time.html)

Pair Three: Time Management Tips

(http://www/nau.edu/~fronske/timemgt.html)

Pair Four: Thirteen Timely Tips for More Effective Personal Time Management

(http://www.ianr.unl.edu/pubs/nebfacts/nf172.htm)

Pair Five: Time Management (Counseling Center)

(http://www.counselingcenter.uiuc.edu/time.htm)

Calendar/ Planner: A daily page, a weekly page, and a monthly page (one set for each student)

OHP Transparency of each style of calendar/planner

Equipped for the Future Role Maps (A set for each student) (Not included in this curriculum)

How to Prepare: 

The instructor should begin by reading over each of the handouts provided for this activity. The instructor will need to make two sets of each handout for pair work. Some handouts are longer and more detailed than others are. You might think about whom should receive which handout. Students will be adhering to a time schedule that will be listed on the board. Have students be their own timekeepers for this activity. Think about how you manage time and be ready to add input to presentations if necessary. Have copies of the calendar/planner for each student.

Introduction /Warm Up / Review:

Facilitate a brief discussion on time management and what it means to the students in the course. Write answers on the board; define any terms that are unfamiliar to students. Ask students how they go about planning their time on a daily/weekly/monthly basis. Find out how many students use a day planner or keep track of their time. Facilitate a brief discussion based on student feedback.

Presentation of Lesson:

Pass out examples of daily, weekly, and monthly calendars available from Microsoft Outlook. Lead a discussion on the differences between the styles of calendar. Ask who uses a calendar and how who doesn't. Discuss how to keep track of appointments, both personal and professional.

Using an OHP, present a monthly calendar to the class. Hand out a copy to each student. Go over the use of a monthly calendar and who might want to use the monthly style (someone who wants to see the entire month at a glance, without great detail). Using the transparency, show some examples of using a monthly calendar.

Ex: 9/22 Dr. Appt 9am/ Class 10-12

Hand out a sample of a weekly calendar to each student. Do the same presentation with a weekly calendar. Weekly calendars provide more space for writing and allow for more specific information.

Hand out a sample of a daily calendar. Do the same presentation for a daily calendar. Daily calendars are organized on the half hour and allows for scheduling on a daily basis.

Practice / Activity:

Divide the students into pairs. This could be done in two ways, students may volunteer to work with another student, or the teacher may assign students to work in pairs.

Let students know they will become experts on time management and the expertise will come from accessing information from the handouts and then presenting the information to the class. Let students know that some information will overlap but they have control over how they will present the information to the class.

Write the following time line on the board and review with students:

TIMELINE FOR TIME MANAGEMENT ACTIVITY 

I.                    Break into Pairs and arrange materials:              Five Minutes

II.                 Read and Review Handouts:                             Fifteen Minutes

III.               Discuss the Handout with Partner                      Five Minutes

IV.              Discuss the Presentation with Partner                Ten Minutes

V.                 Formulate Presentation Format                         Twenty Minutes 

VI.              Construct Presentation                                      Thirty Minutes

VII.            Group Presentations (Five minutes each)           Twenty-five Minutes

VIII.         Conclusion by Instructor                                   Five Minutes

IX.              Calendar/Planner Activity                                  Five Minutes

X.                 TOTAL                                                           120 Minutes (Two hours)  

The above timeline outlines this lesson. The practice/activity will be done while students are working as pairs. Lend assistance to students as they go through steps one through six. Help students to understand any information (located in the handouts) that they don't understand, or provide resources for students to access information for understanding. Be ready to help students brainstorm on presentation formats, but allow students the opportunity to be creative and in control of this activity.

Remind all students of the time line listed on the board! They need to follow the time line carefully and adhere to the limits. All presentations must start on time. Help student see how this relates to expectations in the world of work.

Application / Transfer:

Number seven on the time line is the application or transfer for this activity. Allow each pair five minutes for their presentation. Make sure that both partners are participating in the process. When students have reached four minutes, let them know that they have one minute remaining. Encourage students to applaud for each other by providing an example of positive feedback during presentations.

When presentations have ended, facilitate a brief discussion on what tips students found useful. Write feedback on the board and lend comments when necessary.

Handout on the calendar/planner package and have students take the last remaining five minutes to fill in the planners. Provide any dates that are applicable to the course.

Reflection by Teacher:

How effective were students in adhering to the time line? Was it easy to keep track of time or did students not manage time effectively? Relate how managing time integrates with various roles that we have in today's society. The Equipped for the Future Role Maps can be utilized to further define roles that prevalent in 2001.

Planning for Next Lesson:                

Students can practice time management skills during the next lesson, a field trip using public transportation. Be sure to point out transportation schedules and other scheduling activities that students must consider in their daily lives. 


JOB READINESS

WEEK TWO DAY THREE 

Lesson Title: Work Ethics

Subject Matter/Life Skill Area: Personal/Professional Development

Learning Level / Prerequisite Skills: 9th grade reading and math levels

Lesson Length: Two hours

Instruction Type: Group Discussions and Activities, Individual Work 

Overview and Rationale:

This lesson is designed to emphasize the relevance of acquiring good working skills that lead to the development of a professional work ethic.

Learning Objectives / Skills:

At the completion of this lesson, students will be able to identify the positive and undesirable characteristics that form a work ethic. Students will demonstrate examples of both a positive and a negative work ethic.

Skills: Oral Communication Skills, social development, interpersonal skills, reflective analysis, discussion skills, writing

Materials /Equipment Needed:

Two Chart papers entitled: Good Work Ethics, Ideal Worker

Notebooks

Pens

Journals

How to Prepare:

The instructor should review the work ethic articles, reading through each one. Have a sense of content and become familiar with characteristics of positive and negative traits of a work ethics.

Label the chart papers as indicated above.

Introduction / Warm Up / Review:

Review the previous day's discussion about time management. Ask students to state some reasons about how time is relevant to work and personal life. Ask students then to relate their ideas about how time fits into a positive or negative work ethic.

Presentation of Lesson:

Review self-esteem, values, and teamwork experiences topics that have previously been discussed in Job Readiness. Emphasize how being a positive team members helps you to be successful in the workplace. Relate how this positive and professional attitude should also be carried out in e-mail correspondence.

Practice/ Activity:

Let students know that they are going to plan and present a two-minute skit that demonstrates a negative work ethic. The skit should represent a situation in which someone is gossiping and how students can “turn it around” by changing the subject when the gossiping continues.

Have students pair up to plan and present their skits. Allow about five minutes to plan. Then bring students back as a group. Each pair should then present their skit.

Split students into two groups and give each group one of the chart papers with the labels listed under materials. Each group should identify their assigned topic and brainstorm as many examples as possible. They should add them to the chart. Allow about ten minutes for brainstorming for each group.

Ask each group to present their ideas to the class. Allow about five minutes for each group. Add input when necessary and encourage each group to facilitate a discussion as they present their ideas. If the discussion generates new ideas, add those to the chart paper.

Application / Transfer:

Ask students to individually think about and determine what traits they feel they have that relate to a good work ethic and what traits they need to work on.

Using the Work Ethic handout, pair students up and hand out two copies of one article to each pair. Students should read the article silently and then should then work with their partner to summarize using the work ethic journal activity questions. After formulating the summary (about 25 minutes), students should share information with the class.

Reflection by Teacher:

Students should reflect in their journals about today's lesson, and expand further on their thoughts concerning the objectives in this lesson.               

Planning for Next Lesson:

Review tomorrow's activity.  


JOB READINESS

WEEK TWO DAY FOUR 

Lesson Title: Mission Statements  

Subject Matter/Life Skill Area: Personal development  

Learning Level/Prerequisite Skills:  9th Grade 

Lesson Length: Two hours 

Instruction Type: Small group activities 

Overview and Rationale: 

Everyone has interests and goals that are unique to them. Students will explore how mission statements are used in the workplace, for organizations and companies, and at the personal level. 

Learning Objectives / Skills: 

At the completion of this lesson, students will be able to identify and know how to use and examine a mission statement for a company, for a worker, and for personal use. Students will gain an understanding of how a mission statement is like a goal development plan. 

Skills: Oral Communication Skills, social development, interpersonal skills, reflective analysis, discussion skills, writing 

Materials /Equipment Needed: 

Teacher Resource: A Shared Vision, available at: www.business.leader.com/blsep96/shared.html

(Make copies for each student as a reference)

Handout: Mission Statement Checklist, Mission Statements, Best Buys Mission Statement

Overhead Transparencies (for each group of three students)

Overhead Transparencies (Teacher's presentation, See Mission Statements: Student Handout)

Notebooks

Pens

Journals

How to Prepare:

The instructor should review the article “A Shared Vision" and prepare handouts by making copies, one for each student.

Presentation of Lesson:

Introduce topic and give overview of the day’s activities. Have student’s highlight key points from the previous day’s lesson and write them on the board. State the importance of the lesson and how it relates to Day Three's lesson and the week’s theme.

Begin the topic of mission statements by relating general information:

þ       Most companies have them

þ       Mission Statements are like a goal

þ       Companies publish them and ask employees to adhere to the statement

þ       Mission statements are an integral part of team building

þ       Mission statements promote a positive work environment

Read the story from the "Shared Vision" handout to the class. Students can follow along as you read or listen to the story as it is read.

Practice / Activity:

Beginning with the first transparency, begin to discuss the formation of mission statements by stating that they describe the purpose for an organization. Facilitate a discussion on stating purposes and why we do so.

For each of the company mission statement transparencies, ask students, "What steps do you think this company/organization would take to carry out this mission?"  Facilitate the discussion from each mission statement.

Pass out handout on mission statements and the checklist. Compare this information and checklist to each of the overhead transparencies. (Go through them again). Ask questions such as, " How does this company rate?" and "Which mission statements are best?"

Application / Transfer:

Pass out copies of a few mission statements for students to read and highlight. Students should work independently while reading and highlighting.

When all students have completed the reading assignment, form teams of three to develop a class mission statement. Each team should create the statement as a group and then write it on a transparency.

Each team should have about twenty to twenty-five minutes to prepare their statements. After the teams have completed their mission statements, ask each group to present their statement to the class. Students should discuss each team statement and compare it to the checklist. They should ask how they statements rate compared to the checklist. Students will then vote for one class mission statement.

Ask students to write the mission statement in the journal and ask them to type (using a large font and bold print) the mission statement in technology so that it can be posted in the classroom.

Ask students to continue with journal writing by writing a personal mission statement. Use handout strip for help.

Reflection by Teacher:

Read over the mission statements in the journals and reflect upon how you can facilitate the accomplishment of the student's personal mission statements. Statements should be similar to the goals stated in the IDP.

Planning for Next Lesson: 

Review next week's lessons and be prepared to review this week on Monday. Be able to create a continuum between the two weeks' activities. 

NOTE: There is no lesson for Job Readiness Week Two Day Five. During the pilot process, this day was used to work on projects or lessons from any of the three strands that were not completed. This included time to review instruction in GED.

 

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