JOB READINESS

WEEK SIX DAY ONE  

Lesson Title: Interpersonal Skills and Conflict Resolution  

Subject Matter/Life Skill Area: Positive Work Skills

Learning Level/Prerequisite Skills: 9^th Grade  

Lesson Length: Two hours  

Instruction Type: Group, Role-Play  

Overview and Rationale:  

This lesson is designed to facilitate the understanding of what type of interpersonal skills are needed in today's workplace, and to utilize those skills in a positive way when conflict arises.  

Learning Objectives / Skills:  

At the completion of this lesson, students will be able to understand what positive interpersonal skills are needed in the workplace. Students will be able to describe positive interpersonal skills and utilize them in conflict resolution role-plays. Students will be able to know how to solve conflict in the workplace in a positive way.  

Skills: Creative thinking, problem solving, sociability, human resources, negotiates, monitors and corrects performance,  

Materials / Equipment Needed:   

Paper, Pencil and Pen

Overhead Projector (optional)

Transparencies (optional)

Flip Chart and flip chart paper

Index Cards, One case study per card

Handout: Case Studies for Conflict Resolution Exercise

Teacher Resource Materials:

These two may also be used for additional student resources. If so, provide a copy for each student.

Conflict Resolution (Essential Do's and Don'ts): http://www/laps.org/conflict.html

Conflict Resolution: http://www.ballew.org/conflcit.html

How to Prepare:         

The instructor should be familiar with the skills necessary to solve conflict in the workplace and the interpersonal skills that are necessary to accomplish solving conflict at work. Review teacher resource materials for an overview. Prepare the index cards by writing one case study on one card for each group. The handout will be for note taking during the role-plays.

Introduction / Warm Up / Review:      

Introduce the lesson by discussing the following questions:

1.      What are some interpersonal skills that would make you a valuable employee in the workplace? (Ask for examples and list on  the board)

2.      How many of you have utilized any of these skills at work, home, in the classroom, etc?

3.      How many of you have conflicts at home or at work? (Ask for examples)

4.      What are some ways that you solved those conflicts?

5.      Did your interpersonal skills help you to solve the conflict?

6.      What was the outcome?

Write feedback on the board. Ask a student to write the interpersonal skills on flipchart paper as you are writing them on the board. Post or leave during the class session.

Presentation of Lesson:

Let students know that they will be working on some case studies that involve role-play. Students will work in small groups to design a role-play for their case study and the whole group will discuss ways to solve the conflict presented in each of the case studies. Allow thirty minutes for group work, five minutes for each presentation, and five minutes to discuss each presentation. Follow up with a whole class discussion on conflict resolution

Practice / Activity:  

Go over the instructions and/or list them on the board. Answer any questions students might have about the exercise, but limit comments about conflict resolution. It will be discussed after each role-play.  

Instructions:  

1.      Form small groups.

2.      Read over case study.

3.      Discuss the case study in your group. Solutions to the role-play are not to be include in role-play scene, but will be discussed by the whole class.

4.      Decide how you will role-play the group case study.

5.      Practice your presentation.

6.      Be ready for your presentation in thirty minutes.  

Ask students to form groups. Allow groups to spread out and seek a more private area for their discussion and role-play practice. If students can keep their content of the role-play undisclosed to the other groups, the impact and class discussion may have a more successful outcome. Handout the index cards with a case study to each group. Ask groups not to discuss their case study with other groups.  

Application / Transfer:  

Write these questions on the board for the discussion after the role-play. Have the group focus on two questions:  

1.      How could this conflict have been prevented?

2.      How can it be solved?  

Allow each group to present their role-play. As each group finishes a role-play presentation, have a whole class de-briefing on how to solve the conflict presented in the role-play. The group that presented the role-play can take the facilitator roles and take notes either on the OHP or on the flip chart provided. (Avoid passing out the handout till the end of all role-play presentations.)  

When the presentations have been presented, facilitate a class discussion on lessons learned about conflict and how to solve conflict in a professional and positive way. Pass out the handout and allow students some reflective time to write down their solutions to the case studies. Students may also utilize the presentation materials and notes taken by each group. If there are handouts pass out to the students for their notebooks.    

End the discussion by reading the following Chinese proverb:  

If there is righteousness in the heart,

There will be beauty in the character;  
 

If there is beauty in the character,

There will be harmony in the home;  
 

If there is harmony in the home,

There will be order in the nation;  
 

If there is order in the nation,

There will be peace in the world.  

Reflection by Teacher:  

Students should be prepared to prevent conflicts from happening in the workplace, be aware of when conflicts have arisen, and how to solve conflicts through a peaceful process to end with a positive resolution. Students should have demonstrated all of the skills necessary to achieve these outcomes.  

Planning for the Next Lesson:  

Become familiar with the next lesson on reducing stress in the workplace. Tie into today's lesson on conflict resolution and how preventing and solving conflicts will have an impact on managing stress.                                  

Handout  

Case Studies for Conflict Resolution Exercise

Handout  

Case Studies for Conflict Resolution Exercise  

JOB READINESS

WEEK SIX DAY TWO    

Lesson Title: Managing Stress

Subject Matter/Life Skill Area: Balancing Life Between Work and Home  

Learning Level/Prerequisite Skills: 9^th Grade  

Lesson Length: Two hours  

Instruction Type: Team teaching, group discussion  

Overview and Rationale:  

This lesson is designed to facilitate the understanding of how one can reduce stress in the workplace. Students will be given the opportunity to teach and take part in stress reducing exercises. A discussion of how to reduce stress and balance life between work and home will also be covered.

Learning Objectives / Skills:

At the completion of this lesson, students will be able to demonstrate stress-reducing techniques that will help them manage daily life. Students will teach each other stress reduction techniques.  

Skills: Creative thinking, problem solving, sociability, human resources, monitors and corrects performance,  

Materials / Equipment Needed:           

Paper, Pencil and Pen

Overhead Projector (optional)

Transparencies (optional)

Flip Chart and flip chart paper

Handout: Relaxation Techniques for Relief of Anxiety and Stress

http://www.healthy.net/library/books/lark/relax6.htm

Effort and Rest-- Ralph Marston

How to Prepare:         

The instructor should be familiar with the handout. Read it over and become familiar with the techniques that are listed for relaxation. Students should wear comfortable clothing.  

Introduction / Warm Up / Review:                       

Review yesterday's lesson on conflict resolution. Ask students to give feedback from the lesson and provide some guidelines for resolving conflict. Let students know that conflict will arise in some cases, regardless of prevention. Handling the stress of conflict and other life situations will help to manage the situation in a more productive and healthy way.  

Introduce the lesson by discussing the following questions:  

1.      Have you had any stressful situations at work? At home? (Caution students that they need not discuss highly personal matters during this classroom discussion)

2.      What are some ways that you used to handle the stress? (Ask for examples and list on  the board)

3.      How many of you have utilized any of these skills at work, home, in the classroom, etc?  

Write feedback on the board. Ask a student to write the stress reducing skills on flipchart paper as you are writing them on the board. Post or leave during the class session.  

Presentation of Lesson:  

Pass out the handout on relaxation techniques. Give a disclaimer that although the author has targeted women as her readers, in most cases men will experience similar stress issues and can benefit from the same stress reducing techniques.  

Ask for a volunteer to read the opening paragraph. Continue with a new volunteer for each of the next four paragraphs, stopping at the first exercise. Facilitate a discussion at the end of each reading of each passage. Make any notes on the board, or ask a student to volunteer to make notes on flipchart paper for future reference.    

Practice / Activity:  

Let students know that they will act as instructors by teaching the class one of the exercises in the handout. Assign an exercise to each student or have students decide how they will choose an exercise. Each student must choose a different exercise, however. There are nine exercises in the handout. If there are not enough exercises students can pair up to team-teach the assigned exercise.  

Allow each student the opportunity to work quietly, and alone, with his or her assigned exercise. Allow students about fifteen minutes to practice and decide how they will 'teach' their exercise.  

Application / Transfer:  

Have each student teach his or her particular exercise to the class. The whole class should then participate along with the 'instructor' of the exercise. Allow each exercise the allotted time noted in the handout, or if not listed, adequate time for learning to have occurred.  Some of the exercises require moving to a laying position.  

When the exercises have been presented, facilitate a class discussion on how these exercises can help to alleviate stress. Write responses on the board. Have the group focus on several questions:  

1.      Which exercise/s will be useful to reducing stress in your struggle to balance work and home life?

2.      What worked?

3.      What didn't?

4.      What skills are used in these exercises that can be incorporated into conflict resolution?  

End the discussion with a reading on stress reduction from handout Effort and Rest.  

Reflection by Teacher:  

Students should feel that they have learned some important skills today for managing stress and anxiety. These skills are also useful to help with conflict resolution.  

Planning for the Next Lesson:  

Tomorrow's lesson will include how to use office equipment. Arrange for office equipment demonstrations and facilitate the hands on opportunity for students to apply knowledge. The end of the course is coming up. The next three days will be a review of the six weeks.

Handout  

EFFORT AND REST

Can you stop the Earth from spinning? Can you stop the progression of the seasons? As preposterous as it may sound, many people try, at least with their own lives.  

The Earth spins, and we have day and night. A time for effort, and a time for rest. The slightly tilted Earth orbits the sun, and we have the seasons of the year. A time for planting, for growing, for harvesting,
and for rest.  

The cycle of effort and rest is deeply ingrained in the world around us, and in us as well. A good night's sleep makes for a good day's work. And a day full of effort, makes for a good night's sleep. Get too far off in either direction -- work with no rest, or rest with no work -- and your efforts become useless.  

You cannot avoid the need for balance any more than you can stop the Earth from spinning. Work hard, rest well, and enjoy the optimum performance that comes from a well balanced life.

-- Ralph Marston   

  JOB READINESS

WEEK SIX DAY THREE  

Lesson Title: Qualities of a Good Employee  

Subject Matter / Life Skill Area: Academic: Reading/Writing                                    

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

Lesson Length: One hour  

Instruction Type: Class discussion, individual practice and application  

Overview / Rationale:  

The purpose of this lesson is to focus on personal qualities valued by employers, to help students identify and understand these as well as to articulate their own strengths in a persuasive paragraph.  

Learning Objectives / Skills:  

At the end of this lesson, the student will be able to list personal qualities which are valuable in the workplace, skim a worksheet for necessary information and write a persuasive paragraph about why he/she should be hired.  

Skills: Reading, Writing, Decision Making, and Self-Management  

Materials / Equipment Needed:            

Handout: One copy of the SCANS personal qualities list for each student

Transparency of the same list for the teacher

Highlighters

Overhead Projector

How to Prepare:

In today’s lesson students are going to read about the kinds of personal qualities which are valued by employers, identify their own strengths, and write a persuasive paragraph informing an employer why they should be hired. This will prepare students for job interviews.  

Introduction / Warm Up / Review:  

Brainstorm with the class the best qualities of a good employee. List them on the board or overhead. For example, students may identify: honest, reliable, punctual, etc. Have students copy this list.  

Presentation of Lesson:  

Give each student the section of the SCANS report which identifies the personal qualities which are most valued by employers in today’s workplace. Read the five main headings together; discuss what is meant by each term.  

Ask students to skim the SCANS article for the items on the class-generated list. Highlight these on the SCANS worksheet and write the SCANS word next to the list word.  Inform students that in some cases they may find a synonym is used, for example, if the students had identified being flexible as a desirable personal quality, they may identify and highlight adaptability.                          

Ask students to share the qualities they have found. Teacher highlights these on her transparency so students can compare their own work with each other’s.

Practice / Activity:                        

Have students create a third list of qualities that are identified on the SCAN worksheet but not on their original list.                        

Teacher elicits these from students and lists them on her transparency. Discuss what each of these mean and why employers would value it. Discuss those qualities which were contained on the students’ own list but not included on the SCANS worksheet.  

Application / Transfer:                       

Using the five personal qualities they have identified for themselves, ask students to write a persuasive paragraph on the topic: Why should I hire you. Remind students that a good paragraph contains a topic sentence, supporting sentences and a concluding sentence.  

Have students read their paragraphs to each other and evaluate whether or not the writer made a clear and persuasive argument. Was there a clear topic sentence? Were the supporting sentences relevant to the topic? Was the concluding sentence a strong summary of the paragraph?                        

Ask students how they might use this information in a job interview.  

Ask students to take a few moments to reflect on the lists of personal qualities and select five that they think characterize themselves. Jot these down in their journal with a short description of why these qualities apply to them. For example, I am very goal-oriented. I set clear goals for myself and carry through with those goals; or, I am punctual. I always arrive at work and at school on time.                        

Reflection by Teacher:  

Were students able to formulate a paragraph that made a clear and persuasive argument about why they should be hired?  

Planning for Next Lesson:  

Students will continue with writing exercises for the next week. Encourage students to review the writing exercises in their GED book.  

Note:  

On Day Four, students spent time using the ALEX system at the Virginia Employment Commission in preparation for employment.  

On Day Five, students played a game similar to Jeopardy using lesson topics from the six weeks of Job Readiness. They were divided into two teams and answered questions and received points based on their answers.  

An evaluation was conducted on Friday.  

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