Life Career Management Skills
Activity 1: Do I Manage My Time Wisely?
Foundational Objective: Knowledge, skills and attitudes needed to establish good work and study habits.
Learning Objectives:
The student will:
- identify ways to acquire effective study skills.
- identify some personal basic student skills that need improvement.
C.E.L.s: COM, CCT, IL, PSVS, NUM
Materials:
- pen or pencil
- handout No. 1 "Organizing Myself"
- paper
- student notebooks
Time: Two class periods.
Activity:
- Have students complete Part A of the handout "Organizing Myself" and discuss their answers in pairs.
- Have students complete Part B of the handout. Answer any questions and allow time for discussion.
- Have students develop a chart of the time they spend each week including the following:
- school (class time)
- sleep
- meals
- school clubs/sports/student council
- out-of-school classes or lessons (music, German class, religion, etc.)
- regular family/group activities (church, family outings, etc.)
- community league or out-of-school sports
- hobbies
- television
- homework/study time
- other planned activities (Scouts, Sea Cadets, 4-H, etc.)
- chores
- part-time paid employment
- volunteer work
Students may also develop a summary chart in small groups.
- Have students respond to the following questions in their notebook.
- How busy is your week? How much free time do you have?
- Why is it important to manage one's time, to set up a plan?
- What is meant by "goal setting"? What are some time goals that might be necessary for a junior high school student?
- Are you setting aside adequate time for homework or nightly review? Do you have a schedule with some flexible time for these purposes? Explain.
- Discuss the importance of a balance between the different types of activities - work, recreation, sleep and so on.
- How can I improve my skills?
- How can I make sure I come to class with all my supplies and books?
- Responses can be shared in small groups.
Additional Activities:
Students individually, or as a class, target student skills that need improving and develop an "action plan" to make those improvements. Improvement charts can be designed for the classroom.
Evaluation:
Resources:
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Organizing Myself
Part A
This exercise will draw your attention to basic skills that could make you more efficient as a student. Read each statement and check the appropriate column to indicate your reaction. When you have finished, you may ask questions or expand on any of the ideas contained in the statements.
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I.
- You should come to class with all the material or
equipment needed for that class.
- It is not helpful for you to participate in class
discussions.
- You can be sure that you will remember homework or
assignments if you write them down.
- All students require the same type of environment (location, amount of background noise, type of furniture, etc.) for studying or doing homework.
- A useful tool for you is a weekly schedule which
includes time for things you like (hobbies,
television, sports, clubs, etc.) as well as school-
related activities.
- Time management refers to the skill of organizing
your time so that you can accomplish what you want to do or have to do.
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Agree
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
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Disagree
_____
_____
_____
_____
_____
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II.
- It is a good idea to quickly read over an entire test
or examination before beginning to answer any questions.
- Usually, you should not spend an equal amount of time
on each question on a test or examination.
- It is a good idea to make a time budget when writing
a test or examination, leaving a few minutes near
the end to check for errors or to make additions.
- You should always begin to prepare for a test or
examination the evening before.
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Agree
_____
_____
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Disagree
_____
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Grade 8
Module: Life Career Management Skills
Handout No. 1 "Organizing Myself"
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Organizing Myself (continued)
- On a test or examination, it is a good idea to
answer first the questions to which you know the
answers.
- It is a good idea to check with your teacher when a
test or examination is announced so that you will
know exactly what to prepare for.
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Agree
_____
_____ |
Disagree
_____
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III.
- You should not ask your teachers to provide extra help outside class time.
- A well-kept notebook is useful in helping you to
prepare for tests or examinations.
- Related sections or chapters of a textbook are
useful in helping you to prepare for tests or
examinations.
- Classmates can often help each other with difficult
class material.
- Material related to class work, which you find in
magazines, newspaper, and books other than texts,
can often be useful.
- You should ask for explanation of any class material
that you do not understand as soon as possible after
the lesson or presentation.
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Agree
_____
_____
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Disagree
_____
_____
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Part B
The above exercise may have helped you to identify some student skills that you wish to improve.
I. List any skills that you might wish to improve.
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
II. Suggest some things that you might do to improve the skills you mentioned above.
________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________
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Source: One step at a time, Educational and Career Explorations, Intermediate Division, Ministry of Education, Ontario, 1984.
Grade 8 Module: Life Career Management Skills
Handout No. 1 "Organizing Myself"
Activity 2: The Decision-Making Process
Foundational Objective: Awareness of and knowledge, skills and attitudes needed to set goals and to make appropriate decisions.
Learning Objectives:
The student will:
- identify problem-solving and decision-making techniques.
C.E.L.s: COM, CCT, PSVS, NUM, TL
Materials:
- chalk
- handout No. 2 " The Decision-making Process"
- chalkboard
- handout No. 3 " An Exercise in Decision Making"
- paper
- student journals
- pencil or pen
Time: One - two class periods.
Activity:
- Present and explain vocabulary related to decision making. "When we have to make a decision, we have alternatives to choose from. Each alternative has at least one consequence. A consequence is what might happen after we act on an alternative. Some of these consequences have risks. A risk is a chance we take because we do not know ahead of time what will happen." Review the decision-making model in Grade 7, Module 2 - Activity 2.
- Have students complete handout #2 "The Decision-Making Process" (in a small group).
- Have students list alternatives on the chalkboard. Discuss decisions with class.
- In small groups have students complete handout #3 "An Exercise in Decision Making". Share results with the rest of the class.
- As a wind up activity have students complete the following statement in their journals:
I learned that ...
Additional Activities:
Have students interview 10 people regarding how they made a decision about choosing their career. Discuss various ways people do make decisions. Encourage students to look at alternate ways of making decisions.
Use an example of a real disaster and talk about the problem-solving and decision-making skills "relief workers" need.
Adapted from: One step at a time, Educational and Career Explorations, Intermediate Division, Ministry of Education, Ontario, 1984.
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The Decision-making Process
The Situation:
You are in Grade 8 and your brother has taken you to your first "big" party. After you get there your brother takes off and you are left by yourself. You watch what is going on for a while and decide that it is time to go home. Just when you are getting ready to leave, some older guys come up to you and say "Hey kid, how would you like to sniff something with us? Your brother doesn't have to know. It will be our little secret". You know the facts on sniffing and you really do not want to do it. What do you do???
What are the facts:
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- _______________________________________________________________________________
- _______________________________________________________________________________
- _______________________________________________________________________________
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- _______________________________________________________________________________
What is your challenge question?
- _______________________________________________________________________________
What are your alternatives? (brainstorm the possible answers)
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What are you going to do?
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Grade 8 Module: Life Career Management Skills
Handout No. 2 "The Decision-making Process"
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An Exercise in Decision Making
You and your friend have decided to go to your grandparent's cabin on the trapline near Sandy Narrows for two weeks. Your grandfather has just returned from the trapline and informed you of what is at the cabin.
"There is enough unsplit wood to last you guys one month, a wood stove, a cast-iron frying pan, a new steel pail and salt and pepper, but no food. There are two beds with lots of blankets, also there are eating utensils and a lantern full of propane." He suggested that you take some supplies.
You have to decide what other items and supplies you will need for your two week stay. Remember you will not be near a store in two weeks and the weather is forecasted for -30 degrees for at least three more weeks.
Also note, your grandfather will drive you as close as he can along the main road. From there you and your friend will have to walk on snowshoes to the cabin 10 kms away, carrying your supplies.
Choose 20 items from this list that you think you'll need and list them in order of importance. Both of you MUST agree on the items and the order.
flour
magazines
knife
axe
batteries
soap
traps
powdered milk
toilet paper
first aid kit |
lard
gun
fish hooks
cigarettes
6 cans of tomatoes
towels
tea
sugar
flash light
ice chisel |
baking powder
bullets
matches
radio
compass
shampoo
coffee
cards
snare wire
clothes
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Grade 8 Module: Life Career Management Skills
Handout No. 3 "An Exercise in Decision Making"
Activity 3: Problem Solving Solutions
Foundational Objectives:
Awareness of and knowledge, skills and attitudes needed to set goals and to make appropriate decisions.
Awareness of change and knowledge, skills, and attitudes needed to cope with life transitions.
Awareness of knowledge, skills, and attitudes needed to interact successfully with others.
Learning Objectives:
The student will:
- identify problem-solving and decision-making techniques.
- demonstrate respect for the feelings and beliefs of others.
C.E.L.s: COM, CCT, IL, PSVS
Materials:
- paper
- pencil or pen
- scissors
- markers
- small paper bags
Time: Two class periods.
Activity:
- Have students make a list of all the problems they have faced in the past week (e.g., school problems, assignments, other people, problems with time). This list can be kept confidential.
- Have students list four problems that they will need to solve during their lifetimes to survive or have an enjoyable life.
- Have students go back over their list. Check the problems they feel they have solved. Put an additional check by problems they feel they can solve.
- Have students discuss their procedures for solving problems. Discuss skills that need to be developed. Have students discuss why it is wise to anticipate challenges before them in life.
- Have students, in small groups, make a list of ways that people deal with problems.
- Have students cut out shapes symbolic of the knowledge, skills, and attitudes that teenagers need in order to cope effectively during adolescence (e.g., friends to talk to, parents, assertiveness, openness). Have students put these shapes in individual paper bags labelled "Survival Kit".
- Have the students share the contents of their Survival Kits in a discussion circle and tell what each shape represents and how it helps them cope. Have students suggest and discuss coping skills they would like to add to their Survival Kit.
- In small groups, have students design murals about problem solving to display in the classroom or hallway.
Adapted from: Developmental guidance classroom activities, Vocational Studies Centre, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1991.
Activity 4: Influences In My Life
Foundational Objective: Awareness of and knowledge, skills and attitudes needed to set goals and to make appropriate decisions.
Learning Objectives:
The student will:
- describe factors that affect choices
- identify environmental influences in attitudes, behaviours, and aptitudes.
- describe the importance of career, family, and leisure activities to mental, emotional, physical, and economic well-being.
C.E.L.s: COM, CCT, IL, PSVS
Material:
Time: One class period.
Activity:
- Ask students to consider the following question: "What individuals (mother, father, other relatives, friends, etc.) influence your behaviour?" Record their responses on the chalkboard.
- Repeat the above procedure, but this time ask the question: "What institutions (school, church, local and federal government, company who employs you, etc.) might influence your behaviour or thinking?" Record these responses on the chalkboard.
- Ask the question: "What other things (movies, T.V., etc.) might influence your behaviour or thinking?" Record these responses.
- Discuss with students how individuals, institutions, the media, and other factors influence their behaviour and/or thinking (by setting rules, by setting an example, by presenting a role model, etc.). Record these factors on the chalkboard under the headings: individuals, institutions and other factors.
Additional Activities:
Plan research activities centred around differences in our society and the impact of those differences and abilities on finding jobs.
Resource Person Visitation - Invite an elder to the classroom to discuss the Aboriginal culture (see Appendix B for guidelines). Invite a variety of individuals to discuss occupational opportunities (consider gender, culture, age, individuals with physical disabilities, if appropriate).
Show films or videos on lives of people in various parts of Canada or other parts of the world that are experiencing economic devastation.
Resources:
Media House Productions Catalogue
Saskatchewan Education, Training and Employment