DISCOVER YOUR ROLE - Educator Edition Activities

Below you will find activities that align with the Toolkit. These activities are designed to enhance classroom learning and the interactivity of the materials. Feel free to adjust and adapt to meet the needs of your students. Have fun!

LEARN THE POWER OF QUESTIONS 

Asking questions can be intimidating because we fear looking ignorant. But when you start a new position, in a new environment, or need to know something, questions help you learn. 

To make this action step interactive work in small groups or as a whole class to discover Knowns and Unknowns.

Knowns & Unknowns is a common exercise used in design thinking and lean analytics. 

  • ​​Have students list what they know about their new jobs. - KNOWNS

  • List all the things they want to know about their new jobs. - UNKNOWNS

    • For each item, discuss where they might find that information.

  • Create a list of Unknown Unknowns (things you haven’t even thought of yet but probably need to know)

    • This is a great time to have a convo about navigating uncertainty.

  • Have individual students make lists of “onboarding” questions they will ask their manager and supervisor if it isn’t covered in a training or handbook.

CONNECT TO COMPANY CULTURE

Every company and classroom has its own culture. To bring the concept of culture to life have students complete STEP ONE and STEP TWO, and before moving on to STEP THREE write a mission, vision, and/or values statement for your classroom using the steps below.

Mission = Purpose Vision = Aspirational Strategy Values = Core Beliefs

CLARIFY EXPECTATIONS

Every job has different roles and responsibilities. Roles and responsibilities are the tasks and duties outlined in a job description. However, in every job, you will be part of a team. Being part of a team is good. It increases creativity and innovation, but it can also be challenging.

To address some of the challenges students might have, ask them to complete STEP ONE and TWO on their own and then have a class discussion about Generational Difference at Work Infographic and how these differences might impact team work.

SET SPECIFIC GOALS

To make this action step more interactive, once students have set goals for themselves, have them create a Vision Board for their specific goals or have a Goals Gallery Walk. It can also be fun to create a goal tracking system where students can report out throughout the semester on how their work goals are progressing.

UNDERSTAND YOUR RIGHTS

Understanding your rights as an employee is about understanding what is expected and acceptable in the workplace. This is an important action step because first time employees may not understand the employer/employee relationship and what each parties rights and responsibilities are. 

To make this action step more interactive, engage students in an activity to define each party’s rights and responsibilities before reviewing their handbook.

  1. As a class, outline workers rights and responsibilities and employers rights and responsibilities.

  2. Break into small groups and have students discuss the following scenarios:

    Scenario 1: Your manager asks you to pick up an extra shift on Sunday. You weren’t scheduled and you don’t want to. Do you have the right to say no? Could there be legal consequences?


    Scenario 2: Your coworker has been late for her shift three times this week and she is out of dress code. Your manager writes her up. She is angry about it and tells you that this is a free country, so she has the right to be who she is and arrive when she wants your manager can’t fire her. Is she correct? What are her rights? What are your employers’ rights?


    Scenario 3: Your coworker doesn’t greet customers the way your manager has asked you to. He says it makes him uncomfortable and feels fake. Does he have the right to ignore your manager’s request? Could there be legal consequences?

    You can have students share examples or scenarios from their own experience as well.

  3. Regroup and have a conversation. Discuss the importance of carrying out professional responsibilities competently and how to recognize when managers may not be in compliance with the law.

 
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