At the November 29th meeting, the committee formulated the following plans for the upcoming Workplace Readiness workshop:

• There will be one new workshop this year, on "Getting along with others on the job." (If successful, two more new workshops will be added next year.)
• The workshop will last three hours with 45 students attending a workshop session.
• The workshop will be repeated 4 times on two days if scheduling allows (morning/afternoon sessions if possible)
• A workshop facilitator will be recruited from one of the other high school faculties in order to underline the importance of the workshop for students and set a tone for good behavior.
• Jane's unit on job applications and interviewing will be adapted for a short seminar next year.

Tentative dates: March 14, 15

Goal:
Students will be able to describe and demonstrate interpersonal communications skills suitable for the workplace.

Objectives:

Students will be able to:

• Recognize that people differ in personality styles,
• State some characteristics of own style,
• State characteristics of other styles,
• Articulate ways in which characteristics of each style may harmonize or conflict with characteristics of other styles, and
• Recognize that one style is not better that another style.

Students will be able to:

• Describe the principles of teamwork,
• Work as a team to solve a problem,
• State steps the team used to solve the problem,
• State different roles people assumed within the group, and
• Recognize personal contributions to group process

Students will be able to:

• Determine a process that can be used to resolve conflicts with others,
• List steps in conflict resolution,
• Practice listening and speaking skills used in conflict resolution, and
• Practice mediating a conflict.

Workshop Activities:

1. Personality traits. Facilitator will lead group in analysis of different personality styles. These styles will be represented by the colors green, blue, orange, gold. Groups divide into color groups.

2. Team problem solving (Teams assigned with all colors represented in each group). There will be three problems for each group to solve:
   Crossing the Alligator River (each group must get all of its members across a 25 ' alligator infested river using two 3' planks);
   Knots (group members stand in a circle, each takes the hand of two different students standing across from them--the group tries to untie the "knot" without anyone letting go hands);
   Crossing the Desert (A pencil and paper survival activity in which each group must come to consensus in prioritizing a list of 10 things- most important to least-to take with them after a plane crash in the desert in order to survive.Expert's opinions are compared with student groups)

3. Conflict resolution. Short Video tape showing steps in conflict management. Role playing. Groups of three. Draw situations from hat. Each person plays each role at least once.

4. Guest speaker -- Local business personalities, like Lucky Larry Tuthill, talk about the importance of getting along in workplace

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   Evaluation:

   Two stages of evaluation will take place. An initial formative evaluation will be conducted in mid-late February. A second evaluation will take place when the workshops are held in March.

   The evaluation will occur from two perspectives:

   • What did the students learn?
   • How did they feel about the workshop?
   The evaluations from all four workshops will be analyzed without regard to time/date of the workshop attended. Teachers will observe student participation in workshop activities. Responses will be marked informally on a checklist. Other items might emerge during formative evaluation.

   Personality Profiles and Teamwork Evaluation Each group will select a representative to present their findings to everyone. In addition, one student will observe each team's activities and answer the same questions.

   • Did the group solve the problem?
   • What was your group's solution?
   • How did you arrive at it?
   • Who talked the most?
   • Who had the most useful ideas?
   • Who encouraged other people the most?
   • Who took the notes?
   • Who kept the team moving towards solution?
   • How do these correspond to personality types by color description?

   Feedback from Problem solving

   The facilitator will lead the group in drawing conclusions about how personality types influence the roles people may assume in any kind of group activity. Following this, the facilitator will enlist the students in generating a list of the items which contribute to effective group processing skills.

   Conflict resolution

   Role-play observation Five teachers will observe and facilitate small group activities. They will use a checklist to record their observations. The checklist will have components which include the following:

   • Did the students know the steps?
   • Did they follow the steps?
   • Did each student get a chance to act as a mediator?
   • Did each student get a chance to act as a participant in a conflict?

   Feedback on Conflict Resolution

   After everyone in the class has had opportunity to practice different roles, the facilitator will encourage different students to describe how developing skills in conflict resolution could be of immediate use and how they think these skills might translate into the workplace.

   Overall Workshop Evaluation

   Following completion of all segments, the students will be asked to complete a brief survey on their overall feelings about the workshop. It will consist of questions rated on a four interval Likert Scale. In addition, there will be a few short-answer completion questions intended to obtain more detail on student opinion of workshop suitability.

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   Possible Follow -up Activities:

   1. Guidance counselors will come to English classes with activities to reinforce conflict management skills.

   2. English activities: Students will analyze literary characters for personality styles, teamwork skills, conflict management. For example, using "Macbeth." Define the principle personality characteristics of main characters, teamwork (Macbeth/Lady Macbeth) versus (Macduff et al.), conflict management (role play other ways to work out conflict).

   3. Social studies (U.S. History/Government) student work in teams to solve historical problem.

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