Initiative and Self-Direction Continued

As busy as we all have been, we're going to have to continue to focus on the same standard as we had last week.  Initiative and self-direction are not assignments or tasks that can be attempted, completed, and then dismissed.  They are habits that must be cultivated.  You should develop a sense of pride in going above and beyond, so I'm going to re-post what I wrote last week.  We need to really try to engage in some meaningful discussion and put forth our best efforts when producing our artifacts (maybe you can demonstrate initiative and self-direction on this project).  See below for last week's post:

In the past, we've discussed the difference between your everyday teenager and the student that stands out among the rest.  We've talked about going the extra mile, finding something effective to do when others would rather socialize with a co-worker, taking a genuine interest in something a supervisor wants to accomplish for the organization, and what separates the good from the great.  This week, you're going to focus on taking initiative for yourselves at your placement and extending your learning beyond the everyday tasks you complete.

With your time at your placements, you are going to find AT LEAST ONE thing (task, discussion furthering your own knowledge of the position, underutilized area at the placement) that you are going to do UNPROMPTED and make it a point to complete on your own.  When you return to class this week, you're going to share out (discuss first) how it went and then create an artifact (picture with explanation, blog post, quick YouTube video) that demonstrates your dedication to taking initiative and being self-directed on the job.

I look forward to your projects and hope to see some cool videos or read some great blog posts.  Have a great week!  I'll see you all in class!

Initiative and Self-Direction

In the past, we've discussed the difference between your everyday teenager and the student that stands out among the rest.  We've talked about going the extra mile, finding something effective to do when others would rather socialize with a co-worker, taking a genuine interest in something a supervisor wants to accomplish for the organization, and what separates the good from the great.  This week, you're going to focus on taking initiative for yourselves at your placement and extending your learning beyond the everyday tasks you complete.

With your time at your placements, you are going to find AT LEAST ONE thing (task, discussion furthering your own knowledge of the position, underutilized area at the placement) that you are going to do UNPROMPTED and make it a point to complete on your own.  When you return to class this week, you're going to share out (discuss first) how it went and then create an artifact (picture with explanation, blog post, quick YouTube video) that demonstrates your dedication to taking initiative and being self-directed on the job.

I look forward to your projects and hope to see some cool videos or read some great blog posts.  Have a great week!  I'll see you all in class!

Looking Forward

It's the beginning of the last nine weeks of high school.  You are likely in the last six to seven weeks of your placements, and it's time for you to create a list of things you wish to do as the year winds down.  As such, this week's focus is going to be on what you do most, what you do best, and how you can utilize these skills as you proceed to college and/or the workforce beyond Work-Based Learning.
With that said, I would like you to put together a list of your normal duties at your placement and set a goal for improvement on at least one of them.  Your artifact this week will be to write a short blog post (150 to 200 words) about your duties and what you would like to get accomplished before the placement ends.  If you wish to make a video submission, make sure it is at least 2 minutes long and covers everything mentioned above. Either way, your submission should be posted by the end of class on Friday.

I look forward to a great end to the year.  As always, contact me if you need anything.  I'll be seeing most of you at your placements this week.

N3 Wrap-up and Website Updates

Hi everyone!  This week is going to be our wrap-up of N3 and update of your website.  Many of you have not shared all of your work with me, so by Friday, all of your work should be up to date.  Please refer to this Google Doc to find out what is required of you.

Please feel free to email me if you have any questions beyond the Doc.  I look forward to seeing your finished product!

Last Week of Presentation Preparation

This week will be the last week we focus on preparing our "Creativity and Innovation" presentations for our workplace supervisors.  We will utilize class time to refine our presentation, work on potential objections that may arise to our proposals, and come off as articulate as possible when approaching a supervisor with constructive feedback.

So far our presentations are sounding excellent.  I look forward to hearing what kind of change (for the better) that you can bring about at your placements.  Enjoy the 3-day weekend and I'll see you next week!

Continuing Preparing for Presentations

This week's post is going to be short and sweet.  Although we planned preparing presentations to our workplace supervisors, more pressing issues hogged the spotlight in class this week.  I am actually glad we had a chance to discuss real life customer service scenarios some of you have encountered as hosts, waitstaff, and interns, as well as helping prepare for Friday's pep assembly.  Discussing these issues while they're fresh in your mind is important, so it's not a big deal if our presentations took a minor back seat last week.

Of course, since we didn't get a chance to review much of anyone's presentation, this week we need to get at least two to three presentations reviewed.  This Thursday and Friday, our main focus will be giving quality feedback that can help make changes.

I can't wait to hear what you've prepared.  I'll see you soon!

Presentation Practice

Standard 5 states:

Demonstrate creativity and innovation: Use idea-generating techniques to explore divergent and atypical questions and perspectives to develop original ideas for products or solve problems – such as a constructed object, proposal, presentation, solution to a problem, service, system, work of art, writing sample, invention, event, or an improvement to an existing product. Exhibit insight into the particular needs and interests of the target audience that are driving the process of innovation.

Approaching your supervisor with a suggestion for improvement is always a challenging task for anyone, especially someone who might just be an intern or entry-level employee.  However, when your suggestion is substantiated with evidence and a desire to improve the efficiency of the organization, the suggestion could be very beneficial for both the organization and the employees.  That said, we are going to take your work from the past few weeks and begin to practice approaching and presenting to your supervisors this week (and likely next week).

With your time in class this week, we will take our time going over HOW to present your suggestions to your supervisor as well as critique WHAT to do when you actually approach them.  We will take our time and make sure you are in a good position to succeed, and once you have practiced enough, you will be ready to go.

I look forward to hearing your ideas and working on your communication skills.  These next few weeks will be a lot of fun!