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ATTENDANCE & PUNCTUALITY

Overview For Teachers

ATTENDANCE & PUNCTUALITY: The ability to come to work/school every day on time; leave and return for meals and breaks on time; the ability to notify supervisor/instructor in advance of planned absences; make up work or assignments punctually; come to work/school prepared to work.

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PURPOSE: Upon completion of this module, the student will understand the importance of maintaining good attendance and being punctual in the workplace. In addition, the objectives listed below should be met.

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OBJECTIVES:

ï‚· Ability to recognize the importance of maintaining a good attendance record.

ï‚· Ability to understand the importance of being punctual in all aspects of life.

ï‚· Ability to understand how your attendance and time management skills can positively and negatively affect your

    life.

ï‚· Ability to recognize the importance of being prepared for things and how this impacts others

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OVERVIEW:

This module concentrates on teaching students to recognize that attendance, punctuality, and being prepared have widespread impacts on personal reputation and opportunity. In addition, attendance and punctuality affects other students and a teacher’s planned activities. Maintaining good attendance sets a tone of commitment and accountability, and by nature if not maintained, portrays a lack of commitment and/or accountability. These perceptions, whether accurate or not, can adversely affect a person’s reputation and the potential for future opportunities. Lessons provide students with an understanding of the importance of being prepared vs. unprepared.

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TEACHERS: WHAT ARE YOU OBSERVING?

What does attendance and punctuality look like in the classroom or in school in general? A great way to answer this and get things going is through engagement with the students. Ask your students these questions:

1. What do attendance and punctuality look like in school?

2. How does your attendance or being punctual affect others around you? Example: other students (if someone in your group is late), teachers (already started a lesson), team members, etc.

3. What do attendance and punctuality look like within your learning?

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RELEVANCY OF ATTENDANCE & PUNCTUALITY:

Employers state that many applicants and employees have issues with being punctual and being consistently present for work. They rank good attendance and punctuality as the most significant employability skills needed in the workplace.

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LESSON:

Confronting Bad Habits
Time Allocation: 20  minutes
Materials/Resources: paper, pens/pencils, whiteboard, markers, computer with internet access/projector (teacher)


ANTICIPATORY SET IDEA:

As a class, brainstorm important characteristics that they must possess to become successful in any job.
o Some characteristics you may want on your list would be: honest, punctual, hard-working, trustworthy, outgoing, energetic, etc.
o Write all these characteristics on the whiteboard so you students may refer to them throughout the lesson.

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WATCH THE VIDEO:


DIRECT INSTRUCTION:

Read the following scenario out loud to the class. Tell students to take a few notes on important things they should know. Half of the students will be instructed to put themselves in the role of Colin in the scenario and the other half will put themselves in the role of Tameka in the scenario.
o Scenario: Colin started working at Yummy Burgers six months ago. He started working as a table busser until he was finally able to start training as a waiter. His co-worker Tameka trained him to be a waiter. He shadowed her on the job for two weeks before he was able to take on his own shifts and tables. Tameka has been working at Yummy Burgers for two years and saves every dime she earns to pay for her college tuition. During Colin’s two weeks with Tameka, she was constantly showing up late to her shifts which left Colin on his own to wait for her. She never acted like being late was a big deal; she claimed that Rob, the manager of the restaurant, didn’t care if employees showed up a little late. Colin noticed that when Tameka would show up late for work, she missed out on numerous customers which meant missing out on possible tips. Colin always believed that being on time and being early was a must, especially for work, so he decided to confront Tameka about her habit of being late to work.


GUIDED ACTIVITY:

Students who were given the role of Colin will do the following:
o Write down exactly what they would say when they confronted Tameka about her bad habit. Make sure they explain their reasoning for confronting her and why it’s important to be on time (make more money, good reputation at work, etc.)
ï‚· When students finish writing down their explanation, have them partner up with another student in class who is playing the role of Tameka.
ï‚· Give students about 10 minutes to role play through the scenario and then have them write a reflection answering the following questions about how the scenario made them feel depending on what role they were in (Tameka or Colin).
   o Question #1: Which role did you play in the scenario, Tameka or Colin?
   o Question #2: How did being in that role make you feel?
   o Question #3: Would you have felt any different if you had switched roles?
   o Question #4: What were the characteristics that we decided as a class were important to have as an employee?
   o Question #5: Do you think it was appropriate for Colin to confront Tameka on her habit of being late to work?
   o Question #6: Do you think this situation could have been handled differently? How so?
ï‚· Ask students to share their reflections out loud and discuss the scenario as a class.


CHECK FOR UNDERSTANDING:

ï‚· Technology Use: Online reflection: Students could complete their reflection of the lesson on the computer either with Google Docs, Google Forms, or any other format that could be easily submitted to you.

ï‚· Non-Technology: Thumbs Up/Thumbs Down: Students will demonstrate their level of understanding by giving a thumbs up or thumbs down. Students with thumbs down will need more clarification.

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ETHICAL SCENARIO--Optional (if not using, skip  to "review and closing")

The Ethical Choice Scenarios have been developed to provide teachers with the ability to make the material applicable to real-life and relevant to the students. Within this guide, directions and prompts for the teacher will be in BLUE for ease of facilitation.

 

READ THE FOLLOWING SCENARIO OUT LOUD TO THE STUDENTS: 

FIRST IMPRESSIONS
You are currently on the JV soccer team at your high school and you consider yourself one of the best players on the team. You know that other people are recognizing your talent and skills because they are constantly asking you why you aren’t on the varsity team. One day at practice, your coach calls you over and tells you that the varsity coach wants you to suit up for the game tomorrow morning. You can’t believe it and you scream with excitement! After practice, you rush home to tell your family the great news and they are ecstatic as well. You spend the rest of the evening eating dinner with your family and then looking up soccer videos on YouTube of new moves you could do in the game tomorrow to impress the coach. You finally put down your iPad to read the book for your history assignment that’s due next week. You end up falling asleep at your desk and you wake up in a panic because you forgot to set your alarm. You check the time and its 8AM, which means you are late to the game. You jump up, grab your uniform, head downstairs
and rush out the door. You are so upset with yourself and you worry about what the coach is going to say. Your first opportunity with the varsity team and you show up late to the game. What kind of first impression is that going to make not only on the coach, but with the players as well? Should you lie and come up with some excuse as to why you are late, so you can’t be judged on the fact that you forgot to set your alarm? Should you tell them you got a flat tire or that you broke down or something else? You go back and forth between coming up with a lie and owning up to your tardiness. What do you do?


ASK THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS: (display them to the class if necessary)

1. How many of you have already been faced with this scenario in real life?

2. What are the possible courses of action you could take?

3. What are possible positive or negative consequences for you, depending on your decision?


GUIDED DISCUSSION: ASK STUDENTS TO SHARE THEIR THOUGHTS ON THE SITUATION AND HOW THEY ANSWERED THE QUESTIONS.

NOTE 1 : To help facilitate discussion, share any personal experiences you may have encountered with this same sort of issue.

NOTE 2 : Another option to foster further critical thinking is to then ask students, “Why is it a struggle for us to take ownership of our actions and behaviors?”

NOTE 3 : Another option to foster further critical thinking is to then ask students, “What values do you think are in tension here, why is it an ethical dilemma?”


CLOSING DISCUSSION: ASK THE STUDENTS, “WHAT ARE SOME POSITIVES THAT COULD COME FROM TELLING THE TRUTH AND OWNING UP TO YOUR TARDINESS?”


REVIEW AND CLOSING:

Show students this YouTube video: “5 Tips To Being Punctual.”  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


ï‚· Answer the following question in a group discussion:
   o What are the benefits to maintaining a good attendance record at work?

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CORRELATION TO OBSERVATION TOOL: The Frequency Observation Tool (FOT) will rate students on their ability to keep a good attendance record as well as being punctual. This lesson will show them how becoming lazy at work and having poor work habits can affect their future.


DIFFERENTIATED INSTRUCTION IDEAS:

-Visual: Visual learners will benefit from having a printed copy of the article and being able to see and read what the other groups wrote on their chart paper.

-Auditory: Auditory learners will benefit from the partner and the class discussions.

-Kinesthetic: Kinesthetic learners could benefit by writing down any important information.

-ESL: ESL students would benefit from having a partner to assist them in the writing activity in case they have questions or need clarification.

-At-risk: At -risk students will benefit from the interaction they have with their group to help keep them focused and on task.

-Advanced: Advanced learners could benefit from helping other students write down their schedules, or by assisting ESL or At -risk students who may need additional help .

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