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ROLE MODEL RESOURCES

Additional Ideas for Visit #1: My Role Model

1. This idea starts with visit 1, but continues through each visit. Start your visits wearing a t-shirt and jeans. On your second visit wear khaki pants and a golf shirt. On your third visit dress business casual, etc., Then on your final day, dress in a business suit. This exercise shows kids progression through life. It also shows them that a person who wears a business suit is just a normal person like you and me. Anyone can grow up and have a job where they wear a business suit. (Idea by Jose Garcia)

2. You are the President of YOU. Compare the job of a president to the job of being in charge of your own life. The choices that you make in your life determine your success; just as the choices the president makes determine the success of a country or company.

3. Use the template “People I know and People I Know About” (Located in the Tools section). Show your students how important the people around them are, as opposed to the people they see on TV.

4. Send a letter home to parents of the classroom to let them know their child is participating in The Role Model Program and what that entails. See Volunteer Tested Ideas, Letter Templates for an example of the letter. (Idea by Vanessa Fiske)

5. Introduce Yourself: Teach every child how to shake hands and introduce himself or herself to you. It is a great learning experience for a child to learn how to introduce themselves to an adult. You can role play with the teacher first and then go around to each student’s desk. Have them practice with you if they are shy or quiet. Make sure they project their voice and say their name proudly. SCRIPT: “Hello Mr./Ms. your last name, nice to meet you, my name is ___.”(Idea by Bill Rapp)

6. What is Special to You? Have each student share something with the class that is important to them and why it is important. As each student shares their items, you can begin to weave in the idea that all these important things are what make us unique and special. Share with them that the choices that they make in their education are just as important in defining who they are. (Idea by Anthony Anderson)

7. At the end of the visit assign a project called “Four Star Rating”: Distribute sheets of paper with the heading “Four Star Rating” and ask each student to write and illustrate something they have done or said that deserves an outstanding rating. You can ask the teacher to display the papers until your next visit. (Idea by Maureen Kelly Zuk)

Additional Ideas for Unit #2: Marvelous Me

1. Hobbies and Careers: For session 2, I brought in objects from many of my hobbies, i.e., juggling balls, SCUBA mask, tennis racquet, camera, whisk, paint brush and rotozip, book I'm reading, guitar, ski pole, etc. I had the kids guess the object and then tell me what careers come from those hobbies. Who can make a living SCUBA diving, or with a paint brush? Amazingly, one kid said an archaeologist uses a paint brush - sharp kid! This got them to thinking of other careers than the ordinary ones. They stretched their imaginations really well. Then I told them to think about their own things they love to do and what careers would come from them. I had two kids record all the careers on the board and the teacher wrote them down neatly for the next session of goal setting and careers. It went really well and the teacher learned many things about her students as well. (Idea by Jan Smith)

2. An Example of Self-Worth: Hold up a crisp $1 bill and ask, “Who would like this $1 bill? I am going to give it to one of you.” Expect all the students to raise their hands. Next crumple the bill in your hand then ask, “Who still wants it?” Expect the hands to stay in the air. “Well what if I do this?” Drop the bill on the floor, step on, jump up and down on it (be dramatic), and then ask, “Now who wants it?” Expect the hands to stay in the air. Then deduce, “Aha! Just as I expected! You see my friends, you have just learned a valuable lesson. No matter what I did to the $1 bill, you still wanted it. It did not decrease in value. It is still worth $1. Sometimes in your lives, you may be crumpled, dropped, stepped on, or ground into the dirt by bad decisions you will make or circumstances that happen to come your way. You might feel as though you are worthless. But no matter what has or will happen, you never lose your value! Dirty, clean, crumpled or finely creased, you are still priceless to those who care about you. The worth of your lives comes not in what you do or whom you know, but by who you are. You are special!! Do not ever forget it.” (Idea by Bob Berglund)

Additional Ideas for Unit #3: My Future

Make a list of some Lifetime events and activities. Have the students write down their guess as to when each of these events will happen. Ideas for Exercise #1Unit 5

1. As an example, choose a job from the back cover of the workbook and answer each question of the exercise. Describe the characteristics of the job focusing on general duties, education requirements, working environment, qualities of the person holding the job, and what students can do right now to begin preparing for it.

2. Develop a two-column handout with copies for each student. List a series of careers in one column, a list of jobs in the second column. Discuss with the students what their interests are. Or create “matching lists” and help the students match the jobs to the careers.

3. If you have time, go through the activity and let the students answer each question one by one sharing examples.

4. Share all the jobs you have had in your life.

5. Bring in someone with an interesting job from your work. Role Model Volunteer John Cook brought a police sketch artist to the class.

6. Identify why some people select particular career areas based on personal preferences. These might include the work environment (e.g., forest rangers working outdoors), the kind of people you want to work with (e.g., coaches working with teams or athletes), the things you like to do (e.g., drawing, working as a graphic artist or book illustrator), and your skills (e.g., doing will in math, working as an accountant).