Self Awareness Grade 8 – Lesson 1
Objectives:
- Students will recognize the diversity of individual happiness and values, and articulate their personal values and aspirations that contribute to their envisioned lifestyle.
- Students will evaluate the alignment between career choices and the lifestyle they desire, while exploring the impact of salary, work hours, and job responsibilities on their chosen lifestyle.
- Students will broaden their perspective on career choices by considering various elements beyond monetary aspects.
- Students will engage in critical thinking and discussion by debating the impact of various career choices on lifestyle preferences.
Introduction:
Each person’s pursuit of happiness is unique, leading to varied ways of defining and achieving a fulfilling life. The term “lifestyle” encompasses the choices you make in how you spend your time and the experiences you value.
When discussing lifestyle, it’s common to think about factors like living arrangements, transportation, leisure activities, and more. Yet, lifestyle extends beyond material possessions to encompass work, relationships, and personal decisions.
While money holds significance, it’s not the sole determiner of happiness. Reflect on what truly matters to you and the life you envision. Consider scenarios where a well-paying job might involve sacrifices in family time or personal pursuits and decide what aligns with your aspirations.
Activity 1: Designing Your Path
Anticipating the future requires early planning. Use the Texas Reality Check tool to estimate living expenses and necessary income.
Options for Conducting the Activity:
- One computer
- One person (teacher or student) operates the program depending upon time limitation. Students can call out their selections as the person running the program makes the chosen selections on the website.
- Each student completes a Reality Check worksheet reflecting their individual choice. This should not match what is being done collectively as a class (unless their answers are identical) as each student’s complete worksheet will yield an individual result about their lifestyle choices.
- Multiple computers
- Each student completes the online activity and records their answers on the Reality Check worksheet reflecting their choice.
- Have students write their expected annual salary on their worksheet.
- No computers
- Each student completes a Reality Check worksheet reflecting their choices.
- Determine the total number of points for their choices.
How will you financially support the lifestyle you want?
Stress that the initial lifestyle preference may evolve over time, fostering growth and change.
Students should also be reminded that they may start out with an “A” lifestyle and can work up to a different level.
Remind students that not everything about lifestyle is related to money. As they are exploring careers, they should thoroughly research all aspects of a job to ensure that it meets their needs.
Carry Out a Reality Check:
Next Steps
Students delve into researching high-skill, high-growth occupations corresponding to their lifestyle preferences using the Focus On Your Career worksheet.
Activity Closing:
Prompt students to articulate their future lifestyles and convey the significance of selecting a career aligned with the income needed to realize it. Encourage them to unveil new lifestyle factors they hadn’t previously considered.
Concluding the activity, stress that career decisions should encompass a comprehensive view, not solely focusing on monetary aspects. Empower students to make informed choices that harmonize with their values, goals, and well-being.
Activity 2: Lifestyle Choices Debate
This activity promotes critical thinking and communication skills through debate. It encourages students to explore the multifaceted aspects of career choices and lifestyle trade-offs. Through this activity students will gain a deeper understanding of the diverse factors that can influence career decisions and lifestyles.
Instructions:
- Career Research:
- Assign each student or pair of students a different career or occupation.
- Students research their assigned careers, focusing on aspects such as average salary, work hours, job responsibilities, and potential lifestyle implications.
- Debate Preparation:
- Divide the class into two teams: Team A and Team B.
- Team A will represent careers that generally offer higher salaries but might involve longer work hours or other lifestyle trade-offs.
- Team B will represent careers that may have lower salaries but offer better work-life balance and other lifestyle benefits.
- Debate Structure:
- Each team prepares arguments to support their stance, using the research they conducted.
- Organize a debate session where teams take turns presenting their arguments and counterarguments.
- Encourage students to use persuasive language, statistical data, and real-life examples to support their points.
- Discussion and Reflection:
- After both teams have presented, facilitate a class discussion about the pros and cons presented by each side.
- Encourage students to reflect on which arguments resonated with them and how those arguments align with their own values and goals.
- Personal Reflection:
- Assign students to write a brief reflection on their own perspective after hearing the debate.
- Ask them to consider how the arguments influenced their thoughts about their future career choices and the lifestyle they desire.
Lesson adapted from : When I Grow Up