April 2016

Unit Topic: "What To Do, What To Do"

The unit lessons will provide tools and a process for making effective decisions including activities in the Transition Passport: Personal Life/Making Decisions. As we assist our young adults in the transition from school to work, it is necessary that they receive training in thinking through the good and bad consequences that can happen with the choices they make and the importance of learning from our mistakes. Understanding the things that can affect our decisions as well as reflecting on our decisions are important skills.

The unit stories help young adults learn about the importance of having a process to make good decisions. The first story stresses the importance of thinking about the good and the bad that can happen before making a decision. A young man wants to be a good worker, and has learned that a good worker is always on time. When he realizes that he missed the bus, he makes a quick decision that gets him in trouble. The second story follows a young man as he forgets to buy drinks for the class party and decides to bring wine coolers from home to class. The emphasis of this story is on learning from our mistakes and asking for help when making a decision. Three articles offer more information and practice activities that will assist our young adults in making effective decisions.

Regular monthly lessons are provided which offer the opportunity to practice good decision-making skills while solving practical math and money skills. Banking and budgeting are addressed. Daily living skills involved in cooking, including shopping for ingredients and following a recipe, are also part of a regular monthly lesson, offering five recipes. Social and communication skills are the focus of lessons presenting social trivia and everyday scenarios where using effective decision-making skills is emphasized.

Employment continues to be a regular focus for several lessons each month. Lessons include exploring different jobs, reading job ads, completing job applications and practicing interview skills. Simple, realistic scenarios address job skills and interactions at work. The final lesson highlights volunteering as a way to practice job skills and gain practical work experience.