Student Council

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Bringing it Back to School An Exercise in
-Community Involvement -Group
Work -Environmental Responsibility -Independent
Learning
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• When we look at a KSA graduate, one of the things
  we want to see is a person able to formulate and
  communicate his or her ideas and, more
  importantly, a person able to get things done. 
  The Bringing it Back to School projects offer
  students
• an opportunity to practice their group work
  skills,
• to make improvements to their school,
• and to show they can get things done with only
  minimal supervision from a teacher.
• In other words, it gives students the opportunity
  to demonstrate they are independent learners!

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• Students make their school a better place and
  gain the valuable skills necessary to implement
  ideas and work effectively within a group. 
  Students gain the valuable skills that will make
  their lives more rewarding and meaningful.  This
  is one of the messages the Bringing it Back to
  School projects gives to students. 

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• Work on communicating your ideas clearly and
  persuasively to classmates, teachers, and
  businesses.

(Youve got ideas, dont you?)
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• Work cooperatively with your classmates and
  teachers to get something done that is important
  to the school. Leave the school a better place!

Working Cooperatively means PERSUASION
LISTENING LAUGHTER WORK ORG
ANIZATION COMMITMENT SUPPORTING EACH
OTHER CONGRATULATING EACH OTHER
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• You will learn PERSISTENCE.

Hmmm. This whole war of independence thing sure
is a lot of work. Maybe its not even worth it
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• You will be on your way to becoming a responsible
  and engaged citizen by knowing how to get things
  done in your community!

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When you leave KSA, you will be able to answer
the question So, what did you do to make your
school a better place?
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Some Past Projects

• Recycling Boxes for Paper
• Local Garden
• Teaching Others

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Why work in a group?
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Your Job Depends on it

• You will be asked to be part of a group
  throughout your education and especially
  throughout your professional career.
• Your ability to work with all kinds of people
  will increase your chances of getting and keeping
  a job. Employers do not want to hire people who
  have difficulty getting along with other people.
  People who have difficulty working in groups make
  the work environment less fun and more stressful
  for everyone.

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• Being able to work with all kinds of people
  allows you to be open to new ideas, new
  information, and new ways of looking at things.
• Working in a group setting gives you more
  opportunities for practicing how to listen to
  people and how to express your ideas.

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What Group Work Is

• Group work is working together toward a specific
  and common goal.
• Group work is having a specific job or assignment
  in the group and working on that assignment.
• Group work is having fun within the context of
  completing the project.
• Group work is learning from and enjoying the
  different gifts and talents of all of your
  classmates.

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What group work is

• Learning how to work things out. Dont be a
  quitter. We don't want to send the message in
  life that if you don't like the group you are in
  you can just change.
• If I told my boss that I didn't like the group I
  am working in, he or she would say Thanks for
  letting me know. Now find a new job.

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• You will be given time to work on your projects
  every week or two.
• GRADING You will receive a project grade for
  each session. As I walk around observing you
  work, heres what I will be looking for.
• Focus How focused is the student? Did she
  start working right away? Did she drift off and
  start doing something unrelated to the project at
  some point?
• Work Environment Is the student helping to
  maintain a productive work environment by
  speaking softly and calmly, and working with a
  minimum of noise and disruption? Is this student
  actively creating a positive working environment
  by being upbeat, learning from setbacks, speaking
  politely to classmates, and acknowledging their
  ideas in a respectful way?
• Is the student cleaning up work areas? Or does
  his attitude seem to be something like, I dont
  have to put that away. Mr B will do that for
  me.
• How does this project make our school a better
  place?
• Is the student working independently? Or am I
  hearing statements like What do I do now? or
  Im done or We have nothing to do or
  Theres nothing left for us to do.

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END