TEACHER'S TOOLKIT

April 12 2025

UPGRADE VOCABULARY

2 Огляд 'Моя майбутня професія. My future profession ' 

Date: October 26, 2023 

Prepared For: Intended Audience - Teachers of English. 

Subject: Work, Professions, and Interpersonal Dynamics in the Workplace

Topic: Work, Professions, and Interpersonal Dynamics in the Workplace

"Your Riverschool - Моя майбутня професія" presents lessons focused on future professions, emphasizing the importance of personal qualities alongside skills. The materials explore various career paths and encourage students to consider which traits, like kindness or professionalism, are most suitable for different roles. Through dialogues and discussions, the resources highlight the significance of interpersonal skills such as effective communication, empathy, and understanding colleagues in the workplace, particularly within culinary and service industries. Ultimately, the collection underscores that being a good person positively impacts both professional success and workplace dynamics.

I. The Importance of Personal Qualities in Professional Life:

A central theme across the excerpts is the idea that success in one's future profession is not solely dependent on technical skills but also heavily relies on personal qualities.

• Kindness and Being a Good Person: The conversation in "Kindness in the Kitchen: A Culinary Conversation" explicitly highlights the importance of being a good person alongside professional competence. Petro argues, "Being a good person is just as important as being a good cook." He elaborates that being "kind, respectful, and considerate" not only improves oneself as a professional but also enhances the workplace environment and the overall customer experience.

• Ivan supports this by stating that when customers perceive genuine goodness in service staff, "it enhances their dining experience. It's not just about the food; it's about the whole atmosphere and how they feel."

• Kateryna extends this beyond the workplace, emphasizing that being a good person "enriches our lives outside of work too. It's important to be someone people can rely on and trust."

• Empathy and Understanding Colleagues: The section "Empathy Enlightenment: Understanding Your Colleague's Motivations" underscores the value of understanding colleagues' perspectives and stressors. The recommendation "When you learn what causes your coworker to tick (працювати) , you might like her better (Lukas, 2021)" suggests that understanding motivations can lead to improved interpersonal relationships.

• In the dialog "Understanding Your Colleague," Anna and Oleksandr discuss potential reasons for a colleague's stress, demonstrating the proactive effort to understand and potentially offer support. Oleksandr concludes, "Understanding what makes our colleagues tick can really improve our working relationships and teamwork, especially in a fast-paced environment like this."

• General Importance of Being a Good Person: The introductory section "Моя майбутня професія" includes the statement "a good person is just as important as being a good pupil . (Davis-Reed, 2023)," emphasizing this principle even in an educational context, implying its universal relevance for future professionals. The exercise that follows asks students to consider professions where being "чуйним" (sensitive/empathetic) or "професійним і принциповим" (professional and principled) is important, linking specific personality traits to different career paths.

II. Exploring Communication Methods in the Workplace:

The excerpts also delve into the impact of different communication methods on teamwork and collaboration.

• Limitations of Email-Only Communication: The dialog "Discussing Communication via Email" explores the challenges of relying solely on email for project communication.

• Kateryna found it "challenging to express my ideas clearly without being able to discuss them face to face."

• Petro echoed this, stating, "It felt like something was missing without the real-time interaction."

• While acknowledging the benefit of "documenting every interaction," both agreed that it made the "conversation feel more formal and less natural."

• The overall conclusion is that "face-to-face communication allows for better collaboration and understanding."

III. Recognizing and Addressing Shared Habits:

The section "Identifying Shared Bad Habits" highlights the importance of self-awareness and the impact of collective behaviors on teamwork.

• Impact of Shared Habits on Teamwork: The dialog reveals that noticing common behaviors, even negative ones like procrastination, can be insightful.

• Maria observes that she and some colleagues "tend to procrastinate when it comes to organizing our workstations."

• Ivan acknowledges the same, noting, "It's eye-opening to recognize that our own habits might contribute to the challenges we face with our colleagues."

• Improving Teamwork through Awareness: The key takeaway is that "being aware of these shared habits can help us approach conflicts or misunderstandings with more empathy and understanding." Recognizing patterns in behavior can pave the way for collectively addressing challenges and "building stronger teamwork."

IV. Understanding and Responding to Colleagues' Stressors:

The final dialog, "Understanding Your Colleague," focuses on the benefits of understanding the pressures and demands faced by colleagues.

• Identifying Stress Factors: Anna inquires about Petro's stress, and Oleksandr suggests that it might be due to an "overwhelming workload" and "rushing around a lot lately."

• Benefits of Understanding: Oleksandr emphasizes that understanding colleagues' needs in a "fast-paced environment" is crucial for "improving our working relationships and teamwork." Anna's intention to "talk to him and see if I can offer any support" demonstrates a practical application of this understanding.

V. Learning Objectives and Pedagogical Approach:

The introductory "Мета уроку" (Lesson Goal) section provides insight into the educational objectives of this material:

• Vocabulary Acquisition: Students learn new words related to various professions.

• Critical Thinking and Application: Students analyze which professions require specific qualities (professional vs. empathetic) and evaluate the positive and negative aspects of different careers.

• Responsibility: The lesson aims to cultivate a "почуття відповідальності за вибрану профіесію" (sense of responsibility for one's chosen profession).

In conclusion, the provided excerpts emphasize a holistic view of professional life, where personal qualities like kindness and empathy are considered as crucial as job-specific skills. The material also encourages reflection on communication strategies, shared behaviors, and the importance of understanding colleagues to foster a positive and productive work environment. The pedagogical approach aims to equip students with relevant vocabulary and critical thinking skills as they consider their future professions.

3 Study Guide: Моя майбутня професія. My future profession.

Key Concepts

• Професія (Profession): A vocation founded upon specialized educational training, the purpose of which is to supply objective counsel and service to other persons, for a direct and definite compensation, wholly apart from expectation of other gain. In this context, it also broadly refers to any type of work or occupation.

• Чуйний (Sensitive/Empathetic): Showing understanding and sharing the feelings of another; able to perceive delicate shades of feeling.

• Професійний (Professional ): Relating to or connected with a profession, especially one requiring specialized knowledge or academic qualification. Exhibiting a courteous, conscientious, and generally businesslike manner in the workplace.

• Принциповий (Principled  /ˈprɪn.sɪ.pəld/ ): Acting in accordance with morality and showing recognition of right and wrong.

• Повсякденне спілкування (Everyday communication): Informal language used in regular, daily interactions.

• Інфінітив (Infinitive): The basic or unconjugated form of a verb, often preceded by "to" in English (though not explicitly discussed with Ukrainian grammar in the source, the concept of the base verb form is relevant).

• Реальний час (Real-time): Occurring immediately.

• Документування (Documenting): Recording information in a written or electronic form.

• Співпраця (Collaboration): The action of working with someone to produce or create something.

• Взаєморозуміння (Mutual understanding): The ability to understand or share the feelings of another.

• Спільні звички (Shared habits): Common patterns of behavior among a group of people.

• Стрес-фактори (Stress factors): Things that cause mental or emotional strain or tension.

• Перевантаженість роботою (Overwhelming workload): Having too much work to do.

• Швидкозмінне середовище (Fast-paced environment): A setting where things happen rapidly and frequently.

• Підтримка (Support): Assistance and encouragement given to someone dealing with a difficult or stressful situation.

🎓Quiz

✒️ Essay Format Questions

Glossary of Key Terms

• Дидактична (Didactic): Intended to teach, especially moral instruction as an ulterior motive.

• Розвиваюча (Developing/Educational): Having an educational effect; promoting intellectual growth or development.

• Виховна ( воспитательная - Educational/ воспитательный - Upbringing): Concerned with moral education or the formation of character. In this context, fostering a sense of responsibility.

• Тренувальний Тест (Training Test/Practice Test): An exercise designed to prepare someone for a real test or assessment.

• Мета уроку (Lesson Objective): The goal or intended outcome of the lesson for the students.

• Замислюються (They ponder/reflect): To think seriously about something.

• Критично оцінюють (They critically evaluate): To analyze and judge the merits and faults of something.

• Почуття відповідальності (Sense of responsibility): The state or fact of having a duty to deal with something or of having control over someone.

• Твердження (Statement/Assertion): A confident and forceful statement of fact or belief.

4 Workplace Skills and Dynamics: FAQs

1. Why does the lesson "Моя майбутня професія" emphasize both professional skills and personal qualities?

The lesson aims to provide a holistic view of what it takes to succeed in a chosen profession. It highlights that while mastering specific job-related skills is crucial (being "професійним"), certain personal qualities, such as kindness ("чуйним"), responsibility, and being a good person in general, are equally important for creating a positive work environment, enhancing collaboration, and ultimately achieving job satisfaction and success.

2. According to Petro in the culinary conversation, why is being a good person as important as being a good cook?

Petro believes that while culinary skills are necessary, being a good person (kind, respectful, and considerate) significantly enhances the dining experience for customers. He argues that a positive atmosphere created by good people contributes to customer satisfaction beyond just the quality of the food. Furthermore, these qualities make the workplace and the world a better place.

3. How does Ivan, in the culinary conversation, connect being a good person to his desired profession as a waiter?

Ivan emphasizes that when customers perceive service staff as genuinely good people, it positively influences their overall dining experience. He believes it's not solely about the service itself but also about the feeling and atmosphere created by the interactions with kind and considerate individuals, ultimately increasing customer satisfaction.

4. What are some potential downsides of relying solely on email for workplace communication, as discussed by Petro and Kateryna?

Communicating solely via email can make it challenging to express ideas clearly due to the lack of non-verbal cues and real-time interaction. It can also make conversations feel more formal and less natural, potentially hindering the development of stronger working relationships and better collaboration compared to face-to-face communication.

5. How can recognizing shared bad habits among coworkers potentially improve teamwork, as suggested in the dialogue between Ivan and Maria?

Becoming aware of shared negative habits can foster empathy and understanding among team members. Recognizing that certain challenges might stem from common behaviors, rather than individual shortcomings, can lead to a more collaborative approach in addressing these issues and ultimately contribute to building stronger teamwork.

6. Why is it considered important for waiters to understand their colleagues' stressors, according to the conversation between Anna and Oleksandr?

Understanding what causes stress for colleagues, such as an overwhelming workload or a fast-paced environment, allows for offering support and adjusting expectations. This empathy and consideration can significantly improve working relationships and overall teamwork, especially in demanding professions.

7. The lesson mentions that in some professions it's important to be "чуйним" (sensitive/empathetic), while in others it's important to be "професійним" (professional/principled). Can you provide examples of professions where each of these qualities might be particularly crucial based on the provided text?

Professions like a babysitter or potentially a hairdresser might particularly benefit from being "чуйним" as they involve direct personal interaction and care. On the other hand, a customs officer or a detective might require being more "професійним" and principled due to the nature of their responsibilities involving rules, regulations, and potentially sensitive situations where objectivity is key. The example of an actor highlights that being a good person is a fundamental quality applicable across professions.

8. What do the "Empathy Enlightenment" recommendations suggest as strategies for dealing with disliked coworkers?

The recommendations suggest several independent strategies: reflecting on one's own potential contributions to the conflict, documenting specific negative behaviors of the disliked coworker, trying to understand what motivates the coworker ("what causes your coworker to tick"), and considering if one's own habits might be contributing to the negative perception. It also contrasts communicating solely via email with face-to-face interaction, suggesting that understanding colleagues personally can lead to better relationships.

5 Timeline of Main Events

This timeline is based on the conversations and discussions presented in the "Your Riverschool - Моя майбутня професія" excerpts. The events are framed as discussions and reflections on workplace dynamics and future careers.

• Future Career Aspirations Discussion: Petro, Kateryna, and Ivan discuss their future career aspirations in the culinary field. Petro envisions himself as a chef, Kateryna wants to own a bakery, and Ivan aims to be a great waiter.

• Petro's Emphasis on Character: During the career discussion, Petro raises the point that being a good person is just as important as professional skills in their chosen fields. He emphasizes the importance of kindness, respect, and considerateness.

• Kateryna and Ivan's Agreement: Kateryna and Ivan agree with Petro's sentiment, highlighting that being a good person enhances the customer experience and enriches their lives outside of work.

• Pastry Project Communication Reflection: Petro and Kateryna discuss their experience communicating solely via email for a pastry project. They find it challenging to express ideas clearly without face-to-face interaction and note the formal nature of email communication despite its utility for documentation. They conclude that face-to-face communication fosters better collaboration and understanding.

• Identifying Shared Bad Habits Discussion: Ivan and Maria discuss shared habits among their kitchen team, specifically the tendency to procrastinate on organizing workstations. They realize that recognizing these shared habits can lead to more empathy and understanding in their interactions.

• Understanding a Colleague's Stressors: Anna and Oleksandr discuss why Petro has seemed stressed recently. Oleksandr suggests it might be due to the overwhelming workload of serving multiple tables and the fast-paced environment. Anna resolves to talk to Petro and offer support, acknowledging that understanding colleagues' stressors improves working relationships and teamwork.

Cast of Characters

• Petro: A student who aspires to be a chef. He is thoughtful and emphasizes the importance of good character alongside professional skills in the workplace. He initiates discussions about workplace dynamics and future careers.

• Kateryna: A student who dreams of owning a bakery. She agrees with Petro's views on the importance of being a good person and reflects on the challenges and benefits of different communication methods in a professional context.

• Ivan: A student interested in the service side of the culinary industry, aiming to be a great waiter. He understands the impact of personal qualities on customer satisfaction and participates in discussions about teamwork and shared habits.

• Maria: A member of the kitchen team (likely a colleague of Ivan). She engages in a conversation with Ivan about identifying shared habits within their team and how this awareness can improve teamwork.

• Anna: A colleague of Petro and Oleksandr, working in a fast-paced environment (likely a restaurant). She is observant of her colleagues' well-being and seeks to understand the reasons behind their stress, aiming to offer support and improve working relationships.

• Oleksandr: A colleague of Anna and Petro. He offers insights into potential reasons for Petro's stress, demonstrating an understanding of the demands of their workplace and how understanding colleagues can benefit teamwork.