TEAMWORK is a daily focus in Mrs. Serrano’s Super Senior class.
Kimo and Thomas continue to participate in structured learning activities designed to develop and strengthen their functional academic, clerical, vocational, and workplace readiness skills. During these activities, the students work collaboratively to complete tasks that are representative of responsibilities they may encounter in a supported or competitive employment setting. One of the recent activities focused on taking inventory of classroom and workplace supplies, identifying materials that are low or need to be replenished, and appropriately restocking and organizing items in their designated locations.
While completing these tasks, Kimo and Thomas were provided with opportunities to practice following multi-step directions, attending to task, demonstrating task persistence, organizing materials, sequencing steps, and completing assigned responsibilities within a structured timeframe. The students also practiced functional communication and appropriate social interactions by working together as “coworkers.” They were encouraged to communicate with one another, share materials, take turns, ask for assistance when needed, respond appropriately to feedback, and demonstrate cooperation while working toward a common goal.
These learning experiences provide meaningful opportunities for Kimo and Thomas to generalize previously learned skills across functional and vocational settings. With appropriate prompting, modeling, visual support, verbal cues, and positive reinforcement as needed, the students work toward increasing their independence and reducing reliance on adult assistance. They are also developing important employability skills, including responsibility, dependability, flexibility, problem-solving, self-monitoring, workplace communication, appropriate work behaviors, and maintaining an organized work environment.
The inventory and restocking activities additionally support the development of functional math and literacy skills. The students have opportunities to count and compare quantities, identify and locate specific items, recognize labels and written information, organize materials according to established systems, and monitor whether supplies are adequately stocked. These skills allow students to apply academic concepts in meaningful, hands-on situations and increase their understanding of how functional academics are used in everyday workplace environments.
Kimo and Thomas are also developing transition-related skills through these activities. The structured work experiences allow them to explore different types of job responsibilities while identifying personal strengths, preferences, interests, and areas in which additional
instruction or support may be beneficial. Continued participation in these activities will provide opportunities for the students to increase their work stamina, task completion, independence, appropriate workplace behaviors, and ability to successfully follow routines and expectations.
Overall, these functional vocational activities support Kimo and Thomas in building a foundation for successful post-secondary transition. Continued practice with clerical tasks, inventory management, organization, communication, collaboration, and workplace expectations will help prepare the students for future employment opportunities and assist them in developing the skills necessary to participate as independently and successfully as possible in their future work environments.