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Goal

Our goal as a class is to continue to improve the overall appearance of the outside of our school and the PCS Bernice Johnson Service Center adjacent to our campus.
My students are in a class designed to teach employability skills, work skills, social skills and communication. The landscaping work we have started is a great way for students to learn specific work tasks. We would like to continue to improve the outside image of our campus by increasing the number of landscaping projects around the school grounds. Our current goal is to clear a plot outside of our Admin building and beautify its presentation with palms, plants and flowers. 

 

What will be done with my students

My objective, through classroom teaching and hands-on experience, is to give my students a sense of success and accomplishment resulting from hard work and attention to details. Students will follow a particular work task outline, following each of the steps of the job in order, so the end result is a beautifully landscaped area by the admin building and outside of the "Careers training" classroom. We begin by measuring and marking off the site, then clearing the plot of land. Students will need to dig out an area 46' X 5' and prepare the soil for the new plants. I will be working side-be-side with them to demonstrate and teach the importance of planning, preparing, teamwork, and patience while executing tasks involving landscaping from start to finish. This project will take some time to complete, I would estimate a few months. Ideally, we would like it to be completed by spring break. Following completion of the project students in this program would be responsible for the upkeep of the area by watering plants, pruning as needed, and sweeping the pathway to maintain the appearance of the schools entrance. The Extended Transition program is intended to teach students skills that are necessary for employment and experiences in various activities so the students might discover an interest, and therefore, an idea of the type of employment they would seek upon finishing the Extended Transition program. 

 

Benefits to my students

This project will help my students learn how to follow a work task in order to achieve the goal. They will benefit by working for a "supervisor" and understanding the skills that go into a work environment. They will learn not only the skills of this particular field but also skills such as; working with a team, appropriate dress, appropriate language for the work environment, time management, measurement skills, design skills, finances and budgeting and many more. Students will also be increasing their stamina and/or endurance for employment. Many of them tire after just a short time. This program aims to increase the amount of quality time students are able to dedicate to work. I will measure their success through continued observation, frequent written documentation, along with photos to support the progress. My data will include the growth in their abilities to follow the sequence of specific directions; to increase the time spent on each task; to work as a team; to perform a task on a set schedule; to overcome "roadblocks"; to be problem solvers rather than problem makers; and to see the project through to its completion with pride. Seeing a finished, beautiful work project that they created is the greatest benefit of all. The entire school benefits from this project, the ten students that create the landscaping, but also the teachers, and other students as they enter each day.
This grant would afford them the opportunity to learn from real life work tasks and challenges, and thereby, better prepare them for employment.
 

 

Describe the Students

I work with Extended Transition students who are all ESE, and are ages 18-22, and all have IEPs. Their abilities vary by student. They all have some reading ability and some math ability, they struggle most with appropriate communication and social skills. We work on independent living skills, work skills, employability skills, and social skills throughout each day in several different settings and situations. We also work on these skills by working in the school cafeteria, the "plant operations department" with janitorial jobs.
They are in an Extended Transition program in order to gain employability skills and work experience needed to become gainfully employed in the future. 

 

Budget Narrative

Money will be spent on the materials needed to create the border design, to purchase palm trees, and varied flowering and non-flowering plants. All tools, garden soil, fertilizers, and mulching will be provided by the teacher, and the students will be supplying the labor.  

 

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