Year 2 Lesson 1.4 - The 3 E’s of Good Work and Finding Balance

Unit Learning Goal

Students will reflect on the meaning of the three Es of Good Work (excellence, ethics, and engagement) in applicable contexts.

Lesson Goal

Students will be able to identify the 3 E’s of Good Work (excellence, ethics, and engagement). Students will also be able to consider the nuance of excellence and the ways in which excellence can be balanced in one’s life.

Assessment

  • Monitor class discussions for appropriate debate for the assigned perspective about engagement and excellence. 

  • Review the completed Excellence and Engagement worksheet for application and analysis of the three Es in practice.

  • Analyze Exit Tickets to gauge students’ understanding of excellence and how they consider it in their own lives.

Casel Alignment

Self-Awareness, Self- Management, Social-awareness, Responsible Decision making

portfolio documentation

RESOURCES

Prerequisites

  • Year 2, Lesson 1.3 - Engagement and Values

Total TIME

45 minutes

Instructions

  • Last class, we reviewed Engagement and Values. We did a version of the Value Sort and examined the connection between values and engagement. 

    Today, we will start with a refresher on all 3 E’s of Good Work, and then take a closer look at how we consider excellence. Then, we will have some fun with a debate about excellence and engagement.

1. Dilemma Discussion [20 minutes]. 

  • Remind the students about the “good work” framework as defined by the “3 Es.”

    • You can share the 3 minute video or review the definitions below:

      • Excellence: work that is high in quality

      • Ethical: work that is socially responsible; workers are concerned about the consequences of their actions and the means by which their work is achieved. 

      • Engaging: work that is meaningful (consider personal, social, and professional forms of meaning)

  • Choose one of the following dilemmas to read as a class, depending on which narrative you feel will resonate most with them (5 minutes). 

    • Liam’s Balancing Act

    • Luis’s Expectations (Please note: Luis’s story touches on mental health challenges. Educators should review the dilemma before sharing with students to determine appropriateness and be prepared to discuss the impact of the pressure on Luis to his levels of stress and mental health in general)

  • After reading the dilemma, engage in a whole class discussion involving excellence and pressure (10 minutes):

  • Discussion Questions: 

    • What do you think the main character (Liam or Luis) should do in this situation?

    • How do we know when our work is excellent? Who gets to decide?

    • In what circumstances is it important to push through the stress and pressure that goes along with striving for excellence? On the flipside, when must you pull back on striving to be excellent?

    • What variable can we consider with regards to excellence? Examples could include: 

      • Stage of life (a young person vs an adult)

      • Consequences of not achieving a goal

      • The differences among various professions and their requirements for excellence (e.g., surgeons or pilots are two roles in which standards and expectations of excellence are quite high)

      • The values that matter most to you might also influence what excellence means to you.

2. Work together as a class to complete the “Engagement and Excellence” activity [20 minutes].

Enjoyment and Excellence

2. Whether you’re engaged in your work has nothing to do with how well you do it.

1. You must be engaged in (enjoy or find meaning in) your work to be able to do it well.

  • Give students 5 minutes to come up with an argument to support their side’s position. Remind them to consider what the other side’s argument might be and to try to disprove it. The questions in the handout are meant to be a guide; it’s not necessary to write down full responses unless you want to assess students’ learning. Remind the students of the following guidelines:

    • Each team will get to make TWO arguments to support its position.

    • Each team member will have two minutes to support his/her argument to his/her opponent.

  • Pair students off representing opposing viewpoints. Give each student 2 minutes to present one of their arguments to the other, alternating for a total of 8 minutes. [8 minutes]

  • Bring the class back together and have some pairs share out their reflections on the activity. [5 minutes]

  • Keep the Enjoyment and Excellence handouts with their debate notes for the Good Work Portfolio.

  • “For the ‘Enjoyment and Excellence’ activity, we made the following adjustments –   In the debate, we asked to students to give examples of professions where ‘You must enjoy your work to do well’, and ‘Enjoyment has nothing to do with excellence’ and use the professions to argue their points. This helped them put more perspective and articulate their arguments ‘for’ and ‘against’ and provide counter arguments to the other team’s statements. At the end of the debate activity, we asked the following reflection discussion questions – How did the activity help you understand more about the Good Work framework? What did the activity help you realize about yourself and your attitude towards work”

    -An Educator From The Good Project Community of Practice

  • “Allow students to pick one corner. Corner 1- You must enjoy your work to be able to do it well. Corner 2- Whether you enjoy your work has nothing to do with how well you do it. Come up with an argument to support your side’s position. [5 minutes] Consider what the other side’s argument might be and try to disprove it. Please read the worksheet given to you. Identify a leader to introduce your side and make a closing argument. Round 1 – Introduction [1 minute] Why [did] you chose this side? [ One member from the group will speak] Round 2- Arguments [ 10 minutes] Each team will get to make FIVE arguments to support its position. (One argument per person) Each team member will have 1 minute to support his/her argument to his/her opponent. Round 3: Closing Comments [ 1 minute] One Member/leader will make closing comments. Class reflection time”

    -An Educator From The Good Project Community of Practice

3. Closing and Exit ticket [5 minutes].

Lesson 1.4 Exit Ticket

  • Ask students to complete the Year 2, Lesson 1.4 Exit Ticket.

    • Students will respond to the following question:

      • In what aspects of your life do you strive for excellence? 

        • What hinders you from striving to meet your goals?

        • Where/or from whom do you find support?

  • Keep the exit ticket for the Good Work Portfolio.

Interview a Worker

Possible Enrichments

  • Present students with the activity “Interview a Worker” by reading the assignment out loud together. Allow time for questions. Explain that students will be completing the activity as an interview on their own time and reporting back to their classmates.

    • Allot one to two weeks for students to complete this assignment.

  • Keep this report for the Good Work Portfolio.

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Lesson Walkthrough

Watch this short video guide for lesson specific advice from The Good Project Research Team.