Re: Get That Job! feedback

Dear Paul,

As we discussed, I am writing to expand on the results previously reported to you concerning the use of GTJ! with students in our Special Education Department.

I have used GTJ! with groups of 24 Cognitively Disabled students at Arrowhead High School for the last two years. This activity has provided the students with a way to gain valuable insight into the world of Vocational Education. With each group, this training tool had a definite impact on their lives.

I have had groups playing GTJ! over a period of months in conjunction with my regular curriculum. It has been instrumental in providing a forum for the sharing of ideas, self analysis, and the practice of job search techniques. Not only did the kids have fun playing the game, they also became motivated to seek out part time employment. In conjunction with advocacy training, the students have begun to advocate for themselves on post-secondary options. As they participated in the activities, they learned about the world of work and how it relates to their interests, values and abilities.

While working with students, we utilized the handouts and worksheet to assist in the activities and document their progress, but I was also able to customize GTJ! for my non-reading students, by verbally walking them through the activities. This allowed them to think about the career development process and the practice skills needed to find a job without the limitations of reading and writing.

With our JR/SR class, we used GTJ! in their Computer Career and Voc to Work classes. At this level, some of the kids are driving cars and working at part-time jobs and will be receiving post secondary training at the local technical college. We found that GTJ! reinforced information and practices necessary for a successful job search and provided motivation for them to identify and go after the kinds of jobs they wanted. And in the ‘98-’99 school year, I was exited to find out that two of our graduates who had participated in our sessions, were able to go out and obtain clerical jobs that started at $8.00/hr! I feel their participation in our sessions with GTJ! were instrumental in developing them to the point where they could visualize and work towards the jobs they wanted.

I feel that the use of GTJ! has made kids at all levels think about who they are, what they want to do in life, and how they plan on accomplishing this in such an easy, step by step, approach, they do not even realize what they are accomplishing until they have worked through the whole process and see that yes, they can go out and join the world of work and there was nothing in the activities/questions that they couldn’t handle given the time and the practice. GTJ! has been instrumental in not only motivating my students, but has given them a self-awareness to know what they want, and the self-confidence to go out and do it.

Sincerely,

John Hough
Arrowhead High School
Hartland, WI 53029 

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Response to our questionaire from Judy Gijohann of Elmbrook High School of Brookfield, Wisconsin about use of Get That Job!:

I had 15 special need kids (LD's) 15 to 20 years old and we played the game ten times this semester.  The repetition reinforced the learning.  The game provided a great framework for discussion, and the dynamics of the play provided the motivation to continue their discussion after completing the game.  And, in addition, the planned flexibility of the game enabled me to utilize my supplemental materials to customize the Activities/Questions to fit my group.

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Response to our questionnaire from Carol Kalscheur, Specialist Cognitive Disabilities, West Allis Central High School, West Allis, WI:

I started using Get That Job! with a group of 18 COG kids, 9th through 12th grade in Dec. 1997.

It is helpful to have yet another method of teaching employability skills to students who need a variety of approaches to the same theme. I felt that the "Tell me etc." activities/questions were very valuable as they made the kids "say it out loud" and they heard the others "say it out loud" also. (In fact I suggested that Parcare Corp. beef up the "tell me" approach, which they did in a subsequent revision).

Playing the game forced them to come out of their shell and communicate better and they liked the idea of a game format - it didn’t seem so boring to them.

I found that this is a multi-day training tool. We focused on it and played 3 to 4 times a week for one to two months. Playing it once is good, but it takes many days or weeks to get full value from it.