Teaching Guide: Smile & Succeed for Teens

Smile & Succeed for Teens: The Teaching Guide (PDF) is for middle schools, high schools (homeschooling too!), and more. Quick and easy to use, just like the book. Complete with exercises.

Smile & Succeed for Teens Reading Level: Sixth Grade and up.

This 27 page teaching guide makes it easy for you to share the valuable information in Smile & Succeed for Teens with your students. Designed over a six month period and countless hours by two experienced teachers with business and fundraising input from author Kirt Manecke.

This invaluable teaching guide reinforces skills in the book and boosts confidence. Role playing exercises prepare your students for success in school, work, and life.

You can conduct the activities in the Teaching Guide in any order. Choose one or more activity and exercise to do per day, per week, or per month, or in whatever order works best for you and your students. Have fun as you help teens learn these simple yet critical skills that will benefit them in school, work, and life.

Are you using Smile & Succeed for Teens to teach teens outside a classroom? Good news! This Teaching Guide is also perfect to use for church and other youth groups (scouting, etc.), nonprofits, businesses employing teens, and more.

Schools using Smile & Succeed for Teens include Hartland Middle School at Ore Creek, Oakland ISD/Oakland Schools (MI), Huron Valley School District, Washtenaw County ISD Special Education, Lapeer County ISD Career Education, and Summit Academy, with more coming.

This Smile & Succeed for Teens Teaching Guide will…

• Help your students apply the techniques in Smile & Succeed for Teens

• Help students improve critical communication skills for success in school, work, and life.

• Help students prepare for a job and get a head start in their career.

• Help students who have jobs or volunteer quickly improve customer service and increase sales or donations.

CONTENTS

PRE-READING ACTIVITIES

EXERCISE 1: Informational Text Scavenger Hunt. 1

Navigate Smile & Succeed for Teens using important informational text features.

EXERCISE 2: Essential People Skills. 1

Discover your students’ current knowledge of people skills commonly used at home, school, and work.

EXERCISE 3: Evaluating Personal Experience. 2

Communicating with adults is a vital skill. This exercise provides students the opportunity to share their experiences with adults and improve their communication skills.

READING ACTIVITIES

EXERCISE 4: Role Play Top Ten People Skills (Ch. 1). 2

Experience first-hand the difference great people skills make in your relationships with friends, family and customers. These important skills help transition teens into the world of work.

EXERCISE 5: Create a Flyer (Ch. 2). 3

Possibilities for young adults to create their own job and start their own business. Opportunities are endless. Explore student interest areas and skill sets while creating a business flyer.

EXERCISE 6: Build a Cover Letter and Resume (Ch. 2). 3

A professional-looking cover letter and resume will impress employers and often be what separates those who are called in for interviews from those who are not.

EXERCISE 7: Mock Interview (Ch. 2). 4

With great people skills, there is a better chance of getting a job. An effective interview will/may determine if you get the job.

EXERCISE 8: Keep Your Job (Ch. 2). 4

Keeping a job involves many skills that teens may already possess from home and school experiences. Relating those skills to the world of work adds even greater importance to these life-long skills.

EXERCISE 9: Overcome Stress Evaluation (Ch. 2). 5

Be your best in school, work, and life. Explore some easy ways to deal with stress.

EXERCISE 10: Master Electronic Etiquette (Ch. 3). 5

Presentation is everything—including when texting, sending emails, and using social media.

EXERCISE 11: Role Play Customer Service Skills (Ch. 4-6). 6

Role playing allows your students to experience first-hand how the customer feels when customer service is poor or non-existent versus when customer service is excellent.

EXERCISE 12: Answer the Phone with a Smile (Ch. 4). 6

Being comfortable talking on the phone in a professional manner is a critical skill for success.

EXERCISE 13: Role Play Fundraising Skills (Ch. 7). 7

It’s common for people to be afraid to ask for donations, but your current fundraising experiences can be used effectively for other good causes. Role playing allows your students to gain confidence and improve their fundraising skills so they can easily transition to helping nonprofits and other causes raise funds.

POST-READING ACTIVITIES

EXERCISE 14: Be a Mystery Shopper (Ch. 1-7). 7

Being a mystery shopper is educational and fun! It can be eye opening as students experience good and bad customer service and sales techniques.

EXERCISE 15: Service Learning Project (Ch. 7). 8

It is vital to get young adults involved in their own communities and the world beyond.

ASSESSMENT

EXERCISE 16: Make it Stick (Ch. 1-7). 9

Since much of the content in Smile & Succeed for Teens is new to students, ongoing training is critical. Consistent monthly or weekly review will ensure confidence using the techniques.

EXERCISE 17: Quotations, Illustrations, Computer Monitors, and Wired Tips (Ch. 1-7). 9

Inspirational quotes, illustrations, captions, and wired tips are found throughout the book and support the content of many sections.

EXERCISE 18: Book Review (Ch. 1-7). 9

Now it’s your students turn to rate this book! One of the best ways to assess how much content a student has retained from a book is to ask them to review it.

APPENDIX

Lesson