ERIC ED388830: Balancing Work and Family. Secondary Learning Guide 5. Project Connect. Linking Self-Family-Work.

69 Pages·1994·1.1 MB·English

by  ERIC

DOCUMENT RESUME
CE 070 225
ED 388 830
Balancing Work and Family. Secondary Learning Guide
TITLE
5. Project Connect. Linking Self-Family-Work.
Emily Hall Tremaine Foundation, Inc., Hartford, CT.;
INSTITUTION
Southern Illinois Univ., Carbondale.
Iilinois State Board of Education, Springfield. Dept.
SPONS AGENCY
of Adult, Vocational and Technical Education.
PUB DATE
94
W000945
CONTRACT
69p.; For related guides, see CE 070 204-235.
NOTE
Teaching Guides (For
Classroom Use
Guides
PUB TYPE
Teacher) (052)
MFOI/PC03 Plus Postage.
EDRS PRICE
Behavioral Objectives; Competency Based Education;
DESCRIPTORS
Consumer Education; Cultural Differences;
Economically Disadvantaged; Family (Sociological
Unit); Family Life; *Family Work Relationship; *Home
Economics; Homemaking Skills; Instructional
Materials; *Job Satisfaction; Learning Activities;
*Life Satisfaction; *Money Management; Secondary
Education; State Curriculum Guides; Teaching Guides;
*Time Management
IDENTIFIERS
Illinois
ABSTRACT
This competency-based secondary learning guide on
balancing work and family is part of a series that are adaptations of
guides developed for adult consumer and homemaking education
programs. The guides provide students with experiences that help them
learn to do the following: make decisions; use creative approaches to
solve problems; establish personal goals; communicate effectively;
and apply management skills to situations faced as an individual,
family member, student, and worker. Each learning guide includes the
following sections: a general introduction and guidelines for using
the material; a checklist for users for advance planning;
intfoduction to the guide; specified competencies, with student
outcomes/evaluations, definitions, key ideas, teacher
strategies/methods, suggested student activities, sample assessments,
and supplementary resources. Five competencies are addressed:
identify trends that influence work and family lifestyle choices;
define work and family obligations (responsibilities); describe ways
work and family affect each other; analyze personal situation to
determine areas of needed improvement; and plan management strategies
to increase work/school satisfaction and family satisfaction.
Thirty-two supplements contain information and activity sheets on the
following: attitudes and values, employer supports and benefits, role
expectatiunc, stress, the superwoman myth, analyzing priorities,
survival tips, short- and long-term goals, and family budget. A
bibliography contains 39 items. (YLB)
********************************k************************************
Reproductions supplied by EDRS are the best that can be made
*
from the original document.
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4_
EDUCATION
U I OtPARTMENT OF
"PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE
THIS
Othc ot Educafional Relle leth and Imprmement
MATERIAL HAS1 BEEN GRANTED
BY
EDUC *NAL RESOURCES INFORMATION
CENTER IERICI
Ms document has bfen reprOdu[ect as
recimod team the person or organrzatron
ongInafing
0 Mrnor changes have been made to rrnprove
reProduction duably
Pants or 'new 0 opmrons stated rn thrs doc u
TO THE EDUCATIONAL RESOURCES
mint do not necessanly represent official
INFORMATION CENTER (ERIC)"
OERI D011.1.0n Of policy
PROJECT CONNECT SECONDARY GUIDE
FOR CONSUMER & HOMEMAKING EDUCATION
Illinois State Board of Education
Department of Adult, Vocational and Technical Education
Carl D. Perkins Vocational and Applied Technology Education Act
of 1990
Project Connect Staff
Project Director:
Mary Beth Stine
Contract Administrator:
Susan Polley Burge
Coordinators:
Phyllis Bubnas
Brenda Ferguson
Bessie Hackett
Mary Lou Hubbard
Mary Jo Oldham
Carol McGee
Vicky Turl
John S. Washburn
Brenda Yates
Researchers:
Beth Anderton
Judy Martin-Lighty
Deborah Lustman
The Learning Guides were developed through a grant to Project
Connect, Contract #W000945, Flora Community Unit School District
35, Flora, Illinois 62839, under the direction of Mary Beth Stine.
The Learning Guides were written at Southern Illinois University,
Department of Workforce Education and Development, Carbondale,
Illinois 62901, under the direction of Phyllis Bubnas and Dr. John S.
Washburn. June 1994.
An Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer
This publication was prepared pursuant to a grant with the Illinois State
Board of Education and funded 100% through the Carl D. Perkins
Vocational and Applied Technology Education Act of 1990. Grantees are
encouraged to freely express their judgments in professional and
technical matters. However, points of view or opinions do not
necessarily represent official Illinois State Board of Education positions
or policies.
© 1994, Illinois State Board of Education
3
411.1112.19.12.0113.2.13.Efl.13.2.12.3.11)
General Guidelines/Checklist for Users
2
Introduction
5
Competency 'One
6
Identify trends that influence work and family lifestyle choices.
Competency Two
15
Define work and family obligations (responsibilities).
Competency Three
26
Describe ways work and family affect each other.
Competency Four
34
Analyze personal situation to determine areas of needed improvement.
43
Competency Five
Plan management strategies to increase work/school satisfaction and family satisfaction.
63
Bibliography
4
Work & Family
LG 5
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461.13.131.12.1311.0.111.13t.111.63.13.12.131.11)
General Guidelines
The terms "teacher" and "student" are used throughout to describe the instructor and participants.
STRATEGIES (for teachers) and ACTIVITIES (for students) as stated in the guide are not always parallel to the
numbering system.
Teachers needs to carry out preassessment activities to determine level of student competency. Previous work or
educational experiences may be such that the teacher will choose not to do some of the competencies.
Key to Symbols
The following symbols are used throughout the guides to designate enhancement activities:
0
related basic skills, giving particular attention to language arts and mathematics
9
related decision-making and problem-solving skills, including the application and transferability of these skills to
personal, family, and work responsibilities to be demonstrated
enrichment activities according to student abilities and experiences
0.> interrelationship of concepts to personal, family, and work
0 influence of technoloay on the subject matter, application of knowledge, and related work
pre- and/or posttest assessment activities
Checklist for Users
Before addressing any of the competencies, the teacher should check in advance to see what materials or preparations
are needed.
Competency #1
Identify trends that influence work and family lifestyle choices.
Duplicate Supplement 1, "Survey on Balancing Work and Family," as needed.
Duplicate Supplement 2, "Topic Tumblers."
Duplicate Supplement 3, "What Do You Think?"
Prepare Supplement 4, "Trends," as a transparency.
Invite an employer in to discuss trends of employers to provide support services and benefits.
Clip news articles related to trends or statistics regarding work and family and use with Supplement 4 and
Activity 5.
Duplicate Supplement 5, "Employer Supports and Benefits Survey," for Activity 7.
Competency #2
Define work and family obligations (responsibilities).
Duplicate Supplement 6, "Attitude InventoryHome and Work Role Expectations."
_Duplicate Supplement 7, "Tasks and Who Performs Them."
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LG 5
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6.11313.8.111.131.0.111.131.111.12.13.12.131,61
Duplicate Supplement 8, "Roles-Past," and 8A, "My Roles Throughout the Life Cycle." The teacher may generate
a varied list of roles for input into discussion.
Collect pictures from magazines and print media to use for a collage illustrating stereotyping of male and female
roles.
Be prepared to give examples of TV shows and commercials that may send messages as to sex-role activities
and responsibilities for Activity 6.
Activity 7 calls for pictures depicting various roles. The teacher may be prepared in case students are not.
For Activity 8. collect articles from newspapers regarding some nontraditional roles that notable men and women
are fulfilling.
Activity 11 might require paper or a chalkboard to list examples of work/school responsibilities and family
responsibilities.
Competency #3
Describe ways work and family affect each other.
Duplicate Supplement 9, "Work and Family Inventory," as needed.
The teacher will need two containers for Activity 3 with slips of paper for listing demands and influences.
Duplicate Suppiement 10, "Ways Work and Family Affect Each Other."
Duplicate Supplement 11, "Work and Family Game."
Duplicate Supplement 12, "Individual Stress Producers," as needed.
Prepare transparency fo'r Supplement 13, "Six Ways To Overcome the Superwoman Myth."
Competency #4 - Analyze personal situation to determine areas of needed improvement.
Duplicate Supplement 14, "Lifestyle Check-Up," and Supplement 15, "My Employability Quotient."
Prepare an overhead for Supplement 16, "Analyzing My Work-Family Balance," and also duplicate for students.
The teacher could use examples as follow:
sports nut
ME
gardener
writer
book lover
WE mother
son/daughter
wife
housekeeper
THEY employee
manager
church member
club treasurer
Duplicate Supplement 17, "Analyzing Priorities."
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Work & Family
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431.13.111.8.0.3.8.11.131111.121.121.12.3.1131
Duplicate Supplement 18, "Getting a Handle on Stress and Distress."
Invite an employer or panel in to discuss job expectations and demand and effects on family and vice versa.
Duplicate Supplement 19, "Improving My Situation," for Activity 6.
Competency #5 - Plan management strategies to increase work/school satisfaction and family satisfaction.
Duplicate Supplement 20, "Spillover," af... needed.
Duplicate Supplement 21, "Work Demands Crossword Puzzle," as needed.
Duplicate Supplements 22 and 23, "Case Studies."
Duplicate Supplement 24, "Life Events."
Duplicate Supplement 25, "Some Survival Tips on Balancing Home, Family, and Work/School."
Duplicate Supplement 26, "Tips To Relieve or Reduce Stress."
Duplicate Supplement 27, "Techniques for Reducing Stress at Work/School."
Duplicate Supplement 28, "My Personal Plan," as needed.
Determine if any of Supplements 29 through 32 are appropriate for students to select and work on individually.
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.111.111.12.13.61.111.131.131.12,13.1213.0
4111.
Introduction
Work and family life in America is changing rapidly. No longer are work and family two separate areas of life. One
seemingly always has an effect on the other in terms of time, duties, benefits, and responsibilities. The competing
demands of work and family can be stressful and damaging for both sexes.
In order for people to be prepared for the future, it is important to be aware of some of the ways our society is changing
related to work and family life and the resulting complexities in balancing work and family.
One of the most significant factors affecting families in our society today is the number of women entering the workforce.
Families need the income from women's earnings. The economy needs the labor of women workers. Women will
continue to have high-level participation in the workforce. Projections are that by the mid-1990s, half of the workforce
will be female (Shreve, 1987).
The dramatic increase of women in the workforce has resulted in the need to find a more satisfactory balance between
work and family responsibilities. This balancing act has been particularly difficult for women because, in general, their
family roles have changed very little; women who work outside the home still assume the major proportion of home and
family responsibilities (Couch, 1989). Since both men and women will continue to work outside the home, both must be
involved in work and home responsibilities (Burge, 1989).
Balancing work and family means using time and energy to the best advantage so that you can be the best for yourself,
life, be
your family, and your work. Balancing work and family can enable one to enjoy time at home and enrich family
more productive and increase job satisfaction, and improve mental health and one's outlook on life.
Although the composition of the workforce and family structures have changed rapidly, attitudes and institutions have
been slower to evolve. Many workplace rules and practices remain based on a male, single-earner workforce. Many
families still act under role sharing assumptions based on the presence of full-time homemakers. The conflict between
these assumptions and reality necessitates finding better ways to balance home and career. The elimination of gender-
biased roles in the workplace and the home can benefit individuals and society. Gender equity cannot be achieved until
society recognizes the importance of work and family roles for both men and women.
Researchers have found that satisfaction with home life has a positive effect on job satisfaction and job satisfaction has
a positive effect on home satisfaction (Burge, 1989).
Work & Family
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1.111.1:11.19.111,131.6.15.131.111.1210.121.131.10
COMPETENCY ONE
1111 1 1 1
i
Identify Trends that Influence Work and Family Lifestyle Choices.
Student Outcomes
Definitions
Recognize the need for balancing
work and family.
lifestyle
a way of life for an individual, group, or culture that
reflects attitudes and values (e.g., living single,
Become aware of one's attitudes
marriage with no children, communal living, dual-
and values toward work and family
earner marriage traditional marriage, and so on)
issues.
trend
a general course or direction
Examine current trends related to
work life and family life.
Determine the effects trends may
have on family lifestyles and choices.
Key Ideas
Work and family is not a female issue. Work and family concerns affect both sexes. Both males and females have
a
tough time balancing demands of home with those of a job.
Lifestyles today generally include work and family roles/responsibilities.
Changes in the family and in the workforce have an impact on lifestyle.
Some trends that will influence family and work life are as follows:
Family Trends
Fewer conform to the traditional model where father is breadwinner.
Families today are more diverse and less stable.
Family resources are being reduced.
More people are living in nontraditional families.
The average size of the family has decreased.
There are more single-parent families.
There is an increase in the number of elderly people.
More women are working.
The need for elder care will increase.
Lifestyle Trends
A large portion of single-parent families are headed by women; these families tend to be poor.
As women make up most of the new entrants into the workforce, half of the mothers with children under six will work
and most children will see both parents off to work each day (if they live with both parents).
With the growing workforce participation of women with young children, a growing number of parents are turning to
organized child care to enable them to work.
Work Trends
Employers are experiencing some of the implications of change in family diversity.
Family demands are impacting employers as related to child and elder care and flexible work hours.
Women may see realistic policies for leaves, more flexible scheduling, benefits of equal pay, financial welfare, and
child care.
Work & Family
LG 5
Comp 1: Trends
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Teacher Strategies/Methods
1. Introduce this competency by having students complete Supplement 1, "Survey on Balancing Work and Family."
This can help the teacher determine or assess specific interest in topics. This information can also be useful for
individual discussion with students when analyzing personal situations (Competency 4) and planning strategies
(Competency 5).
2. Introduce the topic of working parents by using Supplement 2, "Topic Tumblers." Divide into groups and inform
students they are to arrive at a consensus. Discuss how these topics affect work and family concerns.
3. Clarify with students the meaning of the term "lifestyle" and give appropriate examples. Emphasize that changes in
workforce and family affect lifestyle. Point out that the structure of the family is shifting, with one-parent households
the fastest growing structure. (Reasons include divorce rates and delayed ages for marriage.) The teacher might
ask students how new family structures are causing challenges to families in balancing responsibilities as workers
and as parents. Examples of challenges include time management, shared responsibilities, prioritizing, and stress.
4. Supplement 3, "What Do You Think?" can be used as an exercise to assess students' current attitudes and values
related to work and family issues. Emphasize there are no right or wrong answers. Students should be helped to
see that choices contribute to the lifestyle a person could seek. Select any of the items and discuss how that choice
may determine lifestyle.
5. Use Supplement 4, "Trends," as a transparency to discuss the impact of those trends. (See Activity 5.) Some
questions to ask are as follows:
What effect will women's employment have on the future?
What are the advantages or disadvantages of working at home?
6. Because the increase of women working is such a major trend, the
teacher might discuss how this affects families.
Sample answers are fewer children; greater
affluence; increased self-care by children; shared
household responsibilities; and more interaction with
grandparents.
7. Ask students what effect trends (listed in Key Ideas
or from Supplement 4) could have on the following:
one's career choice
economic status
child care expenses/options
responsibilities or scheduling of activities (single-
vs. two-parent household)
time as relates to self, spouse, family, leisure, and
tasks.
8. Recognizing that employers are becoming aware of
the strains on working families, the teacher could
discuss increasing trends of some employers to
provide support services and benefits to employees
such as parental leave, sick leave, retirement, and
If appropriate for the group, Supplement
day care.
5, "Employer Supports and Benefits Survey," could
be used to gather information. Discuss the effect
these benefits may have on family lifestyles and
choices.
Comp 1: Trends
7
Work & Family
LG 5
0.111.111.11.13.11/.8..13.31.13,13.12.111.0
0