Teacher’s Instructions
for Administering the Party:
Background of the Party:
In very simplified terms, the Party is based on the theory of career development of psychologist John Holland, who theorized that people will choose careers that primarily interest them, but interest them because they get to use and express their innate talents, skills and strengths that they are born with. By performing an occupation in an environment that meets these innate needs for expression, the person will find satisfaction in their career.
According to John Holland, all work can be divided into four main areas of: Data, Things, Ideas and People. Branching off that orientation, there are the clusters of: R-Realistic occupations;
I-Investigative occupations; A-Artistic occupations; S-Social occupations; E-Enterprising occupations; and C-Conventional occupations. Within these broad clusters, there are suggested occupational families, or groups of occupations where there are hundreds of occupations to consider.
The Party is a quick self-rating assessment designed to give the student a snapshot as to what their occupational choices might be. It should not be the only assessment given, nor should it be emphasized to the student that this is the definitive answer to their question as to what occupation they should choose for themselves as they progress through school. Occupational choice and life-long satisfaction in a career is based on many factors. With proper information, assessments and professional guidance, the student can make a sound decision that could be modified or changed over time, with additional education and life experience.
Suggested reading on the Holland theory of occupation choice:
Holland, John: Making Vocational Choices: A Theory of Vocational Personalities and Work Environments.
Bolles, Richard: What Color is Your Parachute.
Administering the Party:
When you are ready to have the students take the Party assessment, explain to them that they are to pretend they have entered a room where a party is taking place. Tell them to imagine for a moment that there are groups of people around the room, all talking about things that are of special interest to them. Each group will be somewhat different, so they need to pay attention to each group and what they are like. Tell them that because we all like to be with people that are similar to us and talk about and do the things we like to do, we naturally want to join in and be with those people.
Tell the students they will be reading a page that has a picture of the Party on it, and after reading about each group, and what makes them special, to choose which group they would want to visit with for the longest time. Emphasize that if they are a bit shy, they don’t have to worry about joining in the discussion, only that they would like to be with those people, listening to what they are talking about.
Next, tell the students to turn over their Party sheet, and complete the back. Tell them that the letter to the side of the group is the letter they will write down as group number 1 (one). Then explain to the students that their first group has to leave, but they are not ready to leave the Party, and now find the second group they would be willing to spend the longest time with. When they decide on the second group, they should note the letter corresponding to the group, and write it down as group number 2 (two). Now explain that group number two has decided to leave, but they are not willing to leave yet, and so they should look over the remaining groups and decide which is the final group that they would be willing to spend the remainder of their time with. The letter that is to the side of that group will be noted on their form for group number 3 (three).
When the students have all three group letters chosen, they should copy them, in order of their choice, at the bottom of their sheet. This becomes their three letter code, or Holland Code.
There are adult professional materials that list hundreds of occupations based on the combining of these codes, that at this stage of development, would be overwhelming to the students.
We are just going to use their code letters at this point to begin to shed some light on what their possible occupational interest areas might be.
Next, hand out the “What Letters Did You Pick?” sheet describing the meaning of the letters RIASEC. With their three letter code, now have the students read the descriptions of the three letters they chose. On this sheet, the letter is displayed, along with the meaning of the letter, the brief description of what that cluster means, and some possible jobs that fit within that cluster. Remind the students these occupations are only a very small sampling of the hundreds of occupations that are possible within that cluster.Tell the students that usually the first letter they picked is their strongest interest area, but the other codes are important, too, so pay attention to the suggested occupations that are displayed.
Based on their three letter code, have the students pick an occupation that sounds interesting to them from the group, and go to the library or to the Internet, and find out the details about that occupation. Tell them they could also talk to an adult who does that occupation for a living, and have them explain what their job is like on a daily basis. As an assignment, the students could make a portfolio of their three letter code, and what occupations they have chosen or have discovered, and the details of the occupations, to keep for future reference and exploration.
Suggested websites to explore:
(Career Development Frame Work by Grade Level, 7th – 12 th grades)
( Careers for Me II - Career Assessment for Elementary Students)
(Website for teens thru twenties)
Suggested Script:
Introduction:
Pretend you have entered a room where a party is taking place. Imagine for a moment that there are groups of people around the room, all talking about things that are of special interest to you. Each group will be somewhat different, so you need to pay attention to each group and what they are like. Because we all like to be with people that are similar to us and talk about and do the things we like to do, we naturally want to join in and be with those people.
(Hand out the Party)
This paper has a picture on one side that shows the groups at the Party. Read each section around the page that has a picture of the Party on it, and after reading about each group, and what makes them special, choose which group you would want to visit with for the longest time. It’s alright if you are a bit shy, you don’t have to worry about joining in the discussion, only that you would like to be with those people, listening to what they are talking about.
After you have read about all the groups at the Party, and have picked out your first group, notice the letter by the size of that group. Turn over your Party sheet, and complete the back. The letter to the side of the group is the letter you will write down as group number 1 (one). Now, pretend your first group has to leave, but you are not ready to leave the Party, and now choose the second group you would be willing to spend the longest time with. When you decide on the second group, you should note the letter corresponding to the group, and on the back, write it down as group number 2 (two). Now imagine that group number two has decided to leave, but you are not willing to leave the party yet, and so you should look over the remaining groups and decide which is the final group that you would be willing to spend the remainder of your time with. Write the letter that is to the side of that group on the back of the form for group number 3 (three).
Now, when all three group letters are chosen, you should copy them, in order of your choice, at the bottom of your sheet. This becomes your three letter code for sorting occupations that interest you. There are hundreds of occupations! We are just going to use the code letters at this point to begin to shed some light on what your possible occupational interest areas might be.
(Next, hand out the “What Letters Did You Pick?” sheet describing the meaning of the letters RIASEC.)
With your three letter code, now read the descriptions of the three letters you chose. On this sheet, the letter is shown, along with the meaning of the letter, the brief description of what that letter’s job cluster means, and some possible occupations that fit within that job cluster. Remember, these occupations are only a very small sampling of the hundreds of occupations that are possible within that cluster. Usually the first letter you pick is your strongest interest area, but the other codes are important, too, so pay attention to the suggested occupations that are displayed with codes two and three.
Based on your three letter code, your might want to pick an occupation that sounds interesting to you from your chosen groups, and go to the library or to the Internet, and find out the details about that occupation. You can also talk to an adult who does that occupation for a living, and have them explain what their job is like on a daily basis. As you learn information about occupations that interest you, you might want to start a file or a portfolio of your three letter code, what occupations you have chosen or have discovered, and the details of the occupations, to keep for future exploration.