The Apprentice Project
This project is loosely based on the television series, “The Apprentice”. It is a hands-on practical activity where Learning Partners will get the opportunity to take part in a simulation of “The Apprentice”. They will learn skills that can be applied in a business, such as negotiation, teamwork, organization, problem solving in a creative way, time management, and meeting project deadlines.
The project is broken up into 4 tasks related to different themes. They are:
TASK 1’s Theme: Project Management
Book a trip for your boss to a seminar in London for three days. Learning Partners must find a flight, hotel accommodations, rental car, dining options, and activities during the trip. They will act as if they are an assistant to the CEO of a business. This task involves organizational skills, cost effectiveness, time management, delegation of duties as a Project Manager, and taking responsibility for their actions.
TASK 2’s Theme: Fund-Raising
As a group, brainstorm creative fundraising ideas to earn money to fund a project. Learning Partners must work collaboratively as a team to come up with suggestions as to how they can raise funds. They will need to be creative, committed team members to ensure the success of the fund-raising project.
What is fund-raising?
By Sanjay Teeluck
Fund-raising is an act of philanthropy, therefore tightly connected with the International Baccalaureate Learner Profile attribute of being Caring and with the IB attitude of being Responsible, Tolerant and showing Empathy. It is also connected to the IB Diploma compulsory subject of Community-Action-Service (CAS). On Wednesday 23 January, Mr Kunz and an official of the German Round Table (a charitable association) will be present at ISN Middle School to explain their work in Romania and we hope that this presentation will help MS Learning Partners to gain a better understanding of the need for charity and charitable work in our modern societies which will obviously also help them to understand the reason why the IBO has included CAS as important component of studies.
Every year, millions of Euros are raised in Europe, especially in France (TELETHON), to finance medical research in a range of diseases. Last year PY4 raised over Euro500 in just 1 term and spent that money on leisure items for the school. Our newly-created PTA was able to raise Euro3000 on 1 single Halloween evening last year and some of this money has already been spent on field trips, the hiring of a theatre hall for end-of-year school presentations and the purchase of after-school sports equipment. Fund-raising activities bring together thinking and organisational skills, allow people to work co-operatively and think creatively and require a high level of dedication and commitment from all people involved.
This new business studies theme aims to foster in our young learning partners the dedication and commitment to community service, whilst allowing them to develop the skills and attitudes mentioned above. To start with, we have chosen very simple fund-raising tasks and we hope that with time, such fund-raising events will grow in complexity and achieve great success.
TASK 2: Fund-raising evaluation rubric
6-7 / 3-5 / 1-2Creativity / LP is imaginative in his / her thinking and approach to problems or projects. / LP uses thinking skills to solve problems, but the project ideas could be more imaginative. / LP uses other people’s ideas to approach the problems or projects.
Cooperation / LP cooperates, collaborates, leads and follows as the situation demands. / LP listens to other team members’ ideas, but is not willing to work collaboratively. / LP does not listen to other team members and follows his/her own ideas.
Commitment and Enthusiasm / LP perseveres, shows self-discipline and responsibility. Enjoys the project and willingly puts effort into the process. / LP needs to be reminded by team members to do his/her share of work and does not take responsibility for his/her actions. / LP gives up easily and shows a negative attitude towards the process, and as a result, does not enjoy the project.
TASKS 3 and 4 will be kept secret until the actual task is assigned. Task 3 will be posted on the blog after Business Studies class on Monday, January 28th. Task 4 will be posted after class on Monday, February 11th.
SUMMATIVE ASSESSMENT RUBRIC
The rubric below will be used in evaluating Learning Partners on all tasks of the Apprentice Project, with the exception of Task 2.
The Apprentice Project
CATEGORY / 7 / 5-6 / 3-4 / 1-2Creativity / Product shows a large amount of original thought. Ideas are creative and inventive. / Product shows some original thought. Work shows new ideas and insights. / Uses other people's ideas (giving them credit), but there is little evidence of original thinking. / Uses other people's ideas, but does not give them credit.
Working with Others / Almost always listens to, shares with, and supports the efforts of others. Tries to keep people working well together. / Usually listens to, shares, with, and supports the efforts of others. Does not cause "waves" in the group. / Often listens to, shares with, and supports the efforts of others, but sometimes is not a good team member. / Rarely listens to, shares with, and supports the efforts of others. Often is not a good team player.
Problem-solving / Actively looks for and suggests solutions to problems. / Refines solutions suggested by others. / Does not suggest or refine solutions, but is willing to try out solutions suggested by others. / Does not try to solve problems or help others solve problems. Lets others do the work.
Focus on the task / Consistently stays focused on the task and what needs to be done. Very self-directed. / Focuses on the task and what needs to be done most of the time. Other group members can count on this person. / Focuses on the task and what needs to be done some of the time. Other group members must sometimes nag, prod, and remind to keep this person on-task. / Rarely focuses on the task and what needs to be done. Lets others do the work.
Time-management / Always uses time well throughout the project to ensure things get done on time. Group does not have to adjust deadlines or work responsibilities. / Usually uses time well throughout the project, but may have been off task at times. Group does not have to adjust deadlines or work responsibilities. / Tends to procrastinate, but always gets things done by the deadlines. Group does not have to adjust deadlines or work responsibilities. / Rarely gets things done by the deadlines AND group has to adjust deadlines or work responsibilities because of this person's inadequate time management.
Attitude / Never is publicly critical of the project or the work of others. Always has a positive attitude about the task(s). / Rarely is publicly critical of the project or the work of others. Often has a positive attitude about the task(s). / Sometimes is publicly critical of the project or the work of other members of the group. Usually has a positive attitude about the task(s). / Often is publicly critical of the project or the work of other members of the group. Often has a negative attitude about the task(s).
Organization / All arguments were clearly tied to an idea and organized in a logical way. / Most arguments were clearly tied to an idea and organized in a logical way. / All arguments were clearly tied to an idea but the organization was sometimes not clear or logical. / Arguments were not clearly tied to an idea.
Score ______
LP Signature: ______
Mentor Signature: ______