More than Awards… 4-H Record Books Teach Life Skills

1. More than Awards… 4-H Record Books Teach Life Skills

2. A 4-H Record Book is… • An organized way to summarize a 4-H member’s project work, leadership and citizenship activities. • A way to compete for awards and scholarships • One of those things that kids/parents put in those stiff green folders with a clover • A real headache

3. A 4-H Record Book is also… A way to help members learn: • To Set goals and work toward them • To make decisions • To keep records • To utilize available technology • To summarize information • To manage time and resources • To communicate thoughts, feelings and achievements

4. Purpose for 4-H Record Books • Report goals and how they were completed. • Report subject matter and life skills learned and developed. • Report participation in personal development, community service and leadership opportunities. • Method for reflecting and analyzing. • Method for evaluation.

5. Targeting Life Skills Hendricks, P. (1998) “Developing Youth Curriculum Using the Targeting Life Skills Model” http://www.extension.iastate.edu/4H/skls.eval.htm

6. Record Keeping applies Experiential Learning • Reinforces learning and develops understanding. • Includes sharing new knowledge with others. • Answers three questions: • What was learned? • What does it mean? • How is it used? Pfieffer and Jones, 1985

7. Goal Setting • Start with Project Objectives • Found in these documents on the State 4-H website http://oklahoma4h.okstate.edu/awards/handbook.htm • State 4-H Awards Handbook • Hands-on Planning Guide • My 4-H Planning Calendar • Project Sheets

8. State 4-H Awards Handbook Revised annually

9. Hands-on Planning Tool

10. My 4-H Planning Calendar

11. Project Sheets

12. Project Sheets

13. Project Objectives… • Are available for stand-alone and AOP projects • Reflect current focus of projects • Include appropriate technology applications • Encourage planning • Insure well-rounded project experiences • Provide standards to measure project achievement • Encourage research and civic involvement

14. Project Objectives Public Speaking Project Objectives for all projects • Apply all 4-H training and experience in choosing and preparing for a career • Practice leadership skills and roles in 4-H and the community • Take part in community affairs and demonstrate citizenship responsibility. • Develop integrity, sportsmanship, decision-making capability and public speaking skills through experiential learning. Objectives for this project • Develop research skills by attaining pertinent information about a given topic • Learn to organize materials to be presented in a speech • Develop a pleasing appearance for an audience • Learn to speak convincingly in public, use appropriate gestures for effect, etc. • Learn to communicate effectively with a variety of age groups • Learn about cultural differences in communication, and utilize culturally sensitive practices

15. PlanningLearn to communicate effectively with a variety of age groups What I have done What I plan to do Learn about developmental needs of 5-8 year olds Study effective communication techniques for older adults and modify a presentation for their special needs • Taught workshop for cloverbuds • Gave a speech to local OHCE group

16. Record Keeping • Tools on the State 4-H website • Monthly 4-H Records • Project Sheets • Calendar • Spiral Notebook

17. Record Keeping

18. Project Sheets

19. Project Sheets

20. Keep a Record of… • Goals • Knowledge and skills learned • Projects work completed through reports of size, scope and growth in project • Reference materials used • Recipes tried – categories of recipes • Meals planned – breakfast, lunch, dinner

21. Keep a Record of… • Demonstrations, talks, exhibits, news articles written, displays, exhibits, etc. completed • Workshops, short-courses and tours participated in • Volunteer leadership • Citizenship/Community service • Action photo’s – actual project work, citizenship and leadership

22. Record Keeping Preparation for: • Scholarship Applications • College • Job • Tax preparation

23. Technology Develop/enhance computer skills

24. Technology Develop/enhance photo editing skills

25. Summarize • Decide what is important enough to report • Impact how time is spent in the future • Better time management • Organize thoughts/ideas in 4-H Story • Develop critical thinking skills • Improve decision-making • Find the “best” way to showcase information • Understand that there is more than one “right” way • Improve visual learning skills

26. Manage Time/Resources • Prioritize • Most important right now • Most benefit – current & future • Plan ahead • Sequential steps • Analyze • Is this important enough to do?

27. Communication • Written • Proper grammar/sentence structure • Organize thoughts • Oral • Something to “talk” about • Proper “writing” encourages proper “speech”

28. Communication Communicate this: Instead of this: I did I won I lost • I thought • I felt • I learned • I hope • I am thankful • I believe

29. Process – Not Product When 4-H members … They learn … To finish what they start To be accountable To research/solve problems To decide what is important Time /resources are finite and valuable To acknowledge their feelings and feel good about accomplishments • Set goals/work toward them • Keep records • Utilize technology • Summarize information • Manage time/resources • Communicate thoughts, feelings and achievements

30. More than Awards… 4-H Record Books Teach Life Skills