Conscientious Worker was added to the Future Ready Skills in 2014 when community members and business leaders pointed out that the basics of being a good employee were missing from our set of skills. They appreciated the existing skills for their emphasis on abilities that aren’t often addressed in school and are hard to teach on the job. However, they wanted to make sure we also addressed the habits of a good employee--punctuality, work ethic, integrity, flexibility, etc.--somewhere in our Future Ready Skills.
Worth Mentioning
It’s important to distinguish Conscientious Worker from Self-Directed Learner. Many people have the misconception that Self-Directed Learner is about being on task, following directions, managing one’s own time, etc. However, those are really attributes of being a Conscientious Worker. As you’ll learn later in this course, Self-Directed Learner is more about truly directing your own learning--recognizing when you have a gap in knowledge (or a curiosity about something) and knowing how to fill it.
Additionally, we should think about how conscientiousness is different from compliance. Though compliance certainly has a role in some of our norms and procedures in school, what we’re getting at with Conscientious Worker is more sophisticated. Awareness and attention are integral components of being a Conscientious Worker. A conscientious worker sees what needs to be done and draws on his/her skills to complete the work with a high degree of quality, asking for help if necessary along the way, of course. Compliant workers rely on someone telling they what to do and how to do it. At the extreme they take little initiative or ownership of their work. On the other hand, conscientious workers want to do good work and strive to be successful.
Check It Out
Read the description and review the grade-level checklist for this skill at the Future Ready Skill website.
Learn More About It
Read these two articles from the non-education world to deepen your understanding of the traits of conscientious people and why conscientiousness is such a big predictor of success.
6 Signs You Have A Conscientious Personality, According To The Big Five Personality Traits
This Personality Trait Predicts SuccessYour Prompt
Part A: Though the articles weren’t necessarily written with educators in mind, how might you use information or insights you took from the reading to help your students better understand or develop the traits of being a Conscientious Worker?
Part B: What are some ideas you have for when and how you can promote the qualities of conscientiousness in your classroom without inadvertently reinforcing compliance? (For instance, if you were teaching students that conscientious workers are able to read and follow directions, how might you show them the difference between someone who is blindly following the directions (compliance) and someone who is being conscientious?)
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Sheri Mittelstaedt · 335 weeks ago
Jules B. CRES · 335 weeks ago
Laura H (LWES) · 335 weeks ago
Laura H (LWES) · 335 weeks ago
Ashley Glatt Lwes · 332 weeks ago
In my class we practice getting right to our work when the time is given. We have learned that as a whole class we benefit from getting our work done and not wasting time. In class we practice going back and double checking our work in order to be conscious of the level of work we have produced. We look at improvement as a form of growth.
Beverly Meeks · 325 weeks ago
Kim Fitzpatrick (RC) · 311 weeks ago
In our classroom, an example of teaching students the difference between being conscientious and "compliant" would be whether or not we finish our work quickly, just "getting it done", or whether we take time to make sure it's accurate and reflects thoughtfulness and intentionality. We work through each future ready skill as a class by identifying the skill, creating an anchor chart with the definition (created with students and guided by the rubric and success criteria), and then making a T-chart to identify what that skill "looks like" and "sounds like" in our classroom. It's a GLAD strategy that really brings the skill to life for kids and invites them into the process of owning it and naming it in their daily work. Students then write about the FRS of being conscientious, defining it, and giving specific examples of how they model this skill in the real world, either at school, home, sports, or in the community. This is a really powerful experience for students.
Mark Lange (RC) · 307 weeks ago
“Conscientious people tend to be super organized, responsible, and plan ahead. They work hard in the face of challenges and can control their impulses.”
This quote is exactly what I try to instill into my students. As a fifth grade teacher, my kids are moving on to middle school. The honeymoon is over. From day one to day 180, I set a high standard for work completion, classroom participation, goal setting and accountability. At the beginning of the year we create an organizational plan together. Where we keep work, material stock and what to do with all the paperwork they accrue. It is tough for most since they are used to only having one room to worry about. With teaming, students are forced to be organized and prepared (for the most part). I feel I do a decent job with challenging them to be responsible. One of our school rules is to solve problems. It is constantly coming out of my mouth and in time, they stop asking me to solve it for them. Controlling impulses? Well, that is a different animal. Have you seen 5th grade in the spring? I swear I need a firehose sometimes not only for the smell, but the hormones. I should get hazard pay from April to June. But I digress. In my experience, the typical 5th grade impulsivity comes out when trying to be “cool”. This can be a challenge because if you give an inch, they take a mile. I train my students to tell their friends that our class isn’t a comedy show and give praise for students who change their behavior. I conference, problem solve, make them laugh at their own need for attention and see how not only it distracts others but themselves. The classroom community accepts all, but reinforces the expectations that have been instilled since day one. Accountability to themselves, their peers and their teachers has been my best proven method for being conscientious. They ultimately police themselves because they know the “fun” stuff happens when everyone is engaged and gets their work done.
Kelsie Gooch (GPES) · 307 weeks ago
My set of students are k-5 in EEP. In the article "6 Signs You have a Conscientious Personality" it focuses a lot on the employee/employer relationship. I am training students how to interact with other people and their environment to be the most successful. I organize materials in a way that is accessible for all but also shows them the example that organization leads to success and trains them to be more organized themselves. Being a conscientious worker also shows perseverance. Not leaving something undone. Delayed gratification isn't necessarily desirable, but learning the traits of a conscientious worker shows that a person can persevere regardless of emotion. They persevere because it's right and the end result is worth it.
Part B: What are some ideas you have for when and how you can promote the qualities of conscientiousness in your classroom without inadvertently reinforcing compliance? (For instance, if you were teaching students that conscientious workers are able to read and follow directions, how might you show them the difference between someone who is blindly following the directions (compliance) and someone who is being conscientious?)
In the future, I would love to show students how to be conscientious workers in how they manage their materials. Why do we organized materials? So that the next person can find them and use them. So that all the necessary pieces are accounted for. So that things aren't left on the floor or tables, making the space messy for the next person or left out to be accidentally broken. Organization is about serving the next person to come along. If one student was the only one using an item for the entire year, they would be able to use it and put it away how they wanted. However, since all materials, especially in EEP are shared (games, toys, art/crafts and science supplies) students ought to think about if they were the second person to use something. What is would be like to find materials put away correctly. How would that feel? They could use supplies right away, knowing that all the pieces are there. What would it be like if they found materials put away incorrectly? They would have a hard time finding what they wanted? They wouldn't know if all the pieces were there to play with. They would have to clean up someone else's mess. I would like my students to understand why we do what we do, so that they can believe it's importance in their own hearts and minds.
maureenbRCES 21p · 288 weeks ago
I find that explaining how to be a Conscientious Worker is the most difficult future ready skill to teach first graders. From the article, “6 Signs You Have a Conscientious Personality,” the trait that I will be focusing on teaching my students is self-discipline. Not only is it difficult for first graders to say the word “conscientious,” it is very hard for them to exercise self-discipline. I will only be focusing on this trait, as I feel like the others are a little too advanced for first grade minds. Having self-discipline connects closely to one of our RC3’s, solve problems.
When I teach my monthly future ready lesson on being a Conscientious Worker, I am going to give many examples of have to exercise self-discipline in the classroom, hallway, specialists, and out at recess. I will be making a “looks like, sounds like” process grid for each of the areas of the school. For example, in the classroom, having self-discipline looks like staying at your seat, even when you want to get up and walk around. In the hallway, it sound like keeping a level 0 voice even when you see your best friend from another class walk by. To emphasize being conscientious over compliance, I’m going to teach students about making choices for themselves to improve their thinking and skills. Not everyone has the same learning needs and being a conscientious worker means recognizing one’s own needs.
Lauren Saunders · 287 weeks ago
Being a conscious worker can be a difficult skill to teach six- and seven-year-olds. According to the “This Personality Trait Predicts Success” article, conscientious people set goals. By breaking the skill down this way, it is easier for first graders to manage. I plan to teach my students how to set goals in our reading and writing. We will identify areas we want to get better at and make a plan of how to achieve our goals. Its important to set goals so students have something to strive for. This is a great way to differentiate as well because the students are setting individual goals. If the student sets the goal, they will motivated to achieve it.
When doing independent or group activities, we talk about the importance of getting started right away and working the whole time. We talk about building our stamina. We have defined stamina to mean, “sticking with it, even when your body and brain get tired.” We track our stamina on a class chart and set goals for how many minutes of stamina we think we will be able to achieve for that particular activity. This reminds the students be conscious when completing the activity.
Laura (LWES) · 271 weeks ago
Stacey P (RCES) · 274 weeks ago
I really enjoyed reading these articles. The whole time, I was thinking about myself in terms of conscientiousness. Then I started wondering about how I developed my own level of conscientiousness, and whether this can be attributed to my personality or from learning experiences. It’s likely a combination of things, but this definitely started the thought process of how I can best support my students in my class in becoming as conscientious with their work as possible.
I think opportunities to work on this skill are critical to becoming conscientious workers, as well as teaching them about the research findings on conscientious and its links to success and happiness. It seems that some people are naturally more prone to this personality trait, but regardless, anyone can benefit from working on improving conscientiousness.
Part B
I feel like there are a few factors in promoting conscientiousness in my classroom. First, I think it is important to be a positive role model for conscientiousness. Paired with modeling this trait is acknowledging it and ensuring the students understand what being conscientious means. I also believe that revealing the research findings on the connection between being conscientious and successful would be interesting and motivating to students. Further discussion on the topic could include the difference between being conscientious and compliant. This could also include a class activity creating an anchor chart on what being conscientious looks and sounds like. When starting any project, it would be worthwhile to take the time to re-visit this critical future ready skill and the anchor chart.
Laura (LWES) · 271 weeks ago
Kimberly F (TSD) · 272 weeks ago
I think it's important to think about conscientiousness being an intrinsic trait. Some students come to me with this trait well developed, while others benefit from being intentionally taught how to identify and attend to this trait as a third grader. Like anything else we do in our classroom, the first step is to ensure students understand the definition of a conscientious workers and then identify ways that we might demonstrate this skill, or observe it in others. My thinking is that because this trait is SO important in determining success, it's worth revisiting throughout the year and providing opportunities for students to practice and master this skill.
Laura (LWES) · 271 weeks ago
I do agree that this is a skill that should be revisited throughout the year because it is a very valuable skill. In additon, it is a very powerful skill.
Judy K (TES) · 269 weeks ago
I truly believe in being a good role model in the key and the foundational skills to help students understand and develop traits of being a conscientious worker. As a teacher, I believe that you need to be prepared and organized in order to teach your students well. You need to know what you are teaching and how you are teaching it but also if your students do not understand it, then you take a step back and have another plan for your students. You do not just move on. Teaching them being a conscientious worker but also demonstrating this is key.
Part B: What are some ideas you have for when and how you can promote the qualities of conscientiousness in your classroom without inadvertently reinforcing compliance? (For instance, if you were teaching students that conscientious workers are able to read and follow directions, how might you show them the difference between someone who is blindly following the directions (compliance) and someone who is being conscientious?) Some ways that I have and have been promoting this is by trying to teach kids to be organized, responsible and plan ahead in their work. For instance, I have tools and at the beginning of the year , ways to teach my kids organization. They are free to use almost anything in the class and we talk go over expectations of how to use things and how to put things back including their book box, cubby, and things we share in the class. We also talk about the importance of being organized, so you don't lose things, so you don't have to start over, so you don't have to minus points, and even how it relates to adulthood. We also talk about being responsible for ourselves and materials. Students in my class are free to sit wherever they want to as long as it helps them be a successful learner. I want my students to learn how to manage this. I want my students to learn it for themselves instead of someone always telling them and I try to instill the whole "I want to do this, not because Ms. Kim told me." I believe having discussions and trying to instil the internal motivation is vital for children to want to be a conscientious worker and that we do make mistakes but we also can pick up where we left off and try again.
Paige S (RCES) · 262 weeks ago
Paige S (RCES) · 262 weeks ago
Part B: To be more specific about what I mentioned above, organization is an easy way we can help students gain skills associated with being a conscientious worker. We can help students by going through daily organizers and planners to keep track of what work must be done. We can also help students keep their personal space organized by allowing time to clean desks and giving goals for what the personal space should look like. Goal setting is another example of something we can help students with. We can help students by allowing them to reflect on their own work and success criteria to see what their strengths are and their areas of growth. Students can be directed to set their own goals before lessons in a unit where similar skills are consistently being reinforced. We can also have students use exit tickets to help them self-assess, revise and continue to do their personal best in the future.
Zoryana L. (LWES) · 253 weeks ago
To promote the qualities of conscientiousness in my classroom without inadvertently reinforcing compliance, I think the most important thing to focus on is why we are doing what we are doing. When a student understands the why behind their goal setting, being organized, punctual, responsible, etc. they are more likely to do these things conscientiously instead of with compliance. From my understanding, willingness is tied into the traits of a conscientious worker but it is absent from the traits of a compliant worker. In addition to explaining the why to students, I as their teacher should serve as a role model to help my students understand what it means to be a conscientious worker and exactly what that looks like.
Susan H. (SLES) · 252 weeks ago
Alyssa Hayes · 252 weeks ago
While we often focus on how they focus on their own learning and making sure to follow expectations but I think some fresh information that I will take back is that they also focus on goals. This is a great skill to start teaching in kindergarten. We start small and then progressively work towards bigger goals. I am excited to be able to naturally connect this to Future Ready Skills.
Part B: What are some ideas you have for when and how you can promote the qualities of conscientiousness in your classroom without inadvertently reinforcing compliance? (For instance, if you were teaching students that conscientious workers are able to read and follow directions, how might you show them the difference between someone who is blindly following the directions (compliance) and someone who is being conscientious?)
I think that while it is important that kiddos follow expectations, it is also important for them to know why we have expectations and (if possible) be a part of making the class rules. I want to make sure that in the future I promote that the kiddos should not just be listening and following directions to make the teacher happy but it also helps them. I will need to do some research on how to teach my kiddos about being intrinsically motivated.