Occupations in Our School
What are the different jobs that make sure a school runs smoothly? From the people who keep everything clean and safe to those managing things behind the scenes, students discover the everyday heroes in their school and their crucial roles.
Project at a Glance
Driving Questions
How can we appreciate the unseen heroes in our school community?
Creative Medium
Treasure hunt, Role-play
Community
School staff
Participants
7–9 year olds
Human Resources
N/A
Timeframe
6–7 hours
Relevant Subjects
Languages, Counselling
Knowledge
- Understand the various occupations that can be found in a school by listing and explaining each of the occupations.
Skill
- Interview and interact with the various people working in the school.
- Communicate and collaborate during group discussion and activities.
- Produce a poster of various occupations or job scopes of people working in the school using photos or drawing.
Value
- Appreciate the various people working in the school by making and giving them thank-you cards or notes.
Write thank-you cards or notes to the various people in school for doing what they do.
Suggested Activities:
- SELF – Cultivate positive habits, such as clearing plates and cups after meals and maintaining clean and tidy classrooms. This fosters a shared responsibility in preserving the cleanliness of the school.
- FAMILY – Engage in family discussions about the various roles within the school and the importance of each role.
- SCHOOL AND BEYOND – Convert the posters into videos and share them or share the posters created on social media platforms to raise awareness about the often-overlooked heroes in our school and the diverse jobs that contribute to its daily operations.
Context and Citizenship
While teachers and administrators are visible in school, a group of everyday heroes work quietly and tirelessly behind the scenes. These individuals, from cleaners maintaining cleanliness to security guards ensuring safety, play vital roles in contributing to the well-being of the school community and the smooth operations of a school. These seemingly mundane roles are often unrecognised or unappreciated due to the nature of work carried out.Â
By exploring the diverse occupations of these unseen heroes, we shed more light on the often-overlooked jobs and appreciate the school community’s diverse identities and roles. It also reinforces the idea that everyone, regardless of their role, is crucial in creating a conducive learning environment for all and deserves respect and appreciation.
Components of Learning
Activity 1 - Treasure Hunt for Site and Topic Orientation
Participants were tasked with locating six individuals working in the school and gathering information such as their name and occupation. After the treasure hunt, students categorised the various jobs they discovered. This activity kickstarted interactions among students and the school staff, familiarising them with the larger school community.
Participants getting to know a security guard. Participants categorising the jobs in the school.
Activity 2 - Shadowing and Observation
To have a deeper understanding of the jobs, students formed small groups and shadowed a member of the school staff each. Participants observed the assigned staff member’s daily routine and to
Following this, students reenacted their observations through charades, allowing their classmates to guess the respective occupations.ok visual notes.
Shadowing on the job. Sample of visual notes. Playing occupation charade in the classroom
Activity 3 - Interview Skills-Building
To prepare for conducting interviews, students practised interview skills in role-play sessions, including making self-introductions and asking questions politely and respectfully.
Role-playing an interview.
Activity 4 - In-depth Interview
Each participant in the small group was assigned a specific role such as interviewer, note-taker, and photographer to conduct an in-depth interview with a member of the school staff: cleaner, security guard, canteen operator, gardener, school principal, or teacher.
Participants worked together and gathered information about the person’s name, job title, job scope, and daily routine. They recorded the details on a provided worksheet.
A sample of the interview worksheet. Participants interviewing the school clerk. Participants interviewing the school administrator.
Activity 5 - Sharing of Data Collected
After conducting interviews, students processed the collected data and shared their findings. They discussed and reflected on the importance of each identified job in ensuring the school’s smooth operation, cultivating greater appreciation for the diverse roles within the school.
Participants compiling the challenges faced by their interviewees. Participants sharing in class about the school staff they interviewed.
Activity 6 - Creation of Occupation Posters and Thank You Cards
Participants created posters to raise awareness among their schoolmates about the various jobs in the school. Additionally, they crafted thank-you cards to express their appreciation to the individuals they had interviewed for their contributions to the school.
Participants with the posters they made about their interviewees. Participants drawing posters and thank-you cards. Participants with the posters they made about their interviewees.
Activity 7 - Appreciation Ceremony
Participants shared their findings and learning experiences with students beyond their class during a school assembly. They also presented their thank-you cards to the individuals they had interviewed, acknowledging their valuable contributions to the school.
The whole school joined in expressing appreciation to the school staff. Participants presenting their posters and thank-you cards. 
Participants expressing their gratitude to the security guard.
Suggested additional concluding activity
Participants reflect on the following questions:
- Who are the unseen heroes in the school?
- Are their roles important in the school? Why?
- Are they appreciated or recognised for their contributions to the school?
- Are they treated fairly and equally by students and teachers?
How to Adapt
Community
If your school is big, you could start by focusing on one area, such as the janitorial team, the canteen and its workers, or the office staff.
Creative Medium
Other than drawing a poster, what mediums might be suitable for your students to share about the school staff they interviewed? You could explore making a collage or short videos to raise awareness among the school community.
Topic
What are some ways to deepen the students’ learning? After understanding the various jobs in the school, students could explore more occupations in the local community and their importance to our daily lives.
This project was originally conducted in Sekolah Kebangsaan Dato Kramat by Cikgu Mona Lim Swee Lin as part of Arts-ED’s 2019 Teacher Training Programme.