Describe Yourself Thinking About Thinking About What You What You Like! Like! Bonnie Fowler, Family and Consumer Sciences-Special Education, Arlington Public Schools Think About Your Interests What are your interests for these? •The things you like to do! •The environment around you! When You Know What You Like to Do and The Environment You Want for Yourself You can use this information to help evaluate activities you see against your interests – interests for jobs, volunteer work, and leisure. When you evaluate activities you see against your interests and your skills and abilities, you can begin to make decisions about your life. You can begin to choose a life for youself! To Choose a Life for Yourself You Need to Know These: •Your interests for activities and environments •Your skills and abilities •Your strengths and weaknesses You evaluate a possible choice against this information! You use this information about yourself to help make decisions about your life! Describe Yourself In the Environment Around You Think about Being Outside Do you like to be outside? Yes__ No__ Do you like to be outside when it is hot and cold? Yes__No__ Would you like to work outside most of the day? Yes__ No__ Describe Yourself In the Environment Think about Being Around People Do you like to do a job by yourself? No__ Yes__ Do you like to cooperate with someone to get a job done? Yes__No__ Can you work in a crowded place – is it O.K. if someone bumps into you by accident? Yes Describe Yourself In the Environment More about Being Around People Do you like being in a public place? Yes__ No__ Are you comfortable being around and talking to people you do not know? Yes__No__ Can you be polite if someone is rude to you? Yes__ No__ In Your Environment Think About Noise! Can you work around noisy equipment for long periods of time? Yes__No__ Do you need a quiet workplace? Yes__ No__ Can you alternate between a noisy environment and a quiet environment? Yes__No__ In Your Environment Think About Smell! Do most smells bother you? Yes__No__ Can you work around smells for much of the day? No__ Yes__ Do chemical smells bother you? Yes__No__ Do animal smells bother you? Yes__No__ In Your Environment Think About Work Materials Do you like to work with tools? Can you wear gloves, if needed? Yes__No__ Can you handle cleaning supplies? No__ Can you get dirty? Can you get wet? Y N Yes__ Yes__No__ In Your Environment Type of Physical Activity Do you like to work seated for most of the day? Yes__No__ Do you prefer to move around during most of the day – be physically active? Yes__No__ Do you want to alternate between being seated or standing and moving around? Yes__No__ In Your Environment Variety in What You Do For something you like, can you do the same thing all day? Yes__No__ Do you like to do different things throughout the day? Yes__No__ Can you switch easily from one thing to Another? Yes__No__ In Your Environment Your Work Hours Do you want to work the same hours everyday? Yes__No__ Do you want to work during the day, from Monday – Friday? Yes__No__ Can you work evenings? Yes__No__ Can you work weekends? Yes__No__ In Your Environment What is Most Important to You? Name three things that are most important to you. 1.____________________________________ 2.____________________________________ 3.___________________________________ Everyone is different! Describe Yourself What You Like to Do Helping and Taking Care of Others • • I like to help and take care of people. Yes__ No__ I like to work with and help animals. Yes__ No__ Describe Yourself What You Like to Do Enjoying and Taking Care of the Environment I enjoy nature. Yes__ No__ I like flowers, trees, and plants. Yes__ No__ I like to work with plants. Yes__ No__ I like to take care of the environment. Yes__ No__ Describe Yourself What You Like to Do Building or Fixing Things • I like to work with tools and build things. Yes__ No__ • I like to work with tools and fix things. Yes__ No__ I like construction. Yes__ No__ • Describe Yourself What You Like to Do • Art Activities and Expressing Yourself I like to draw and make things. Yes__ No__ • I like to express myself through art. Yes__ No__ • I like to use a camcorder and make videos. Yes__ No__ • I like music and dance. Yes__ No__ Describe Yourself What You Like to Do Food Service • I like to work in a kitchen, use kitchen tools, and cook. Yes__ No__ • I like to clean in the kitchen – and I like to operate a dishwasher. Yes__ No__ • I like to work in a dining room. Yes__ No__ Describe Yourself What You Like to Do • Cleaning and Fixing Things I like to clean. Yes__ No__ • I like to take care of a building Yes__ No__ • I like to work with equipment. Yes__ No__ • I like to work with cars. Yes__ No__ Describe Yourself What You Like to Do • Working in a Store or Warehouse I like working in a store that sells something I like. Yes__ No__ • I like working in a warehouse with supplies and equipment I like. Yes__ No__ • I like handling and counting money. Yes__ No__ • I like working with numbers. Yes__ No__ Describe Yourself What You Like to Do • Working in an Office I like working in an office. Yes__ No__ • I like using a computer. Yes__ No__ • I like working with numbers and words. Yes__ No__ I feel comfortable taking telephone messages. Yes__ No__ • Describe Yourself What You Like to Do • Problem Solving I like to figure things out. Yes__ No__ • I like to make decisions. Yes__ No__ • Pictures and drawings help me figure things out. Yes__ No__ Written directions help me figure things out. Yes__ No__ • Describe Yourself What Are You Good At Doing? Name three things that you do well. 1._____________________________ – 2.__________________________________ – 3.__________________________________ Everyone is different! Describe Yourself What Are You Good At Doing? Something you do well is_______________________ ____________________________________________ What do you like about it?______________________ _____________________________________________ Think about it! What is easy for you about it? _____________________________________________ What skills and abilities do you use to do it? _____________________________________________ These skills and abilities may be strengths for you. Describe Yourself What Are You Good At Doing? A second thing you do well is____________________ _____________________________________________ What do you like about it?______________________ _____________________________________________ Think about it! What is easy for you about it? _____________________________________________ What skills and abilities do you use to do it? _____________________________________________ These skills and abilities may be strengths for you. Describe Yourself What Are You Good at Doing? A third thing you do well is______________________ _____________________________________________ What do you like about it?______________________ _____________________________________________ Think about it! What is easy for you about it? _____________________________________________ What skills and abilities do you use to do it? _____________________________________________ These skills and abilities may be strengths for you. Describe Yourself What Is Hard for You? Name two things that are hard for you. 1._______________________________ 2._______________________________ Describe Yourself What Is Hard for You? Something that is hard for you is_________________. What is hard about it?__________________________ What skills and abilities do you need to do it? ___________________________________________________ If you do not have these skills, this may be a weakness for you. Describe Yourself What Is Hard for You? Something else that is hard for you is_____________ What is hard about it?__________________________ What skills and abilities do you need to do it? ___________________________________________________ If you do not have these skills, this may be a weakness for you. Choose a Life for Yourself When You Know These: •Your interests for activities and environments •Your skills and abilities •Your strengths and weaknesses You can evaluate a possible choice against this information! You use this information about yourself to help make decisions about your life!