SkillRise Spark · Kettle & Quire Books · Facilitator sheet

The Signing

Prioritizing an early guest's requests, register coverage and event preparation without promising authority you do not have. Estimated 30–45 minutes (not yet classroom-validated).

Open activity →

Learning outcomes (observable)

Aims to listen for in discussion. Learners are not rated; writing on the learner sheet is optional.

Identifies the people, facts and competing responsibilities in The Signing.
Explains what one possible action protects, what it risks and a realistic next move.
Drafts a specific sentence or check they could adapt outside the fictional scenario.

Competency focus (SkillRise descriptions)

Practices: Working under pressure, Prioritization, Clear communication. Internal mapping, not an external standards alignment.

Communication. Learner chooses or drafts what to say, then explains why that wording fits. Review: The exact line chosen on the evidence card and any drafted sentence on the learner sheet.
Problem-solving. Learner lists known facts, open questions and a sensible first step. Review: The 'facts I used / still needed to check' learner-sheet prompt.
Professional judgment. Learner compares two defensible options and explains what each protects and risks. Review: The protects / risks / next-move feedback and the learner's stated reason.

Preparation

Play the activity once yourself (about 15 minutes, estimated).
Print or display the learner sheet; decide whether learners work alone, in pairs or as a group.
Read the safety note below and agree that passing or writing silently is always allowed.

Safety or role boundary

Do not promise coverage or authority you do not have. A coworker's genuine need does not remove your right to set limits; recurring gaps need a staffing conversation.

Session plan

0–5 min	Frame the fictional practice, read the opening prompt and make passing or writing silently explicit options.
5–20 min	Play The Signing. Pause at the first decision to separate known facts from assumptions.
20–32 min	Compare two defensible choices. Name who each protects, who carries the risk and any fixed boundary.
32–40 min	Use the learner sheet to draft one clear next move. Sharing remains optional.
40–45 min	Close with the optional real-world step and explain how to reopen an evidence card if one was saved.

Delivery options

Individual: Play independently, pause before each choice to note a reason, then complete any learner-sheet prompt privately.
Paired: Share one screen. One person reads and one tracks facts, assumptions and affected people; switch roles after the first decision.
Group: Project the activity, collect choices by show of hands, written vote or silence, then invite reasons without asking for personal disclosure.

Opening prompt

“When several people will soon need you, how do you decide what to settle first?”

Discussion questions

Which request was urgent, important or simply preferred?
What could be confirmed without Noreen, and what needed her decision?
How could you acknowledge the author while keeping the store ready?

Optional real-world practice step

For one busy period, label tasks: must happen before opening, can happen during, and needs authorization.

Follow-up

At the next meeting, invite learners to say whether they tried the optional step or noticed a similar decision. Passing is always allowed.

Companion · optional “Try it your way” practice

Fit everyone's tasks together, then confirm it

Purpose. Discuss coordination, planning and confirming agreement when several people's time has to fit together.

Durable skills explored: Coordination, Planning, Confirming agreement.

This is a separate practice situation on a different event night. Lee and Sam aren't from your workday, and the times below are the only facts. Anything you write is a proposed plan — nobody has agreed to it yet.

Source material (as learners see it)

Signing night · planning information

The book signing begins at 18:00.
Chairs and books must be ready by 17:55.
Lee can cover the register from 17:30–18:00.
Sam needs 15 minutes to set chairs and has a break at 17:45.
You can prepare books in 10 minutes, or cover the register.
The manager approves changes.

Times use the 24-hour clock.

Discussion prompts

Walk through 17:30–17:55: who is where at each point?
What makes a plan agreed rather than assumed?
When Lee is late, what gap appears, and how is it closed without moving Sam's break?

One possible response

Lee: register, 17:30–18:00.

Sam: chairs, 17:30–17:45, then break.

You: books, 17:30–17:40; check readiness by 17:55.

Then confirm the assignments with Lee, Sam and the manager.

The example is one possible proposed plan. Look for named register coverage throughout, Sam's break kept, readiness checked by 17:55 and a step to confirm with coworkers and the manager. A written plan isn't evidence anyone agreed to it.

What changes if…?

Lee is delayed until 17:40.

One possible revision: you cover the register 17:30–17:40.
Lee takes over the register on arrival at 17:40.
You prepare books 17:40–17:50.
Sam's chair setup (17:30–17:45) and break stay unchanged.
Confirm the change with the manager and coworkers, and check readiness by 17:55.
Other plans could work too, as long as the register stays covered and nobody's break disappears.

Participation options

Individual:: Learners sketch a 17:30–18:00 timeline and a short confirmation message, or think it through without writing.
Paired:: One partner proposes the plan; the other plays the manager and asks what happens to the register and Sam's break.
Group:: Draw the half hour on the board with three rows (Lee, Sam, you). Fill it in together, then move Lee to 17:40.

Writing is optional; learners may think privately, discuss, or skip. Nothing is graded or collected. Source: Blueprint v3.0 · Section 30 · Q1 The Signing · p. 93.

Discussion prompts

Discussion prompts only — learners are not rated, graded or ranked. Learners can think privately, write if they wish, speak or pass. Pairs and groups can explore different choices without reaching agreement. Nobody needs to share personal experiences.

Recognizing the workplace issue: What pressures were in play at that moment?
Who else was affected, and what did they need?
Considering options and consequences: What might each option protect, and what might it risk?
Who would carry the cost of each choice?
Explaining a reasoned decision: What made your choice make sense to you?
What is the strongest case for a different choice?
Identifying a practical next step: What is one thing someone could say or check next?
How might that step change in a different workplace?

Facilitator reminders

Invite reasoning, not disclosure. Ask what the character could do and why. Never require learners to share personal experiences; offer 'think about it privately' as a normal option.
Allow disagreement and silence. Different choices are expected. Silent participation, written answers and passing are all legitimate ways to take part.
Separate judgment from personality. Talk about actions and reasons, not character traits. 'You checked before promising' rather than 'you're cautious'.
Ask who bears the consequences. For each option, ask who gains, who waits and who carries the risk — customers, coworkers, the business or the worker.
State safety boundaries clearly. Some lines are not matters of style: allergens, machine guards, privacy and unsafe lifting. Name the boundary plainly before or after play. Never demonstrate an unsafe workaround.
Not an employment screening tool. Do not use choices, reflections or evidence cards to select, rank or assess people for jobs or placements. The scenarios are fictional practice.
Describe evidence cards accurately. An evidence card records the choices a learner made and anything they wrote in a fictional scenario. It is not a grade, credential or proof of workplace competence, and it is saved only in that learner's browser.