Ethics in life and business using personal example for SS 1

Class: SS 1
Term: Third Term
Week: 1
Age: 15 years
Duration: 60 minutes
Subject: Beauty and Cosmetology
Curriculum Theme: entrepreneurship and ethical practices
Focal competence: Prepare business ideas/ opportunities, and qualities/desirable ethics in life of a good business in beauty and cosmetology
Key competencies/values: Collaboration; Entrepreneurship
Skills:

• Role playing to show good and bad ethics for the students to identify desirable and undesirable ethics in life and business

Previous Lesson:
Topic: Desirable Ethics In Life And Business
Subject Matter: Ethics in life and business using personal example, Examples of desirable ethics in life and business

Specific Objectives

By the end of the lesson, pupils/students should be able to:

Cognitive Domain

• Define ethics in life and business.
• Identify desirable ethics in life and business.

Affective Domain

• Appreciate the importance of ethical conduct in beauty and cosmetology.

Psychomotor Domain

• Demonstrate ethical practices in role-playing scenarios related to beauty and cosmetology.

Social Domain

• Collaborate effectively in group discussions on ethical dilemmas in business.

Reference Materials

The following resources were used in planning this lesson:

• 2025 New Revised Senior Secondary Education Curriculum (SSEC)
• Relevant State Unified Scheme of Work
• The HeadTeacher Scheme of work For The New Revised Senior Secondary Education Curriculum (SSEC)

Instructional Materials

The teacher will teach this lesson with the aid of:

• Charts of desirable ethics in life and business
• Resource person’s presentation guidelines
• Literature from different agencies on desirable ethics in life and business
• Newspaper articles on desirable ethics in life and business
• Whiteboard and markers
• Flip charts or posters for group presentations

Rationale for the Lesson

This lesson is important because it equips students with a foundational understanding of ethical principles, which are essential for personal integrity and professional success. It helps them recognise how ethical conduct builds trust with clients and colleagues, fostering a positive reputation and sustainable business practices in the beauty and cosmetology industry. Understanding ethics will enable students to make responsible decisions and contribute positively to society.

Prerequisite/Previous Knowledge

Students should have a basic understanding of what constitutes good behaviour and the importance of honesty and respect in daily interactions.

Lesson Content/Board Summary

Desirable Ethics In Life And Business

Meaning of Ethics

Ethics refers to the moral principles that govern a person’s behaviour or the conducting of an activity. It is a branch of philosophy that involves systematising, defending, and recommending concepts of right and wrong conduct. In essence, ethics provides a framework for making decisions that are considered morally sound and responsible.

Ethics in Life and Business

Ethics is crucial in both personal life and business. In life, it guides individuals to act with integrity, honesty, and respect towards others. In business, ethical practices are vital for building trust, maintaining a good reputation, ensuring client loyalty, and fostering a positive work environment. Unethical practices can lead to legal issues, loss of clients, and damage to a business’s standing.

Examples of Desirable Ethics in Beauty and Cosmetology

In the beauty and cosmetology industry, desirable ethics are particularly important due to the close personal interaction with clients and the nature of the services provided. Key examples include:

1. Client Care:
   1. Confidentiality: Respecting clients’ privacy and not sharing personal information or details of their services with others.
   2. Active Listening: Paying full attention to clients’ needs, preferences, and concerns to provide tailored services.
   3. Respect for Client Choices: Honoring clients’ decisions regarding their appearance and treatments, even if they differ from professional recommendations.
2. Hygiene and Safety:
   1. Sterilisation of Tools: Ensuring all tools and equipment are properly cleaned and sterilised before and after each use to prevent infections.
   2. Clean Workspace: Maintaining a tidy and sanitary salon or spa environment.
   3. Personal Hygiene: Practising excellent personal hygiene, including clean hands, appropriate attire, and good grooming.
   4. Safe Tools and Products: Using only professional-grade, non-expired, and safe products. Handling tools correctly to prevent injury to clients or oneself.
3. Professional Conduct:
   1. Punctuality: Being on time for appointments and respecting clients’ schedules.
   2. Honesty and Transparency: Being truthful about service costs, expected results, and potential risks.
   3. Respectful Communication: Speaking politely and professionally to clients and colleagues, avoiding gossip or negative comments.
   4. Professional Boundaries: Maintaining appropriate professional distance and avoiding overly personal interactions.
4. Quality Standards:
   1. Delivering Consistent Service: Providing high-quality services consistently to meet or exceed client expectations.
   2. Continuous Learning: Staying updated with new techniques, products, and industry trends through ongoing education.
   3. Fair Pricing: Charging reasonable and transparent prices for services rendered.

Teaching Methods/Instructional Techniques

Discussion, Explanation, Question and Answer, Group Work, Role Play, Guided Practice

Instructional Procedures

Step 1: Introduction

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Engaging learners

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher greets the students and asks them to share what they understand by “good behaviour” or “doing the right thing” in their daily lives. The teacher then introduces the topic: “Desirable Ethics In Life And Business.”

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils respond to the teacher’s questions and listen attentively to the introduction.

Learning Point: Lesson introduction

Step 2: Meaning of Ethics

Time: 10 minutes

Teaching Skill: Explanation/Definition

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher explains the meaning of ethics, defining it as moral principles guiding conduct. The teacher uses simple examples to illustrate the concept, such as telling the truth or keeping promises.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen, ask questions for clarification, and contribute their understanding of the term.

Learning Point: Meaning of ethics

Step 3: Ethics in Life and Business

Time: 10 minutes

Teaching Skill: Discussion/Elaboration

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher explains how ethics applies to both personal life and business. The teacher highlights the importance of ethics in building trust, reputation, and client relationships, especially in the beauty and cosmetology field.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils participate in a brief discussion, sharing their thoughts on why ethics is important in different aspects of life and business.

Learning Point: Ethics in business

Step 4: Examples of Desirable Ethics in Beauty and Cosmetology

Time: 10 minutes

Teaching Skill: Exemplification/Discussion

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher presents various examples of desirable ethics specifically relevant to beauty and cosmetology, such as client care, hygiene, safe tool usage, respectful conduct, and quality standards, using charts and newspaper articles as visual aids.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils observe the charts and articles, identify the examples, and discuss how these ethics apply to real-life beauty salon scenarios.

Learning Point: Desirable ethics examples

Step 5: Group Discussion on Ethics

Time: 10 minutes

Teaching Skill: Group facilitation

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher divides students into groups and guides them to engage in group discussion on the meaning and examples of desirable ethics in life and business, as per Activity 2. Each group prepares to share their findings.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils discuss within their groups, sharing personal experiences and identifying more examples of desirable ethics.

Learning Point: Group discussion skills

Step 6: Class Presentation and Role Play

Time: 10 minutes

Teaching Skill: Demonstration/Role-playing

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher guides students to take turns from each group to make a class presentation, sharing personal experiences related to desirable ethics. The teacher then facilitates short role-playing scenarios where students demonstrate good and bad ethics in a beauty and cosmetology setting, allowing others to identify desirable and undesirable behaviours (Activity 1 & Skills).

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils present their group findings and actively participate in or observe the role-playing, identifying ethical and unethical actions.

Learning Point: Ethical conduct demonstration

Step 7: Evaluation/Review

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Questioning/Assessment

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher evaluates the learning by asking the following questions:

1. What is ethics?
2. Mention two desirable ethics in life.
3. Identify three desirable ethics specific to the beauty and cosmetology business.
4. Why is ethical conduct important for a cosmetologist?

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils answer orally and in writing.

Learning Point: Ethics understanding

Step 8: Note-Taking

Time: 10 minutes

Teaching Skill: Guided Writing

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher guides pupils/students to copy the essential Board Summary notes on desirable ethics in life and business into their notebooks.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils/students copy the notes carefully into their notebooks.

Learning Point: Note-taking skills

Step 9: Conclusion

Time: 5 minutes

Teaching Skill: Consolidation

Teacher’s Activity: The teacher summarises the key points of the lesson, reiterating that ethical behaviour is fundamental for personal success and professional credibility in the beauty and cosmetology industry. The teacher encourages students to always strive for high ethical standards.

Pupils’ Activity: Pupils listen and reflect on the importance of ethics.

Learning Point: Ethics importance

Continuous Assessment/Further Study

Type: Homework

Instruction: Answer the following questions in your notebook:

1. In your own words, explain the meaning of ethics.
2. List five desirable ethical practices that a beauty therapist should always uphold when dealing with clients.
3. Describe a situation where a cosmetologist might face an ethical dilemma and suggest how they should handle it ethically.

Lesson Keywords

• Ethics – Moral principles that govern a person’s behaviour or the conducting of an activity.
• Desirable – Worth having or doing; pleasing, good.
• Confidentiality – Keeping clients’ personal information private.
• Hygiene – Practices conducive to maintaining health and preventing disease, especially through cleanliness.
• Professionalism – The competence or skill expected of a professional.

Differentiation

For struggling learners: Provide simplified definitions and more direct examples. Pair them with stronger students during group discussions and offer sentence starters for their presentations. Focus on identifying just two or three key ethical principles.

For advanced learners: Encourage them to research and present on specific ethical codes of conduct for beauty professionals. Challenge them to create more complex ethical dilemmas for role-playing and propose detailed solutions, considering long-term impacts.

Suggested Lesson Videos

Search on YouTube for: “Ethics in Beauty and Cosmetology SS1” or “Professional Ethics for Cosmetologists”