Guest Speakers
Inviting guest sepakers into the classroom definetly gets the students more excited about their carer field. It also gives them the opportunity to network and to gain valauble feedback from industry professionals.
Denise,
Yes, I have experienced that same kind of reinforcement, and it does boost the credibility and confidence students have in their instructor. Just another side benefit of scheduling guest speakers.
Barry Westling
I have had many guest speakers in my classes. I find that some time the students think the instructor have been out of the field to long and they have lost touch with it. Having the guest speakers re-affirms that the instructor is in-touch and helps the students have a new prospective.
Hi Ron:
I think recent grads bring an extra special dimension to being guest speakers becuase they have an enthusiasm and excitement about their new found career. Students love to hear positve, uplifting stories of success, and the recent graduate make that possibility a greater reality in the minds of the students.
Regards, Barry
Great idea. The students gain so much support from a guest speaker. I am lucky enough to have former graduates, as guest speakers who are working in the field of which my students are studying. That is a big plus!
Hi Tracy:
Yes, a guest speaker has quite a motivational "power" when exposed to interested students. Sometimes a guest can bring new life to struggling students when the realize what great possibilites await them.
Also, sometimes a guest speaker will validate informaion the teacher has been presenting, and that helps build trust and respect for the teacher. That ain't bad, either!
Regards, Barry
Students gain insight as to the possibilities presented by the guest speaker. Many times, a student will be able to see themselves in the role of the career in which the Guest Speaker is addressing. Also, the presence of a guest speaker brings the reality into the class room that goals can be achieved if they persevere and stay focused.
Hi Bob:
Guest speakers do provide a unique learning activity and often validate some points the teacher may have been emphasizing.
Staying connected in with networking, local civic clubs, and prominent or active individuals in your community are great resources to tap when time to schedule such a visit. The best thing about speakers is they can motivate and inspire students in a way that other learning activities cannot.
Regards, Barry
Thats exactly why I use them. I teach in the Paralegal and crim justice fields so it is good to get local attorneys, judges, court personel and law enforcement officers to come in and speak to the classes. They give them a window into what is really going on and what the job market is like.
Hi Bob:
Guest speakers, yes, very useful.
Students usually realy enjoy the guest speaker experience. It's a different voice from the regular teacher and sometimes validation of key points brought out in class are reinforced by the speaker.
Students get motivated and even inspired by speakers who convey an image of an awesome potential work career aqhead of them. This can be a powerful drive to reengage students to do better in class too.
Regards, Barry
Guest speakers have a great value. They can give that real world view to the students. Here is what we are looking for in our poential employees, here is what you will be looking at out in the "real world". It gives some value to what they are learning. I see that what I am learning in this class will help me in my carer.
Hi Denise:
Most invitations will be accepted, because I think people generally like to talk about themselves, what they do, and how much they enjoy their jobs.
Guests are almost always very motivational. Students begin to relate to the profession they're being trained for in a new and productive manner.
Boy, whenever you can schedule an activity that does that, I think that's very rich and rewarding for all.
Regards, Barry
Hi Eural:
Certainly having another voice can add something special to a class.
Guest speakers bring a perspective that cannot be gained in the classroom or lab setting. They bring real world work situations that catch the attention of students and sometimes, open their eyes to a whole world that the student may not have grasped fully or even vaguely. Truely motivalional.
Regards, Barry
Hi Gary:
One thing I've done to make sure certain topics get covered is to tell the speaker that the students are going to be tested on...X, Y, and Z, so if possible can the speaker at least touch on these? This usually works. This helps validate your cooments as their main teacher.
But part of the benefit of the speaker in the first place is having them bring their unique perspective into the classroom, to share information, answer questions, and give reinforcement that getting through the course is a very possible reality.
Regards, Barry
Hi Denise:
This activity, along with field trips can be just absolutely magical in providing valuable information to students. It creates a real world perspective and perhaps answers questions that have been wanting to be asked for a long while.
I think it can also give the student a sort of vision or image of wortking in theier chosen field, and that's a powerful image that can be so inspirational and motivate the student to want to try harder in class. Instilling hope and optimism is a pretty strong motivator for anyone.
Regards, Barry
Hi Fonda:
Sure, and the more students learn about the profession their studying for, the better prepared they will want to be in class in order to be better workers.
Guest speakers have a way of motivating that is different from just about any other learning activity. More teachers should use this activity more often.
Regards, Barry
Hi Cathryn:
I think that excitment is generated in part because, maybe for the first time for some students, they have a real vision for a good career and hope and optimism for themselves and family. Many times, they begin to apply themselves to a greater degree based on this invaluable experience.
Regards, Barry
I have already invited a guest speaker to speak with my class. I think this would be invaluable information to pass on, and also to educate and show the students where they are headed in the field that they have chosen. I am waiting to hear back.
I find that guest speakers really give my students to see that there is a lot of choices out there in their career field. It is amazing how excited I can get the students about learning when they understand what is out in the real world and relate it to what we are teaching.
Hi Claudia:
What I like about guest speakers is they convey a vision that what the tudent is studying and working towrads is possible. They can validate information the teacher has been emphsizing. They can provide convey current trens and sometimes more accurate inforamtion about the work setting (employment, pitfalls, tips for success, etc.).
Regards, Barry
