Lauren, I think a good guest speaker or field trip provides one or more teaching moments that are beyond what the student could acquire in their regular classroom,. lab, or extern training site. Our purpose as educators is to provide a sound, systematic, and organized curriculum, but really, cannot provide everything a student may need to know for success in the work setting. That's where these field trips and guest can provide information about a segment that perhaps is not emphasized as much in school, but nonetheless is valuable information. Barry Westling