Workplace verses classroom
It may not be possible to create a real work environment in the music business out of a classroom. What I have done is positioned myself as an example of a music industry "gatekeeper" that they may encounter in the real world. Soft skills, presentations, dialog, protocols that the student will have to master to make a favorable impression on industry decision makers are to an extent role played on me and personal "practice" connections.
I like your creativity. Do you provide challenge differently in each project or assignment or do you try to give the student the same projected personality throughout the course? I could certainly see using this kind of idea in the business courses that I teach. Great idea.
This is an important part of my course because their are sometime extreme differences between the book world and the on the job actual experience. I try to make sure to discuss the difference at length through the course
Hi Arthur,
I am with you all the way on the use of scenarios in teaching. Your example shows just how effective these can be. This is real life and everyone has to develop their problem solving skills if they are going to be successful in the work place. The more real we can make it the less traumatic the transition will be to workplace.
Gary
The learning environment in the classroom is established to provide an opportunity to explore different possibilities, make mistakes, and find individualized approaches. More classrooms need the opportunity to explore reality instead of focusing on theory.
The subjects I teach as an adjunct are in the Human Resource or Business leadership areas. With 25+ years experiance as an HR Executive and Consultant, it is my sense that just talking about or even testing about Sexual Harassment or compensation ranges is not near as effective as setting up role plays, project teams, etc. around those topics. For example: You're the HR manager and Mary walks into your office with a harassment complaint. What are your considerations about employment law, company policies, your responsibility as a company manager, fairness to both parties in the complaint, etc. with Mary sitting in front of you. This type of scenario injects the emotions of the moment as well as the subject matter particulars. Or I might divide the class into teams to create pay grades based on different criteria and then have the teams compare their results to determine which approach might be easier, more appropriate, more effective, etc. Business scenarios can be easily created in the classroom if you are engaging and focused on their learning as opposed to your delivery.
in our design-based school it's helpful to play the roll of the "client" in the classroom. while the concepts are being explored i tell the students i'm reacting to the work as a client would. it's a nice way to take their education out of the "vacuum" of a school and introduce the very relevant reality of variables in the professional world.
The classroom is the place to make mistakes in preparing for better outcomes in the workplace. Learning will improve with fewer risks of errors when it really counts.
Hi Jim,
By using yourself in this role you are showing the students what they can expect in the real world. This is part of their maturing and learning process so you are right on target with your strategy.
Gary
