The value of guest speakers
I have found it helpful to invite quest speakers to class to share their real-world experiences with my students. It is very important to select good speakers and it is also helpful to give them a "tips" sheet covering specific topics that I know my students will be interested in knowing. Q&A sessions are also very useful although I am occasionally surprised at what students will ask!
I totally agree that guest speakers are a wonderful addition to reinforce what you are teaching. Former students add so much.
I agree that guest speakers add to the delivery of the subject matter. It provides interesting topics for discussion once the speaker opens the forum for questions.
Hi Tim,
To help ease your apprehensive about guest speakers you can give them specific topics that you want them to cover so that things are kept positive and on point.
Patricia
What a great idea. I had always been apprehensive about guest speakers, but am intrigued about bringing in former student to share their knowledge.
Guest speakers are great! What a great tool for reinforcement on any topic. Intersting idea of bringing back former students to be a guest speaker!
I teach Customer Service and always invite a panel of 3-4 guest speakers for the final class. My speakers come from all types of businesses, and I try to get owners as well as employees to get all perspectives. The students prepare questions, and I serve as moderator and Devil's advocate. The students are always amazed that the guest speakers echo the same points I have preached all semester long!
Hi Amy,
Super! I teach the same course! I have at least 3-4 guest speakers come out within a five week grading period. Students love hearing from other professionals other than just us. I normally have a graduate guest speaker, someone to speak on resume writing, someone to speak on interviewing tips, and an employer to conduct mock interviews. What an awesome course, and students love it!
Patricia
Guest speakers are great. I teach a course on Professional Development. We discuss and complete resumes, cover letters, portfolios, etc. and of course, interviewing. I give them so many examples and real-life stories. Somehow, they just don't seem to believe me. I love to find people that actually hire people for a living. It is great when they back me up saying, "yes-your voice mail on your cell phone, if unprofessional, can prevent you from getting the position."
Somehow they tend to believe the outside person more so than they believe me.
Hi Robert,
What great use of guest speakers. I like how you use people from all areas in this industry. Guest speakers are priceless.
Patricia
I teach automotive technology and it has been so useful to select good quality guest speakers. I've had everyone from technicians, service advisors, service managers, owners, and even retired automotive instructors to serve as guest speakers and the wealth of knowledge is essential to helping the students see with their own eyes that there is light at the end of the tunnel.
I agree with you! We recently implemented former students as guest speakers and what an impact it has made to current students. We also give them tips as to what current students should focus on and have a Q&A portion as well. It is true that it is amazing what questions they have in mind. It also helped me to get new ideas to get current students motivated.
Guest speakers are an integral part of the program (i.e. nursiing) and allows students the opportunity to see value in the learning and career choice.For example, when an practitioners involvement in the program is organized in two parts. The first part covers the investors basic approach to value investing and a discussion of their style. The second part involves practitioners taking students through actual investment decisions, including decisions to purchase securities, how large a position to take, and decisions not to purchase securities. At the end of the second part, time is allowed for open-ended student questions.
