Honestly, I spend almost 50% of my time motivating my students, and it gets exhausting.
I have turned to using guest speakers for a variety of reasons. However, using someone who has distance and objectivity can bring insight to the instructor as much as relief.
For the students, a guest speaker appears to bring the outside world into them. This person can present their expertise in a way that is engaging, innovative, and still instructional.
A guest speaker can be an excellent resource for students. A guest speaker can take content being covered in a course and show a real world application for the knowledge. This experience for a student who is aboue to drop a course may be enough to encourage the student to stay with it.
I agree! Guest speakers are excellent motivators. My favorite are previous students because they can tell students that they have been in their shoes, and can also speak on how their lives will change when they have completed training in their new career field.
Guest speakers can come into your class and speak to your students on the importance of perseverance. They can be relateable to the students and show them that, they too, can make it.
A guest speaker has the value of gold. The speaker gives students real life success stories and examples.
Guest speakers can help students realize that hard work does pay off and it gives students someone who they can relate to. Sometimes I feel students are unable to relate to instructors because students feel instructors are detached from the field.
I feel speakers are an amazing asset in a classroom setting. Teaching at a Technical school, it gives the students a great "real-world" outlook of what they can expect in their fields. Whether it be benefits packages, compensation, and what is expected of them, in my opinion, it shows what they can really expect and will either excite them more, or show them that this may not be the best career choice for them and they may have time to change their degree program.
Hi Laura,
Absolutely! Guest speakers are priceless, and they can preach that there is a light at the end of the tunnel.
Patricia Scales
Because I teach adults in the medical field, its important to hear other experiences from the professionals. It helps the student to engage with the career of choice.Having a speaker from the medical field shows what they should expect.
A guest speaker can show them how rewarding their hard work and perseverance can be.
Ms. Scales, I have used our campus President to discuss how our university solicits and uses students' feedback. As stakeholders, our students' opinions are critical and assuring a venue for students to voice them and know the outcomes have been motivating for our students.
I have also used graduates who, like many of our students, had to make sacrifices to come to school, stay, and graduate. Their stories are real / powerful.
I do the same. I teach baking & pastry and try to bring in differnt guest speakers from various backgrounds so the students can see the different areas of expertise there are in pastry. It helps them know that there isn't just one path they have to follow. It helps them out with their career paths and also helps with opening up more discussions in the classroom.
The motivation and excitement that a guest speaking can bring into the class is invaluable. The students get a chance to speak with someone that is working in their chosen field and may have a different perspective than their regular instructor.
I find that it gives students a new voice and a new perspective. Often times students get discouraged and bored listening to me day aftr day. Bringing in a guest speaker livens things up, makes the course interesting, and brings insight and discussion topics to the class that we have not had before.
It will also give the students the confidence they need to overcome obstacles they are facing in order to achieve their goals. Seeing someone like them who has made it will only ramp up their enthusiasm to go the distance and obtain the goals that they know they can reach.
Guest speakers are great resources for the "discourged" and "I think I want to quit", students. It's more of a reality when guest speakers do their presentations. They exude a level of confidence based on the challenges and obstacles they had to face while in school. Discussing how they overcame these encounters and where they are now, is just one of the highlights of the presenation. This gives students a positive outlook on their career of choice. It leaves them with something to strongly consider. You're not the first and will not be the last to encounter certain challenges. Even though unforeseen circumstances may arise, you're still able to pull through.
Hi Judy,
Students love and really learn a lot from stories that apply to the course/lesson. I can see how a physician can make a big impact on students as a guest speaker.
Patricia Scales
I agree. I had the opportunity to teach a Career Portfolio class where students had to complete mock interviews as part of the final project. I asked my father, who has been in the business world for over 30 years, to come in an speak to my class about what potential employers may look for during the interview. This experience opened up a whole different perspective for my students and they were so interested and engaged in the presentation that I brought my dad back to help me with the mock interview panel for the final project for the course!
Guest speakers are excellent tools for instructors to use to allow students to see how the materials being taught will be utilized in the field. I really like to have a physician come in and speak to my students because students are really impressed when an actual physician takes the time to come in and talk with them. It really helps the students understand the importance of their prospective field when an expert from that field comes to talk to them.
Usuing "real world" examples and stories are always helpful to every student not just the ones who are struggling. In all of my student surveys my students always commment on how much they learn from my stories from my field experience.
Guest speakers are a great way to get students excited about their career. It makes them realize that all of their hard work will pay off.
This has been one of the most effective classroom tools. This gives the students first hand opportunity to speak and ask questions from a professional that's currently in the field.
