A guest speaker helps to motivate the student, giving them a sense of what's to come, not right now. The student will see what the future will bring if they finish school.
It helps the student feel that their time in the classroom learning is well spent. There is a light at the end of the long road and it can lead to success in their chosen career. The speaker can validate their frustrations or exhaustion but also inspire them to push through it.
A guest speaker can help because the student can hear the material from another source that is currently in the field .This can help summarize course content.
Hi Jeannette,
Guest speakers inspire students to believe that there is a light at the end of the tunnel.
Patricia Scales
Hi Andrea,
I concur! Guest speakers can bring book theory into real life happenings.
Patricia Scales
There is great value in having guest speakers. They are a motivational source that shows the students that putsthe students in their shoes for a moment. It helps them imagine themselves accomplishing their goals by giving them the drive back to continueing on with their course.
Not only can guest speakers shed a different light on topics, but they can take the same topic and explain in a completely different way. Add to that their real-life experience, and you have a whole new way to reach your students.
I had a speaker come into my class. I taught her previously and she was able to show them that they can get a job in the field of their study. She explained her job description and why it was important to study hard and to succeed in the class.
A guest speaker adds value to a course because it allows students the opportunity to see someone who was like them and is now out there in the field
Hi Helen,
We want our students to emulate guest speakers. Guest speakers are an array of sunshine.
Patricia Scales
Hi Rauslyn,
Guest speakers are the abosolute best. Students are truly moved by guest speakers.
Patricia Scales
i agree students need to see what they can have if they try they will suceed maybe to aspire to emulate success.
A guest speaker is always beneficial to all the students in the class, assuming, of course, that he/she communicates his/her knowledge well and presents information that the students will find beneficial to them.
I do not believe bring a guest speaker to class will discourage a student about to quit. This is a difficult area. If I see a student whose grades, attendance, attention are changing, I will talk to that student to see if everything is okay.
Guest speakers can motivate students and bring interest back into the field of study, by sharing their success stories.
I believe that having guest speakers actually sparks the students attention. It makes the students engage in questions about the field that they are going into. It makes them rethink the reason why they are in school.
I have had some really great success utilizing a graduate as a guest speaker. The students seem to relate better to a graduate then someone that has been in the field for 20 years....They already have that with staff. I do caution though, be picky on the graduate that you choose. Make sure that they are successful and are negative on their education or experiences in the field.
Hi Dawn,
Awesome! Students enjoy hearing from professionals in field. Guest speakers can certainly add to any course.
Patricia Scales
Hi Nancy,
Guest speakers are priceless! I like how you find resourceful guest speakers as they have expertise in the subject matter.
Patricia Scales
I had a guest speaker come in a few mods ago to address my students. She authored a book about her diagnosis and subsequent recovery from Thyroid Cancer. In her book she discusses how her treatment by medical professionals, including medical assistants, could make or break her experience with whatever procedure she was having done. A few kind words or patience made things so much better for her.
She was able to relay this to the students from a patient perspective and made them think about how they interact with each other, their bosses and patients. She also autographed a copy of her book for each student who attended. The feedback was amazing. She really helped the students realize what a difference they can make in a patient's life by just thinking about how they're interacting.
Using a guest speaker can add a "change of atmosphere" to the classroom setting while allowing the student to refocus "what's wrong" with "what might be in this for me if I hang in there". Guest speakers can offer a different perspective on the subject matter and shed new light on the relevance of the course material.
