Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Hi Latif,
Successful students are powerful role models for new students. The new students can see how through hard work they themselves can be successful once they complete their training.
Gary

Latif Rahman

I strongly agree with Michele in this respect but they have to be successful in their field of study,that is going to cause positive impact for new students.

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Hi Edwin,
What a great arrangement you have with your potential employers. I really like the way the one company brings in graduates and the video is a powerful tool to motivate the current students. Thanks for sharing.
Gary

Edwin Thomas

We frequently have potential employers come to our school to make presentations to recruit our graduates. One company in particular makes it a point to bring back recent graduates to speak. The recent graduates (one year or less in the field) have a credability and a relevancy that is unmatched. This employer has gone so far as to produce a video that highlights the success of a number of our graduates with their company. Some have risen to very responsible positions. The success of those who have gone before is a powerful motivator.

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Hi Tammie,
What a great story. You got into this great business of being a teacher in segments. Guest speaker, sub and full time. You must be a great teacher since the school realized your potential and offered you a position. I wish you the best as an educator, it is a great profession to be in.
Gary

Tammie Martinez

This is how I became an instructor. Started as a guest speaker then filling in as a sub; then was offered a job.

Manuel Espinoza

This has been a valuable tool for me. It gives the student an outlook as to where they can go. It has proven to motivate my students to attend and take class seriosly.

Michele Sandberg

Yes, I have brought former students into my class and the results were very positive. Students really saw prior students who have become successful in the industry as role models

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Hi Richard,
I haven't had the experience you have had with students feeling that the grads that come back to talk with them about the "real world" they are about to enter. My students have always been appreciative
for the insights and experiences that were being shared.
I still believe firmly in using these graduates to tell the story. If student feel that they are just there to show off then I would be worried about their maturity and ability to be successful in the culinary field.
Gary

Richard Cifuentes

I have found this method to be both effective and not. In a Culinary Arts college like ours, bringing in students who have graduated to discuss the reality of the industry has made some students focus and ask many questions. They then change the way they see the value of the work they are doing on a daily basis.

The down side is we also have other students who feel put off by the visiting grads because the current students see the visiting grads as being there only to show off. Some current students actually take offense at someone only recently graduated telling them anything at all about the career the visitors have only recently entered.

Does any one else have similar reactions form their students or have any suggestions about how to make better use of this possible resource?

bob stevens CHEP

Having an ex student as a guest speaker can be a big help in motivating your present class.Just be very careful of which ex student you ask because the wrong selection can do more harm than good. If you you do not remember your ex very well it is better to wait until you can find one that you know will be a benefit.

Robert Cool CHEP

A very good way to bring the student on track is to see and hear from someone who has made the grade!

Davinder Parkash

we are using formet students with demonstrations and leadership classes to model behaviours expected

Davinder Parkash

definitely yes, former students bring their experiences of successes and failures and self reflections that helps then express themselves more clearly and loudly to the new students. New students will get ideas from former students learning experiences and suggestions where steps can be taken in advance to improve learning

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Hi Kathleen,
What a great resource to have graduates so available. I am a strong believer in having graduates talk to students and share their experiences. My graduates enjoy coming back to speak to the classes but it does involve travel and time on their part. By having them so close you can call upon them and not take too much of their time and travel. Glad to hear about how you are using them.
Gary

Kathleen Lally-Arena

I have students that have already graduated from my program available for my current students for any QnA. They (my former students) are already on the floors working so they are a wonderful resource for allaying new nurse fears of my current students.

I feel that the graduated students are an invaluable resource and also greatly help me to keep up with the facility changes such as computer documentation, etc..., that occur.

Plus and added benefit is that the relationship is now that of a peer and no longer teacher/student. The respect of both parties shown to each other is quite evident to the student.

Cynthia Conner-Anderson

I think this is an excellent idea. I was planning to have a former student as a guest speaker to give first hand insight on what to expect in the actual work field.

michael hollingsworth

I agree with you jimmy. I find being a former student, at the school that I teach at, gives valadation to the rules and polices that I must enforce and once had to follow as a student.

Petulah Quammie

I agree Jimmy, having former students come back as a speaker is good in two ways, it serves an inspiration to the presents student to hear and see what they can stive to achieve for, and it serve as a sense of achievement to the former student that they were able to give back to the school the helped them to get to where they are .