Get Your Students Hired
I teach in a culinary school. The course I teach is typically seen as irrelevant to cooking and to their careers. The course is extremely relevant, but they don't yet have the real-world experience to know this. Sadly, most of them are convinced they'll never need this info. I have had really good results with inviting former students come in and speak to the class, but I can't always count on getting a guest speaker. Any ideas on how to have the effect of a guest speaker without a guest speaker?
Hi Melissa,
I like the idea of your students taking field trips to see the professional in action. Some times students have to see it to understand it and believe it.
Patricia Scales
I also teach some classes that students don't seem to understand the relevance to their future careers. It is cosmetology, so they assume it will be fun all the time, but we actually must know color theory and chemistry to truly understand. I am fortunate to be able to bring in guest speakers frequently, but when this is not possible, I will have the students go to them instead. Sometimes just seeing the stylists in their own environment will reiterate what I have been trying to share with them. The students will see the stylist formulating colors, and talking themselves through the chemistry to make it work. It is very impactful, and they enjoy the opportunity to leave their own environment.
Hi Carmen,
Students love it when we have guest speakers, especially graduate guest speakers. Guest speakers really do put book theory into perspective for students.
Patricia Scales
I agree with that. I think that it's great to use outside sources to help bring the content to view. I am sure they really enjoyed the cookies as well!
Great post!
Hi Debra,
What a great lesson to make students grasp the concept. When you make learning apply to real world students get it.
Patricia Scales
Use examples of what past students have done to complete requirements, and you can also use your own real life examples to what you are teaching and how it relates to life.
I was teaching math to a group of boys who saw no relevance of it to life, therefore they were failing.
I had them bake cookies, using measuring spoons and cups equating that to their tanks of gas.
How much it would take to fill the tank-1/4. 1/2, etc....they were baking cookies and learning how this could relate to life, then enjoyed the cookies and shared them with the class!
They got it!