As educators, we are always looking for methods to improve the learning experience for the students and methods to grab their focus so that they pay attention and get excited about learning. Bringing in speakers for schools into our assemblies and classrooms is clearly a benefit to our students.
Sometimes we are reluctant to take the focus away from the curriculum because we already have such a limited time to impart all of the needed information to our students. We wonder if taking up valuable class time to hear speakers for schools is a valid use of our time. I can say that, yes, it is definitely worth the effort, if done correctly.
Guest Speakers for Schools Offer a Different Perspective
As we all know, we simply cannot reach every student in every subject. Sometimes our knowledge is limited, or perhaps our experience is not relatable. Guest speakers for schools offer students a different perspective and a different set of experiences. Each speaker comes with his or her own unique set of experiences and knowledge base to pass along to the students. Therefore, these speakers open the door to new learning opportunities, another way to influence the students.
Bringing guest speakers to schools does not take away from the curriculum, but rather enhances it. These speakers provide students with alternative ways to learn and help students understand the concepts and ideas you have worked so hard to teach.
Guest Speakers for Schools Provide Connections to the Real World
Can you hear that familiar refrain? "When am I ever going to use this in the real world?" Bringing in speakers to schools helps show students that individuals other than teachers, principals, and parents feel learning is important. Guest speakers let students know that what they learn now will help them throughout life.
Listening to someone new can motivate students and excite them about the possibilities for the future. Many guest speakers share their life stories and the difficulties they had to overcome to get to where they are now. These are the real stories that our students need to hear. They make mistakes, but so does everyone else. They don't understand everything and have trouble learning, just like them. Listening to someone else speak can open up students' eyes to a completely new world of possibilities.
Teachers can use these events to support prior learning or to open new avenues. Learning experiences can happen both before and after the event, connecting the information imparted by speakers for schools with classroom learning, connecting real life with the classroom.
Obviously, one important key to ensuring that bringing in a speaker is a good use of your and your students' valuable time in choosing the right speaker. One excellent resource is working with The Relevant Speakers Network, which has several talented speakers to choose from. There are more traditional motivational speakers, who bring their unique life stories and how they overcame hardship and difficulty, but there are also the less conventional speakers who reach the students through music. Whatever you are looking for, it is an excellent place to start your search, so please contact us today!
