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Viatouch
Teacher Articles
Teaching Tips
The Day Off: Guest Speakers in the Classroom
by Gabrielle Linnell
Whether you teach honors physics or remedial English, virtually every subject in academia has a profession linked to it. For example, hosting a nuclear physicist is a great way to introduce your young physics students to the "practical" side of the subject. It allows everyone—the students and yourself—to see the subject taught by another instructor.
Parents, siblings, career organizations (like the American Medical Association), and local colleges are great resources in finding appropriate speakers for your class. To ensure that your guest speakers and your students get the most out of the experience, here are five tips.
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Communicate your needs. Arrange to speak to the prospective guest speaker via phone, email, or in person. Make sure that you both understand and agree on: the specific time and class when the speaker will visit, the general area of discussion, the time for Q&A, the technology or equipment necessary for the speaker's presentation, and acceptable student behavior. Many schools also require a background check for such visitors, so arrange for the necessary paperwork to be completed.
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Get the students excited. Everyone gets a "day off": you from teaching and the students from their normal routine. Drop hints in your announcements. Schedule your weekly syllabus so that the speaker comes in at the right (and relevant) time.
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Welcome the speaker. Make signs, bring food, and play fun music to welcome your guest. Double-check that all the things you agreed upon (necessary projectors, time limits, class behavior) are present and working, and tell the speaker if something has changed ( e.g., the computer system is down.) Have the class greet the speaker as a whole.
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Enforce good behavior. This is not the time to visit Starbucks, however. You should be in the room to monitor your students' behavior. Never put the speaker in the position of having to discipline your class-that is your job. Apologize to your guest if a student is misbehaving.
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Make good memories. After the speaker has finished, take a picture of him or her with your class. Later, have your students sign a thank-you card and mail it to your guest. If there's an extra credit project you can add to the unit, go for it! Make this experience a great one for everyone involved.
Gabrielle Linnell has written for many educational magazines including Cobblestone, FACES, Library Sparks, Fandangle, Stories for Children and more. She is the editor of "Innovative: A Word for the WriTeen", a webzine for teen writers. Visit her at www.innovativeteen.blogspot.com.
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