Chapter 4 - Student Preparation

Figure 4.1.  Millbrook High School ELP Teacher, Elaine Rogers, critiques
a student's questions before classroom visit by State Senator Eric Reeves

 

What do students need to do?

 

                As indicated in the previous chapter, Identifying and Preparing Guest Teachers, students have a very important role to play in a Community-in-the-Classroom Program. The following student guide was created by one of my American history classes.

STUDENT GUEST SPEAKER PLANNING GUIDE

"Creating a Learning Community"

GOAL:  To maximize student learning and establish the importance of good character and citizenship through the use of guest speakers in the classroom.

PROCEDURE:

A.       Students will become familiar with the guest speaker's background and his/her connection with  our studies.

B.       Students will prepare questions which will be reviewed by the teacher.The teacher will send them to the speaker or discuss major question themes with the speaker before his/her classroom visit

C.       Questions will be returned to each student at the beginning of the period(s) of the guest  speaker's visit. (This allows students to feel more comfortable asking questions in class.)

D.      Students and speaker will understand that plenty of time will be allotted for questions and discussion.

E.       After the guest speaker's presentation, each student will write a reflective letter discussing what he/she learned from this experience and additional questions he/she may have. The teacher will mail these student letters to the classroom visitor.

F.       Expanding our learning community: Student will write articles for the PTA Newsletter, School Paper, or local newspaper about the positive contributions of our community resources to our studies.

Figure 4.2.  World War II Veteran, HT Conner, and wife Delores, had such a meaningful experience with Millbrook High School students that they followed their classroom visit with a letter to Wake County Public School's Associate Superintendent, Dr. Bill McNeal, commenting, "We left the campus with a renewed faith in young people and the schools, as well as the role the classroom teacher plays in preparing our children and youth for the future".