Why are guest speakers so important for our eduation?
Author: Ian Taylor, Father, husband and conservationist
Read time: 4 minutes
Flooglebinder curate educational adventures to create change for people and planet, which includes audits, workshops and residentials. As a BCorp organisation we use business as a force for good, meet the highest standards of verified performance, accountability and transparency, whilst tracking and monitoring our social and environmental impact.
We asked hundreds of students - why are guest speakers so important within the education sector and here is what they said…
Guest speakers should deliver two things… knowledge on their subject and the ability to inspire. I’ve found that inspiration and being inspired is born out of change and the ability to see things differently, it’s not a product of routine.
“Being able to speak with someone within my field gave me the inspiration to do well in my degree and the belief that we can go on and do it too”
I remember giving my first ever lesson. It must have been just what they were expecting, scripted and boring. This was because I was so nervous and just focussed on the lesson plan rather than allowing my personality to come through. It took me until the end of my first year to figure it out and from that point on, I just fell in love with it. I LOVED lecturing and I was alright at it :) - I found the balance between interaction, enthusiasm and thought provoking facts.
“I find that if you can speak passionately about something you believe in or something that you have experienced in then you have an audience.”
Our talks on conservation, biodiversity and behavioural ecology are shaped, designed and influenced by what we have seen and done in the field. Don’t get me wrong, books play such a pivotal role in our education and daily lives and they are truly wonderful but what are we after when we meet someone who has been there and done it? We want everything that we don’t get from a book, an insight into that person's journey, their analogies, a different tone of voice and of course, the opportunity to interact and ask questions. Interaction promotes confidence and confidence is key for student progression.
“It’s a different type of learning. I remember just putting my pen down and just listened to his stories from the field. I find these sessions to be one of the most motivational parts of my course”
The energy that a good guest speaker encapsulates can do so much to aid learning. In our opinion they are a key component in merging theory and practical sessions.
But where does your education, guest speakers and field experience take you? We believe it’s your opportunity to do what you want in life. A degree will open doors, but it’s you and your experiences that will get you through it and get the job. I have never talked about my degree in an interview, despite two of them being for lecturing jobs! It’s you they are interested in. If I didn't become a field guide I wouldn't have got my lecturing roles.
We design our talks to give everyone in the room the inspiration to think they are good enough and they can do it too.
