It’s fascinating to read about the ways successful companies problem solve, overcome obstacles and impact the marketplace. Your students will be making those solutions happen in the near future. Isn’t that fun to think about? Help them see themselves in those roles by diving into case studies. Check out these free resources (they have great sources for both students and teachers!): CasePlace.org and The Times 100 Business Studies Resources Centre.
CasePlace.org is designed for students and teachers in an MBA setting, but has loads of case studies available to read (via great search features) and provides teaching modules for expanded learning. The Times 100 Business Studies Resources Centre has lesson plans and quizzes in addition to the archives of case studies.
One idea to urge students to see themselves in a future career is to have them read one or two case studies of their choice. As they read, have them think about the problem that was overcome or the new way the company was able to influence their market. From there, start a discussion on what types of people or specific jobs were involved in the study. It may open students’ eyes to career possibilities they never knew existed.
Exploration via Case Studies
Judging a Book Completely by Its Cover
As a teacher, you wear a million different hats. Not the least of which is that of marketing professional. You have content that your students need for their life experiences and you work to fulfill that need by engaging them in a learning adventure. Marketing 101.
Did you realize the colors you use in your classroom and on the materials you provide play a key role in their connection to the content that you share? It’s a big conversation in the book publishing industry now – What colors do we use on a book cover to entice customers? What color will best connect with our target audience? Check out this reference chart. It’s written, based on research conducted by publishers, for those who design book covers, but the concepts apply in the classroom as we design handouts, bulletin boards and learning centers. Do you often run content outlines or handouts on yellow paper (or green, blue, salmon, goldenrod, etc.)? Who in your class does that most connect with? Who could you better connect with if you used a different color on your next copy job? What messages could you send your classes with the predominant color that’s up on your bulletin board right now? How about the PowerPoint you put together for an upcoming unit opener? Color can do so much to impact the messages we send our students!
For more detail, check out the expanded report.
Classroom Engagement Tip for September 11, 2008
A Glimpse at another Side of Life…
One of the hardest things about connecting and relating with students is understanding their life at home and where they get their point of view. So many have such different experiences than our own! For insight on what it’s like to be a parent of a drug addict, check out David Sheff’s book Beautiful Boy. He reveals unforgettable and painful experiences from his journey to help his addicted son, Nic, in a breathtaking and compulsory way.Nic also wrote a haunting memoir on his experiences with dru
gs and alcohol, Tweak. If you don’t have time for the full book, check out his blog. Beware: it’s very honest and raw. You’ll definitely get a better perspective of the feelings some of your students may have, but it’s not easy to stomach.
So that’s what they meant!
If you’re a music teacher, have students find a quote that resonates with them from a famous musician. What was the musician referring to when she said it? What was happening in the world at that time? What is the underlying message? Why does that particular quote stick? Does it still mean as much after learning more about the events surrounding it? If you’re teaching biology, search out the words of scientists. Quotations by noted historians abound. Have fun! Sneaking in learning is perfectly legal in all 50 states.
Leadership Development Tip for September 11, 2008
