Wednesday, June 25, 2003
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Wednesday, June 25, 2003 |
Educators get a lesson on business and industryWhile many students are enjoying their summer break, some of Fayette's teachers, counselors and administrators are using their time off to learn how to better prepare their pupils for the real world after graduation. During the first week in June, a group of 27 middle and high school teachers participated in a program called "Teachers in Industry," sponsored by the Griffin Consortium for School to Work. Each morning for four days the teachers boarded a school bus at the LaFayette Educational Center and headed out to visit local businesses where they learned about the different types of jobs available as well as the skills needed to perform them. Among the businesses included on the tour were Fayette Community Hospital, Hoshizaki America, Wilden Plastics and the Avenue Shopping Center. "Most teachers go from student to teacher and are not aware of how the world of business and industry works or all of the job opportunities that are available. This tour was designed to shed some light on that," said Patrick Sennett, Fayette Youth Apprenticeship Coordinator. Participant Brandon Whitaker, a social studies teacher at Starrís Mill High, says his visit to Hoshizaki revealed a wealth of information that he can share with his students. "This was an awesome experience," he said. "The production line and trolley at Hoshizaki were impressive. The exposure to these industries opened a whole new avenue of experience for discussion with my students." Teachers from varied disciplines such as technology, business and health occupations say they all took information away from the tour that they can incorporate into their lesson plans for next year. Most importantly, they can show their students how what they are learning in the classroom relates to the business environment. "This class was a real eye-opener," commented Tere Goodwin, counselor at Sandy Creek High School. "Like myself, most students have little or no idea what takes place in the industrial setting. Students and parents must realize that marketable skills offer the best opportunity for success in the future." In addition to the Fayette businesses, the teachers visited NACOM and the University of Georgia Experiment Station in Griffin. While there Hammond Services hosted the teachers for lunch and a tour of their operations. The final day of the busy schedule had the educators in Thomaston where they toured Yamaha Music Manufacturing, Quad Graphics and Duni Corporation. A second week of instruction with 27 new educators took place on June 9. Suzy Herbert, a retired vocational administrator and educational consultant, guided both tours.
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