Student Directions for Guest Speakers

As part of the AVID program, guest speakers will be visiting our classroom monthly to talk about their college and career experiences. Guest speakers serve as role models to students. In addition, guest speakers provide AVID students with the opportunities to practice listening, Cornell note taking and inquiry skills. Directions:

1. Listen to the guest speaker and take Cornell notes. 2. Use the questions below to guide your Cornell note-taking and practice inquiry

skills while asking questions of the presenter. 3. Reread your notes. Highlight key points of the speaker’s presentation that were

of interest to you. 4. In place of a summary, create a reflection responding to this prompt: What

valuable advice or tip did you learn from the speaker that you could file away in your college toolbox and take with you to ensure that you will be a successful college student?

5. As a class, brainstorm a list of the guest speaker highlights from his/ her presentation and select a student representative to write a thank you note on behalf of the class. (See sample provided below)

6. File Cornell notes in your AVID binder.

Guest Speaker Questions What college or university did you attend? When? Why did you choose this college or university? What three pieces of advice do you have for someone who is planning to

attend college? 1. 2. 3.

What was your major? Why did you choose this major? What did you hope to do as a career with this major?

What were your favorite classes? Least favorite classes? Easiest classes? Most difficult classes?

Who was the most influential person who helped you to prepare for college or be successful in college?

What did you like best about college? What is your most memorable college experience? What extracurricular activities, clubs, or teams were you involved in while

attending college? What was the most valuable thing you learned from your college experience? If you could go back to college now, where would you go to school? What

would you study? Why?

Student Sample Thank You Note for Guest Speaker

Date Dear______________________, Thank you for being a partner in our education by sharing your personal experiences and insights about college and how it has had a positive impact on your life. As AVID students, our ultimate goal is to attend a four-year college upon high school graduation. Hearing from role models like you motivates us to make this college dream come true. We especially enjoyed…(include class brainstormed highlights from the presentation). Listening to your presentation allows us to learn from your experiences and words of advice and helps us to develop the strategies we will need to be successful. Just as you are a role model to us, we continue to strive to be role models ourselves, as students who value the importance of education and the value of being a college graduate. We hope this partnership with you will continue, and that you will know you have made a difference in the lives of so many prospective college students. Thanks again. You are truly appreciated. Sincerely, Student Name On behalf of the School Name AVID Students