Teaching the Teachers: Local Educators Get Real-World Experience

In Lexington, Kentucky, the new school term is just around the corner. You’d usually think that means kids packing their bags, choosing their first-day outfits, and teachers dusting off their lesson plans – but something undoubtedly cool is stirring this year. For a select group of insightful educators, the learning never stopped, even though school haven’t officially started yet.

On Monday, hundreds of teachers from the Fayette County school district gathered for an industry conference, dubbed the Kentucky Chamber Foundation Educator’s Guide to Industry Conference. This unique initiative let them pop out of the classroom and enter the vibrant world of Lexington businesses. They got an insider’s look at five diverse companies operating in the area.

The idea? “To really see what it’s like on a work site and be able to convey that to students,” shares one of these visionary educators. They hope to translate the concrete job skills they see into applicable, real-world lessons back at school.

The companies welcoming these eager-to-learn teachers were Space Tango, Grimes Restaurants, Triyam, Camp Bow Wow, and Gray. They graciously opened their doors, showcasing their work, processes, and teams. It was truly a chance for education and industry to shake hands and exchange notes.

For one Engineering and Technology teacher, the day was a dream. His visit to Gray, a company that focuses on improving efficiency through robotics and technology wore him out, but in the best way possible. He intends to make his classroom as close to these real-world workplaces as possible, and this type of experience is priceless.

“As an educator, we look through a lens of how we can take this environment back to the students,” he muses, visibly excited by the prospect. By exposing the students to professional settings and applying the workings of actual businesses, these teachers are paving the way for more meaningful and exciting learning.

The Academy at Tates Creek High School is providing its students with this unique chance to bridge the gap between traditional learning and real-world application. It’s all about equipping the students with skills and a sense of direction once they step out of high school and into the real world.

While the teachers toured Gray, they saw how the company’s high-tech tools and machinery operated. Beyond the skill and task demonstrations, this visit also allowed them to examine the softer but equally important skills. “How do they work with people? How do they write their reports? How do they showcase their information? Where’s the teamwork, and collaboration,” one teacher asks. He’s keen to bring these observations to his students.

The goal is to inspire underage thinkers and start a ripple effect that spreads out into the world. Schools aren’t just about reading, writing, and arithmetic anymore. It’s also about connecting what you learn inside the four corners of a classroom with what’s waiting outside. And if these teachers have anything to do with it, their students will be well prepared.

Here’s a high five to the innovative teachers showing the way to an inspired tomorrow, one real-world lesson at a time. This year’s back-to-school season promises to be a breath of fresh air for these star students. They’re ready to take on the world with newfound knowledge, guided by dedicated educators who are there to show them not only the ‘what’, but also the ‘how’, and the ‘why’ of it all.