Experts Bring Professional Lessons into Classroom

Story & Photos by Teacher David Veronesi

International Relations and Diploma Programme Economics students have reaped the benefits from a range of guest speakers visiting the classroom.

Experts in a variety of industries visited to teach students about the application of content and concepts we are studying in class to the world beyond academics. Experts from the African Union, The World Bank, the United Nations, and the International Monetary Fund, as well as a range of other organizations from the international development and economic sectors have enriched our understanding of a range of topics by sharing their diverse perspectives.

Grade 11 student Minte T. said the experiences have provided him with context to what he is learning.

“Knowing some expansionary policies that Ethiopia implements to encourage farming was an interesting way of learning how exactly economic concepts apply in the real world," Minte said. "Another great part of the presentation was seeing what Ethiopia's GDP consists of, such as agriculture and construction. It showed how a country's economy depends on certain commodities. Overall, I found it very interesting because I was able to connect concepts and terms we learned in class with the presentation, and I was further reassured of how applicable the economics course is in real life.”

Thaakir T., in Grade 12, said the visitors coming in changes the way students engage, adding an extra level of interest compared to normal routines.

“Having guest speakers I find is more engaging and informative than just listening to normal lectures in class. It also makes it more interesting having speakers from different countries and companies as it gives a bigger perspective of international relations around the world," Thaakir said.

"We are very grateful for the wealth of knowledge and resources that the ICS community has to offer," Teacher David Veronesi said. 'We are thankful for the generosity of our guest speakers who have invested their time and expertise to enhance student learning."