Business Education Teaching Tips


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Table of Contents:

 

Google for Business Education

Submitted by
Barbara Boyd, Vocats
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools

The Google for Business Education link is a GREAT resource for teaching tips. Go to http://www.google.com/events/business_educators/index.html for tips on increasing students' technology skills using Google Apps, Web Analytics, Market Research, and much more. This site provides classroom tools, business solutions, and AdWords Learning Center. You can even sign up to receive the "Google for Business Educators" newsletter. Share this link with your colleagues.

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Business Etiquette:
What Do We Know?

Submitted by
Lisa E. Gueldenzoph, Ph.D.
NC A&T State University

The attached PowerPoint file and handout were presented during a workshop session at the Atlantic Coast Business, Marketing, and Information Technology Education Conference sponsored by ECU in Raleigh in February, 2008. Feel free to download the materials by clicking on the PowerPoint and handout links above, modify them if needed, and use them in your classes with your students. If you have any questions about the content, email Lisa at gueldenzoph@att.net.

Session Description: As we help our students plan for their professional future, are we integrating the business etiquette content that is critical to their success? In this interactive business etiquette workshop, participants were quizzed their knowledge of professional business standards. Broad categories include interviewing, social events, everyday experiences, and international etiquette. Resources and quiz sets are provided for use in your own business, marketing, or information technology classroom.

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Grammar WebQuest:
Essential Grammar Rules

Submitted by
Lisa E. Gueldenzoph, Ph.D.
NC A&T State University

Whether due to too much text messaging or a lack of time spent on reading and writing in elementary school, our business students often come to us with poor grammar skills. Yet we know that to be successful in the world of work, students must be able to communicate effectively (and correctly) in written form. Although grammar is not the most exciting lesson plan topic, you can make it more interesting for students by using a WebQuest.

Most of you are probably familiar with WebQuests ... web-based activities that include lesson plans, resources, and rubrics. They are often project-based, which gives students the opportunity to creatively apply their knowledge. Check out the Essential Grammar Rules WebQuest at this address:

 http://imet.csus.edu/imet5/koreen/imetsites/282/index.htm

The site includes:

  • a lesson overview,
  • academic content standards (based on California's K-12 standards, but are applicable to NC),
  • modifications for a wide variety of students including special needs, culturally and linguistically diverse, and gifted students
  • resources
  • procedures
  • assessments (rubrics)
  • and self evaluations!

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FOLDABLES...
Student-Created Notes to
Promote Independent Learning

Submitted by
Cindi Sweeney
Davidson IB Middle School

Do you find your students are resistant to checking their notes? Or checking the textbook for answers? Do they expect you to be their “resource”?  If so, you may want to try an alternative method to help them become independent learners.

I have my students create a foldable – it’s small and novel. They use the foldable to write their notes and refer to it as an alternative quick checklist for any objective, such as

  • Letter components, margins and line spacing

  • Keyboard shortcuts for word processing documents

  • Drawing icon options or writing out menu steps

  • Database design guidelines

  • Correct formats for number usage

  • Categorizing hardware and software

Foldables are user friendly. Students have the opportunity to rewrite their notes in their own words. You can use different color paper for the various objectives. For example, Objective 1 – green, Objective 2 – yellow, etc. The foldable will fit into a single-serving size breakfast cereal box to create their own library! Or the foldable can be placed into a zip-lock bag and placed in their notebook, binder, or backpack. My students like to have hole-punched in the left hand corner of a completed foldable, put it on a large paper clip or jump ring and secure it in a three-ring binder, easy to remove and use.

Since only one side of the paper is used, I use paper that is printed on only one side. Check with a local printer; they may donate paper that is printed on one side!

Before introducing “how to make a foldable” to your class, you may want to practice a few times. I discovered with a class of 20 to 25 middle school students, 2 or 3 would make errors, so have additional paper on hand.

Foldable – No Staple Six-Page Booklet

  1. Fold 8˝-X-11 sheet of paper hot dog style (landscape), fold evenly, press on fold line
  1. Fold the sheet hamburger style (portrait) evenly, press on fold line
  1. Again, fold the sheet hamburger style evenly, press on fold line
  1. Open the sheet of paper (you should have six folded areas)
  1. Refold hamburger style evenly, press on refold line
  1. Have the fold line at the top
  1. Carefully tear down the vertical fold line stopping at the horizontal fold line. (A cleaner cut is made if you use scissors)
  1. Open the sheet of paper
  1. Refold hot dog style
  1. Have fold on top
  1. ‘Push’ paper ends towards the middle
  1. Repress fold lines; fold “pages” to the left to make a booklet
  1. Complete pages with information:
    1. Personal Business Letter
    2. Business Letter
    3. Memorandum
    4. Simple Report and Supporting Docs
  1. Punch hole in upper left hand corner of folded booklet, thread on a paper clip. It can be placed in a three ring binder.

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Methods for Teaching Personal Correspondence to
Middle School Keyboarding Students

Submitted by
Cindi Sweeney
Davidson IB Middle School

I teach keyboarding to 6th grade students in an 85-minute block class on alternate days. In the beginning of the semester, it is very difficult for students to sustain keyboarding for longer than 15 to 20 minutes at a time. I have been successful in teaching formatting for personal correspondence as they learn to key; they can format without knowing the keyboard!

I save teacher-created documents on the shared drive that all students can access, but only I can save to this drive. At first, the document is in the correct order, students just need to ‘cut and paste’ the name for each section. For example: salutation, complimentary closing, top margin, etc. There is no need to print; this can be quickly assessed from the soft copy. Once students have mastered the names for the various sections, they may try the next section. For the second section, all personal correspondence components are provided, but they are in the wrong order. Margins are incorrect and need to be changed. Students need to ‘cut and paste’ each component in the correct order. Note: You can even mix up the order of the paragraphs. Again, students can quickly assess the assignment from the soft copy.

To make the assignment collaborative, I give each pair of students an envelope containing a cut-up letter or memo that has been laminated. Students compete against other pairs to see who can put the letter or memo in order first. Sometimes, I give students Vis-a-Vi markers to identify the various sections. Other times, the envelope includes a laminated word. For easier class management, I use different colored paper for each type of personal correspondence.

On those days when students need to be up and moving, I give each student a laminated section of a letter or memo. They race against each other to find the rest of the correspondence! Once they find the rest, they have to line up in the correct order. I have used this activity with each item printed on a different color of paper. I also have used items printed on the same color of paper; for this activity, students have to read and understand the body/message.

If you have a large blank wall area, you can put up laminated posters of various letters and memos. Place in a shoebox laminated personal correspondence words. You or a student can pick a word from the box; students use the Vis-a-Vi markers to correctly identify the parts on the poster. You can do this as a relay with three or four teams.

I have found these activities to be very useful to prepare my students to correctly key and format letters and memorandums.

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