10 Ways to Do Marketing
Through Your Classroom
Your classroom is an ideal place to show off the benefits of Adult Education programs. With preparation
and coaching, your students are the best marketing tool you have. Here are some ways to
show off your thoughtful, articulate adult education students to the community at large. Consider
working them into your lesson plans.
- Have students research a current local issue. Make part of the process of their research the
development of questions to ask an elected public official. Invite an elected public official to
class for an interview. Have students ask their questions and take notes on the answers.
Students may then incorporate their interview into other types of writing about their research.
Students should also write thank-you letters to the official who visited.
RESULTS: Having elected officials experience your classroom lets them see first-hand what
adult education is and reminds them of the voters in your classroom.
- Have students prepare for a particular job interview. Ask a local business leader to come to
your classroom and conduct mock interviews with your students.
RESULTS: This exercise shows local business owners how serious your students are about
being good employees.
- Have students do research on health issues and/or health professions. Invite a local nurse or
doctor to your classroom to be interviewed. Again, be sure to have students write thank-you
notes.
RESULTS: A member of the professional community gets to see the hard work of adult
education students and hear their input in public civic issues such as healthcare.
- Have students research the history of the American flag. As part of the research, have some
one from the American Legion or a similar organization come and demonstrate the proper
care of and disposal of an American flag. Invite the media to come and cover the event.
RESULTS: This exposes a powerful volunteer agency/civic group to the positives of adult
education and gets both adult education and the civic group some positive media exposure.
- Have your students consistently prepare and submit letters to the editor for your local newspaper.
Be sure they identify themselves as an adult education student. Have someone from the
editorial board of the newspaper come and talk to your students about what they look for in a
letter they choose to publish. Throw a party when one of your students gets published and
invite the editor who visited your class. Again, be sure to write thank-you notes.
RESULTS: Media personnel get to see the work of adult education. More exposure may
follow.
- Select a student to monitor student successes in your program and report them to the appropriate
section of your local newspaper.
RESULTS: The community reads consistently of success in adult education.