Waterford Businessperson and Ferndale Teacher Learn from Each Other
(Ferndale Schools Press Release, March 19, 2014)
Coolidge Intermediate teacher Jason Gillespie exchanged his teacher experiences for a day this week with a local business leader as part of Oakland Schools’ Teacher-Business Leader Exchange Program. Because Gillespie was the 2013 Teacher of the Year for Ferndale Schools, he was among those teachers selected to be paired with local business professionals to bring together business and educational communities.
Gillespie was paired with Michele Compton, CEO of Michigan Interlock, LLC in Waterford. Comptom got involved in this exchange as part of the Leadership Oakland Program. She, too, got to shadow Gillespie in his daily activities as a teacher.
Gillespie got to see the day to day activities for Compton, in addition to attending her staff and network meetings. His students got a chance to hear from Compton about what employers are looking for in employees and how the things they are learning now will apply to future careers including math, science, creative and innovative thinking, and functioning well in a team.
Local business owner Michele Compton told Mr. Gillespie’s students what employers are looking for in employees and how the things they are learning now will apply to future careers: Math, science, creative and innovative thinking, and functioning well in a team.
The goals of the program are to bring together and increase understanding and foster a mutual respect between business and educational communities, and begin an ongoing dialogue, collaboration and cooperation between the two entities.
All participants will share their experiences at a conference in April.