It's a Saturday night @ 10:00 P.M. More specifically, it's 2/14/2009 [Valentine's Day] and I'm watching the channel 5 10:00 P.M. news. You may ask why am I watching the 10:00 P.M. news on Valentine's Day, well that's another story.
Now on to the more important story. While watching the news, there was a very interesting segment on education. The segment focused on a California H.S. math teacher, particularly as it related to budget constraints and funding. Due to continued tough economic conditions, the teacher was only allotted $300.00 for the year to cover classroom expenses for his students. As you might imagine, this was not nearly enough to cover his classes for the entire year.
So, using some very interesting creativity, the teacher came up with the concept of "Adver-Testing". The concept entails reaching out to local business owners, and offering them the opportunity [for small donations] to advertise their business services on the students' test papers.
The marketing idea [which was a overwhelming success,] affords the local business owners to effectively reach out to their community and market their services, while at the same time helps provide much needed funds to the school. As a result of the initial success, other teachers within the school are using this same method to raise funds.
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Wow, I am impressed with the creativity this teacher had with raising money for their classroom. I think it is great for local business's to give to the schools and help students get a better education.
ReplyDeleteMy, I don't want to say issue but I guess my question is, what happened to simply donating to the local school districts. It seems that more and more these days in order for people to give you have to give them something in return as well, nothing or at least not as much is done or given to be generous and truly want to help those in need.
I know times are tough and money just can't be handed out, especially by the smaller local businesses', but I feel like this has been going on far longer than our nations current economic status.
On a positive note, I do think it's fantastic that these teachers are really using their minds and trying to make the school year as good as possible for their students.
I do have one question, did they say if this type of marketing helped sales? Also, was it business' geared towards the students or did more grown-up companies (banks, realtors, etc) also get in on this marketing scheme?
Interesting.
ReplyDeleteWere these businesses student-friendly? Were they "mom and pop shops?" Or were they chains? I wonder which ones were quicker to make the donation. Was this a well-off community? Was it a small-town?
It's awesome that people are creative and have been able to come up with ways to help themselves as well as their community. This is definitely a win-win situation. :)
It never stops to amaze me how creative and smart teachers can be! While I am happy for these teachers that they found a way to get funds for their classrooms, it also saddens me that we as educators have to come up with ways and means to make ends meet in our classrooms! Education should be our government main priority and sadly it is not. Years ago I was working in an very small alternative school, when time came for our very first class (32 kids) was to have their junior prom talks of not having it because the kids could not only afford paying for it but the issue of the costs of tuxs and gowns etc came up. A couple of us decided also to reach out to the community and we found sponsors for each and everyone of the kids and a local restaurant to let them have their prom for $35 only including dinner, cake and all ,2 local CPA's picked up the tab and made it a very special evening for our kids. If anything I do know is that the community always is there to support their local teachers. And Diana to answer your question they were most likely the "mom and pops" stores, big chains have too much paperwork!
ReplyDeleteAll great questions, but unfortunately, the short news segment did not reveal all of the targeted business owners, but the [2 persons] that were interviewd, one would infer, these were "mom and pop" operations.
ReplyDelete