Think outside the box...

This is definitely a common problem that we face. When I first started teaching, I went to my coworkers with this same problem and I was relieved that I was not the only one but also discouraged that so many had the same problem but no real solution had been found. I was able to get a few suggestions from fellow coworkers. I had a health occupation teacher tell me to show them the way my occupation was already in their daily lives. For her being a nurse, she was able to relate sickness, because everyone gets sick. She was able to encourage them by seeing the benefits of knowing how to prevent sickness and also be helpful in the event of an accident. So, I thought about what she said and I began to think outside the box. In graphic communications that was an easy task for me. Graphic design is EVERYWHERE!!! No matter if you want to be an all-star baseball player or a lawyer at some point you could use graphic communications. I put them on the spot and I tried to find one career that didn't use graphic design at some point and it was impossible. After a few students talked about their choice of career and I connected the two, the students started in. Whether it's business cards you need designed, a sports logo, an album cover or promotion poster, I can find a way to related graphics into their lives. It may not be as easy with your content area but think outside the box, I'm sure you will find a way to make that connection.