Students Learn About Production and Productivity

Mr. Twyford’s Economics class has been studying production and productivity in manufacturing in the US.  As part of the Economics course, Junior Achievement provides supporting curriculum and speakers from industry to help students better understand how content applies to current industry and manufacturing trends.

Ms. Jennifer Tuertscher, a P&G employee and JA Volunteer, speaks to Mercy girls, on occasion, to explain case scenarios, discuss real world production issues and take students through actual production problems.  Recently, students ran a simulation of creating booklets in class, in an assembly line manner, to better understand problems of automation and making informed decisions about mechanizing certain parts of a production line. The discussion also included ethics issues of marketing in countries where a convenience like disposable diapers might account for up to 20% of a person’s daily income.

“Students love the injection of real world discussions and gain a better appreciation for the global nature of business,” said Mr. Twyford. "These students are getting so much from having speakers come - it brings authenticity and real world problems to the classroom. Students have to apply knowledge and content from several classes to understand, process, and make informed decisions about what to do.”