i think it is so important to let our students know we are there for their life change and call the students when they miss class -show you care about them
Hi Herschel,
Your approach is no nonsense with opportunity for understanding. This I think reflects well on what we are doing in preparing our career college students. They need to be responsible yet have knowledge that there is understanding by the instructor when needed. As adults we know that life has a way of breaking in on what we are trying to do sometimes (child care, illness). By working with our students we can help them be responsible and yet provide them with enough relief to allow them to attend to what ever needs that they have.
Gary
I have been priviledged in the past 5 years to be teaching adult students who are mostly self-activated to learn the materials and apply it to their work world. This aspect is an integral part of the cpourse structure and a requirement of their success in achieving both their advanced degree and approval from their team mates and work supervisers who are directly involved in the course materials and objectives. We have an "agreement" to inform the instructor of an impending absence from class so that appropriate "make-up" work can be assigned if the instructor or the course curricula deems it required. In this aspect I rarely need to contact a student EXCEPT in the case of an unknown absence of the student. In this instance I will get in touch with the student, usually by email soon after class, as the student is most probably not accessible by phone (many of my students are military.) I ask about the absence and inquire of the "problem" for the absence. Almost all of the reasons for the student not coming to class has been of an "external" support reason and not of the students own motivation. Knowledge of the reason not only helps me identify what materials the student needs to additonally prepare for the next class/session he/she will attend, but also give the student another internal and esternal support system that helps the student become less frustrated in his "problem".
Hi John,
You have a good start. The key to retention is the relationship your faculty has with their students. If you are making calls I would suggest that you have the faculty make calls to their missing students. I know this takes time, and that faculty may not want to make the calls but I have found them very effective. The point is that the instructor of the student cares enough about their success to give them a call, this has a real impact on students. Faculty can be given some release time or other such arrangements to make them feel that this effort is not just an "add-on" to their work load without some recognition of their efforts.
When faculty call they can talk specifically about the course and the student's needs and this really helps those students on the fence as to whether they are going to return or not.
Good luck with this effort.
Gary
I believe that the phone call method can be effective in numerous cases. I believe that consistency is key with this method. If we call once, and then cease for a period of time, the effort can pass seemingly unnoticed. I am encountering difficulties in assembling a solid Team that can be efficient in completing phone calls that accomplish our Objectives. We are presently in the beginning stages of developing our Retention Procedures, and as the new Director of Retention, I can not perform this responsibility on my own. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thank You, John
Hi LaVerne,
First it is sad that students who have elected to enroll in a career college to develop the skills needed to improve their lives have to be "chased" often times to stay enrolled. But, that is reality! Career colleges come up with many different ways of trying to keep students enrolled and your college has one that is working for you all.
I understand the instructors that have an issue due to the fact that this form of follow up is not teaching students to be responsible in one sense. I have always felt that I will do anything I can to keep the students engaged in the learning process because if I loose contact with the students I know I won't get them back. I try to follow up, encourage, and support them in any way I can, while hoping that they will mature enough to be responsible on their own.
Gary
Because instructors have more contact with the students and to distribute the time required to call students, we started a "Retention & Rewards" program about two years ago which works like this: Students are asked to call the school if they are going to be absent. The call ensures they are allowed to make up classwork missed. Instructors are asked to contact any absent student who did not call. All instructors who retain 90 percent of their students during the five-week modular term is awarded a $50 "R&R" bonus. This has worked well for us; however, there are a couple of instructors whose attitude is that this is in conflict with teaching them to be responsible.
Hi Josefer,
There is no mystery to being a good instructor. It boils down to respect and rapport. If both of these are two way then I feel much of the "really" hard work is done. That is establishing a base of operation with each student. From then on you can focus on delivering the course content in such a way that the students can grasp it, apply it and practice it. Yet we work very hard to make it much more complicated than it is. By this I mean that we often start with the content and work toward the student rather than the other way around. Student centered instruction by a competent instructor is the key for career college success.
Gary
I have found the same to be true.
Most students thank me for calling and I have yet to get a complaint. However, I feel that a big part of that is building rapport early.
I would imagine that most career colleges like us have a lot of the same issues, and we almost need to approach our job as a ministry (for lack of a better word) to get our students to where they need to be.
Josefer
Hi Sally,
I think you and your school is on the right path with having the open house. Anything the college can do to encourage the students and to show them that they are a part of the student body is a good thing.
Another major part of keeping the students engaged in the learning process is to develop a strong rapport with each student in each class. Experience has shown that an individual instructor is often the key reason a student stays in school, that student knows someone cares about them and wants them to succeed. Everything boils down to the basic of one on one relationships and how we project to students that we care about their success not only in our class but in their career.
Gary
Our school has recently started to look closely at student retention and what we can do to keep students in school until they complete the program. One thing that we decided to do was host a Holiday Open House for the students with gifts, refreshments, door prizes and interactive games during their regularly scheduled class time. Our hope is that the Open House will help the students to understand that they are appreciated and that we as an institution care about them. We want to create an atmosphere that encourages interaction with other students. It's been stated in this forum that many students do not have a support system, we want to be that support system that helps them reach their career goals. We would like to host different events throughout the year to encourage students to interact with each other and form relationships with other students and staff. Does anyone have any ideas that have been successful for you?
Hi Sarah,
You are correct about students needing to be responsible. Occasionally though they need some additional support to keep them engaged in the learning process and giving them a call (as you mentioned) may be just the encouragement that they need to keep them coming to class. These students that are on the bubble of dropping out need to be supported to the maximum extent possible. They are in many cases facing personal situations that really conflict with their ability to continue in school. As professional educators we need to help in any way we can, I know in the long run they will appreciate it.
Gary
Hi Kim,
Great idea. Anytime you can do something to reduce the fear factor for new students you are providing needed support. We all like to see a familiar face when we need to ask questions about something. Mentors are a way of keeping students focused on their course work while sorting out where they should be and what they should be doing.
Gary
When I call the students they seem to appreciate the caring, and have actually thanked me for calling. Although the students do need to be responsible, that responsibility is part of what we are teaching, and it takes time for that to happen. If we waited for them to call each time, some of the students would disappear.
We started a program of student mentors. Each term we assign one mentor to 2-3 students. They meet on the first day of the term and are available to answer any questions that the new students might have. The mentors share the same major as the new students, so they can address class concerns, subject material problems, etc. They also go with them around the building and show them where all their classrooms are. The new students really seemed to like having a familiar face with experience that they could turn to if they need help. We received a lot of positive feedback about the program and plan to continue it.
Hi Jan,
Great idea. People caring about people. So simple that many colleges don't use it. Based upon your feedback and the positive results they really should.
Gary
Hi Jan,
It is amazing to me that we have to help our students with many of the “soft skills†that are needed to make them quality employees. These are suppose to have been taught in the high school years. As we know in many cases this did not happen or the lesson didn't take. Many such things as calling in and letting people know that something has come up or that they will be late to class. By being amazed I am talking about the fact that our students are adults. Somewhere along the way in their lives they did not develop these skills. I have found that I don't assume that they have these skills and that I incorporate them into my classes at every point that I can. This is part of the instructor being the model, manager and motivator for these students. We have many roles to play as we help these adults become skilled workers capable of competing in the workplace.
Gary
I agree that our students need to take responsibility. Many have not been trained in the simple act of "calling in" when they cannot come to class. There are instances when you can help them solve their barrier and come to class even late if you have a chance to talk with them.
There are time when our own support staff can help with the calling. I have found that students are positively impressed by a phone call and show of concern for their well-being.
Jan Johnson
The "peer groups" in our school have been very successful. They have an opportunity to support one another in many ways. There are study groups in particular that meet regularly. Students are committed to one another in these groups and help each other with child care, transportation, and general life solutions as they come up. Mostly they are successful in their group problem solving without help from college staff.
Jan Johnson
Hi Linda,
Yes, students need to be responsible. I am always surprised when students do not assume responsibility for their learning when they are paying a lot of money for the training and going to enter the career field of their choice. That should be enough to keep them engaged in the learning process, but as you know it is not always so. The students that need individual follow up on are those that are on the bubble of quitting school or in danger of failing the phase.
I like yourself require that the students phone in or email me to let me know of their attendance status. I push them hard on this because they are preparing for the work world and they have to be responsible. Sometimes maturity comes later for some individuals, so we just keep working on them.
Gary
