Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Hi Jennifer,
When you deal in low numbers it can be tough to keep you retention rate up. The up side is that you can focus your attention on your students at a higher level because you can work with them more often as well as get to know them better.
Gary

Jennifer Cooke

I generally have small classes so it is difficult to break the students up into smaller groups. I find that if one student drops for any reason, my retention rate falls to an unacceptable percentage

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Hi Kellie,
Way to go in engaging the students in the class. Your method has each student contributing so you can get a read on how well they are perceiving and receiving what you are teaching. This gives you direction for what you will do next. Well done.
Gary

Kellie Clemmer

I do use one trick that seems to apply to differing generations. It is called a perception check. I will go row by row and as I go from student to student they are to describe the emotion they are feeling at that moment. I often use this after I have gone over guidelines or given a new assignment. Many of the answers are similar depending what the assignment is from course to course. After I go through the class I let them know that what they are feeling is normal. That other students that have been in their shoes during the same stage of the game have felt this way too. Then I let them know that they will come successfully through this if they do their part.

Gary Meers, Ed.D.

Hi Shelby,
I use learning groups that are composed of a cross section of all students in the class. I mix the younger with the older, the experienced with the non-experienced, etc. Then I use case studies and projects to get them working together. I have specific assignments that each group member has to complete in order to successful finish the project. This helps to develop respect between and among each of the group members.
Gary

Jessica Ramirez

Group Projects work really well to get both the young and older students to interact with one another.