Class size and the personal touch
I believe that building a personal rapport with students is critical for retention and success. However, I'm finding it more and more difficult to make a personal connection with each student as class sizes increase and I get to know more students as they matriculate from class to class but remain in the school.
Any suggestions?
I typically begin each class session with a five-minute session in which students can talk about whatever is happening in their lives. I, too, contribute to this discussion, and I find that by being accessible to students, they are in turn more accessible to me as an instructor.
Because my primary focus is composition classes, I also have the benefit of getting to know each student via his or her writing assignments. In fact, I begin each course I teach with an in-class writing exercise, regardless of the course's primary focus. I find that if students have the opportunity to express themselves in such a manner, they tend to take it and run with it.
Good luck!
I agree that as the classes become larger, it becomes a little more difficult to get to know the students beyond their classroom persona.
I have that same difficulty. It takes a little longer to get to know them and their names.
Hi Attila,
I too have run into the same problem of developing that strong personal connection with students especially online. It it not uncommon to have a 30 to 1 ratio. This makes it tough. However, residentially, I have the opportunity to visually see them and talk to them. One thing I have tried to combat this was to ask each student something unique about them. That way I learn something about them and they have the feeling of sharing some of their life.
Chad
I agree with Joshua's response below regarding using office hour time to get better acquainted. I would encourage you to have one-on-one meetings with each student. It may be a quick phone call, or ask them to stop in during your office hour time. I found that it helps build a connection quickly.
I try and seek out one to two specific traits of each of my students, and use these as a relationship and trust builder from the students perspective. It seems to work quite well for me.
Hi Cyrus,
Good way to get the names of your students committed to memory. Plus you have built a bridge between you and them when you can call them by name and know something about their backgrounds.
Gary
I am having the same concern at my concern. I take pictures of all my students on first day of class and keep them in my picture profile and place their names in there and in addition try and know them by visual reminders and add a little profile about them. This helps me out a lot as I try to memorize them daily and in addition I listen to other students as they call their friends by name and that helps me reinforce those names. I hope this helps.
I connect with them by knowing a little about their personal size. no matter how large the class, I ask for introductions and that helps build rapport
We have the issue of larger classes for less number of days, so hard to offer suggestions when we have issues as well
I tottally agree , it is very hard to run a large class and to keep some type of control , I have had both small and large classes and always feel that I left something out even if the results were positive . Unfortunatly we don't have control over the mater .
Hi Joshaua,
Good suggestion on how to bring the personal touch to larger classes. This will help to develop rapport with all of the students.
Gary
Hi Attila,
Try to get one point of interaction that you can use for each student. This might be something about their course work, pet, hobby, commute, etc. Select a point that stands out for you to help you remember both the student's name as well as this point. This way you can bring it up and then move on. This will take only a few seconds but will be remembered by the student for days.
Gary
It is hard to make a personal relationship with students when class sizes increase. I have found in my class the balance between lab time and office hour type senario's have help with regards to this item.
