I have noticed that if they can relate to the information. They will retain the information better.
Regardless what we read, hear or do; IF we are not compassionate in and out of the class room, we will fail! I have always believed that the more I have fun in the class room, the student does the same. If you show enthusiasm and bring real life into the problem or situations that pertain to the course along with allowing the student to do the same, you see the class room meld together and become a team. You will still have those that don’t want to participate, but if you have this process in progress it will allow you to focus more on the non-participant with peer pressure. It works! Knowing their names, and showing an interest in them as a person promotes a healthy classroom attitude. To do this you have to believe! I could have expounded on many more pieces of the puzzle but I believe if you don’t walk the talk, its futile to do anything else. That’s my take on it.
Most students do appreciate the call or email. BUT, as instructors we are constantly reminded of FERPA. We must respect the privacy of the student. Is their email secure? If you leave a phone msg, do not give out any information about the student or even why you are calling.Occasionally some students get very angry and say "none of your business".
Hi John,
I think this is a great model to use for both student retention and satisfaction. They have an instructor that they can turn to for information, advice and support. These are very important for student success so with mentors in place I am sure you are going to see great results.
Gary
At our school we are in the process of assigning instructors as mentors to help the students settle in the first few months. This provides a constant reliable contact person to field any needs as they arise. So far the feed back has been quite positive both from the students as well as from the instructors.
Hi Dan,
You are right an instructor needs to be on the lookout to target any students that are in need of some additional help or support. By seeing and working on the need early retention will be much higher.
Gary
I believe student retention can be increased by simply talking to students. Sometimes a student is waiting for someone to notice they are having trouble and they will not ask for that assistance they may need to succeed. I have found that doing spot checks on lab sheets allows me to identify possible issues and now I can focus in on the potential solution to the students learning success.
When students indicate that they are unhappy with the class, I often sit with the student to assess what their class expectations were. I look to see if my class is fulfilling their need. If not, I look as to why. Perhaps I am not clear in my lecture? Am I going to fast or too slow? Are they looking for another class, but this class may be the prerequiste class?
If the student is venting about the program, I listen and ask what suggestions they have. I refer them to the right people if I cannot provide an obvious solution. For example, I had a student complaining about the price of a text book in the school book store. I went on to the publisher's site, looked up the ISBN and showed the student that the amount charged was actually less than the suggested retail price. I am sure the student was still unhappy with paying $135 for a text, but was not as angry about the cost.
Hi Robert,
Thank you for sharing these retention strategies. All of these items contribute to students staying in and completing school. You are offering both content and personal support to enable them to be successful.
Gary
There are many ways to accomplish retention. Perhaps letting the students know that they are valued as a customer, in a sense, as well as providing value in their education during each and every session, are generally effective. Keeping track of how they are progressing through the course, and providing prompt feedback, validates their efforts and makes it inconvenient for them to approach lesser results.
There are many facets to student retention, so it’s a good idea to start the retention process on the very first day. The instructor needs to ask each one of the students; why are you are here, what are your goals and what interested you in taking my course? Once you have an understanding what the student really wants you can help them stay focused on the goals that they are looking to accomplish. Sometimes when they start to doubt themselves all that’s needed is to remind them why they are here and WIIFM.
Michael,
you do make a very valid point, I think chatting with them allows them to get to know you also as an instructor as long as it is not interpreted as you trying to be their friend, and the communications are kept on a professional level.
One way to increase student retention is to try to connect with them. To chat with them before or after the class time. Often students will approach the instructor with concerns, and its helpful to let them know that their concerns are valid, and to try to address them as is appropriate.
An instructor can increase student retention by making personal connections with each student, every day. Greeting students by name tells the student that you recognize they are an individual, not just another number in the overall student population. When students have a personal connection with their instructor, they feel obligated to attend class because they don't want to let their instructor down.
As many have noted, I think treating the students with respect is one of the keys. They are not Kids although I think we often treat them as kids. In a way this is somewhat disrepectful towards them, they all have live experiences too which could easily be brought into the ocnversation. However, the instructor also must know when to move forward with the lecture. Another key is to mix up approach to present the lecture matierials. It is so true, adults have the need to know "why is this important to me!"
There are many answers to this broad question.
Some would be:
Making your classroom safe and inviting for students; creating a fun, interactive classroom atmosphere; showing students you care by giving them positive, quick feedback on all assignments.
I also try to get the students to build a community so they become responsible for each other instead of competing with each other.
I ask the students to bring their own cars into the shop to inspect, remove and reinstall their brakes. They put more care and effort into their own vehicles than they do when practicing on training vehicles. It is amazing how much more effective the lab task can be when they return the next day and tell me how much better the brakes work after a proper cleaning, lubrication and adjustment is done.
Hi Stan,
What are some strategies that you use with success to get your students to remember the material and procedures for doing brake service?
Gary
I stress the importance of the material to the task required to perform. As a brakes instructor, understanding the material is important to doing a proper brake service.
