Kudos for a well developed plan. Of course, the challenge is getting the student to participate. I suspect you have some students who are in such a rush to get out that they skip several steps.
Do you have a situation where the Program Director doesn't really want to save the student? "Thank God the car broke down so we don't have to deal with them anymore." What happens then?
We use a "past history" tracking method that IDs
a student with a potentical issues. Then we has a student intervention asvisor make contact with the student to find any current or past unresolved issues that we can help guide the student to correct.
For the student who comes to us with the intent to withdraw there are procedures in place that allow the school the opportunity to change the student's mind. First the student is provided a meeting with their Program Director for advising. This advising can cover many different topics to establish what the problem may be and the different options beside withdrawing that maybe available. For example, transportation issues could be resolved just by finding another student who is willing to car pool. Once the student has met with the Program Director they are sent to Financial Aid to discuss the consequences of an early withdrawal. Some times the student will owe a balance and this in itself will prevent the student from withdrawing because they were planning to return at a later date. If the student still plans to withdraw and they do not owe a balance the Financial Aid Department will take on the responsibility of establishing the amount of student loans they owe, their estimated payments, and provide the date in which their payments will begin.
The students are provided with so many different ways in which to take care of their immediate issues that they stay and a withdrawal has been prevented but then there are the students that we still can not save.
True. What's the next step to get them to open up?
We offer tutoring programs by staff members.
I will definitely bring this up at our nect faculty meeting.
Sometimes student find it difficult to reveal a personal issue such as childcare needs, clothing,
food, shelter, transportation issues.
Pre Assessment and or evaluations with follow up
during initial enrollment or at beginning of students course in a survey form.
When a student informs us that she/he would like to withdraw form the program we have them meet with a department chair or student services representative, to if there is any other solution.
Why is it sometimes challenging for faculty to help identify potentially at-risk students?
Student are referred to our Retention Officer and based on her survey questions or vertical probing assist students with job referrals, childcare providers,possible living arrangements through her networking resources.
Is there a written assessment tha could be used with no right or wrong answers that would be beneficial with their assessments?
Does your school have a formal peer tutoring program? If so, how are the tutors selected and trained? Who manages and oversees the program?
Peer tutors can serve a very useful service but have to be closely monitored.
Do you request receipt of the email? Is this something you do for every student? How frequently?
Peer tutoring I think helps, incourage them to talk to maybe some of the peers they respect or admire. I try to advacate these things. We have a vary care counseling staff that will allow you to be involved as much as you wish. Step up
We have developed a system whereby instructors notify us if the students are exhibiting any of the warning signs (tardiness, attendance problems, drop in performace, poor grades, attitude changes, etc.). Of course, we have had to really emphasize to our faculty that they are vital in helping us identify these potentially at-risk students, and it is sometimes challenging for them, but since they are on the "front lines" with students, they usually have the best sense of what is going on.
this is something that is addressed in the college orientation all students are required to take in their very first term. As they go through their courses, other classes do re-visit this with them
Since students may often feel overwhelmed with work or lack confidence in their abilities, they may want to escape the dissonance by not showing up for class. For this reason, the schools where I am employed encourage instructors to email the student a personal message to show "we care." Phoning of students is encouraged as well. A sense of belonging and committment by the instructor may turn around a student's "erosion" or "stagnation.
The student missing is called after the second day by the instructor and student service. The life factor is the number one problem. The school has many program in place to help with many situation.
A good list of community resources can be a very powerful tool to help students solve problems. Do you ever have providers come into the school to make presentations about their services?
Some institutions have 'fairs' where social service agencies set up booths to education students [and staff] about support services that are available.
I have scoured the city I live in for low cost and easy accessed resources, such and health clinics, local and government agencies, housing and car pool networking, ect ect. When a student comes to me, I like to be able to pull them in and have them look through my resources so they feel that they are being a part of the solution. It shows them I took the time to help and empowers them to work on resolutions and then return to me with progress updates. It's exciting when they return and resolution was found.
What's an EM, Scott? What's their background and training?
