Improving Retention
I really feel that reaching out to students is critical in making them feel as if they are a very important aspect to what we do. It does work both ways. It seems that even with meetings, or pep talks, it is really never enough.
We need to also focus on the diversity of our student population when thinking of strategies for retention. Strategies that may work for the younger student (such as use of social media) may not work for the "more seasoned" student. If we want to retain all types of student population, we need to really focus on what works for different people.
Tell me more about the College Success course. How many credits? What topics do you cover? Do you use any assessments [communication style, learning style, etc]?
This can be done with in class assignments. I teach a College Success course which is the first class students take on our campus. We have several discussions and assignments that help the students relate with one another and give me the opportunity to learn more about them. There is limited time outside of class for students and instructors to have conversation.
True, but how do you find time to get to know the student's interests? Is this something you can do in class or does it require meeting outside of class?
Spending time getting to know the students and their interests helps students feel like they are part of the campus.
