Enhancing Student Retention

Public

Ask a question from your peers to help you in your professional work. Seek different points of view on a topic that interests you. Start a thought-provoking conversation about a hot, current topic. Encourage your peers to join you in the discussion, and feel free to facilitate the discussion. As a community of educators, all members of the Career Ed Lounge are empowered to act as a discussion facilitator to help us all learn from each other.

Stacy Slabaugh

fostering a secure relationship with students

I generally have small classes where it's easy to get to know the students fairly well. I can generally tell when a student is having issues with something and address it before it escalates. I am expecting to have a larger class next semester, however, and I'm wondering how I manage to maintain that same intuitive type of relationship with the students in a larger class environment.

Marvis Burke

KNOW YOUR STUDENTS

There's a warm fuzzy feeling a student gets when they know their instructor is committed to helping them succeed.

Marvis Burke

EXCITEMENT

Make the student excited about coming to class everyday.

Marvis Burke

MOTIVATION

Motivation is being a student's personal cheerleader and coach all rolled into one.

Kevin Shockency

Human factor personalized

I tend to bring the students into my world of understanding by bringing up real world instances where I ran into obsticles and overcame them, or not. I learned one way or another and let my students know they will have simiar issues in class, in relationships, in life overall. Bringing this blanket of understanding to the beginning of class, letting them know it is going to happen and I understand, helps the student to know I am there for them, I have real world expereiences they can learn from and begins to build the relationship.

Sam Goodrum

HBS

I really like the video from Harvard Business school wherein the instructor talks about 4 aspects of great instructors. In particular, he talks about 'knowing your students'. That's VERY important. You must teach STUDENTS, not MATERIAL. I also like the fact that he says "don't humiliate your students."

Jennifer Kearney

smaller class size

Are there any good stratagies for dealing with very small class sizes? I genrally have 5 or less students. Sometimes I feel it puts a lot of pressure on the students. I haven't had too many problems keeping them motivated so far, but if there were any good motivational statagies specifially for smaller class sizes I'm all ears :)

Sam Goodrum

Change in the classroom

I like the fact that the lesson teaches us to 're-focus" our efforts if we get the sense that our instruction is not accomplishing the objectives of the course. I also like the fact that various learning styles are addressed. It's mandatory to address the learning style of each & every student in any given course.

Desharla Lavettte

Relating to Students

Providing a concern or excitement goes a long way with students. They are glad that you care and trully understand their concerns in the class or their personal lives. Students want to feel a part of the class and not disengaged by the instructor.

Desharla Lavettte

Creative Ideas

What are some creative ideas/games that instructors could use to enhance the school setting for students with diverse backgrounds?

wanda smith

Motivating your students

It is very important to keep our students motivated and encouraged. Our non-traditional student face so many obstacles, that sometime when they enter there educational setting they are already frustated and upset. We must gain our rapport back with them and try to establish a positive, encouraging educational setting. We are not therapist, we should not be giving advice we should get control of our educational setting and focus on the daily lesson.

wanda smith

Instructor refocus

I think that it is important as an instructor that when we get tired and burned out that we must refocus. we have to get excited about what we are teaching and refocus our momentum to gain control of our class. When msut keep the moral and excitement up in our classrooms. When our students see us lose focus and drive about what we are teaching it really affects them. So therefore we must stay motivated, positive and encouraging.

Lynnette Smith

Hello

How to motivate Students who are not willing to come to class?

wanda smith

Student retention

It is important to make your non-traditional student feel important and that you the instuctor care about them. You have to establish a rapport with your student letting them know that you are there for them and that success in their educational needs are important to you also.

wanda smith

Being successful in college

I think that it is important to have a strategy or plan for adult learners so that they don't get discouraged or feel intimidated. As an insturctor we must offer support and sometimes additional resources to help our adult learners reach their educational goals.

Diane Allen