It is so important that students get involved with each other. They may not know another sole, but as an instructor, we have to help them meet people. These potential acquaintences could be a life saver to them to help them study.

A good orientation program is essential to student retention. Students have to understand what is expected of them and we have to understand what the student is expecting of us.

One of the best ways to ensure good retention is to ensure you have a good candidate for the program. We have to help a student look for the right program in which they are best suited.

What are some of the best practices currently at your place of employement?

I always encourage the students to submit a biography and I do the same. I think this establishes a rapport for each of the students in order for them to get to know each other.

Encourage our students to be competent and interested in learning and succeeding. Encourage them to do their best and ask for help when necessary.

It takes each and every person in an organization to make orientation successful. Students have to have all of the information on the school, the instructors and the course to be successful.

We have to provide a helpful atmosphere for our students to learn. We have to make them feel comfortable in our classroom, even if they are scared to death.

The best way to improve retention is to listen to our students. If they are having a hard time understanding the information we are trying to teach, change the way the information is delivered. If they are having issues with getting their assignments completed, change the way we are delivering the assignment. Listening is a key component to learning.

When a student is in need of assistance, there are many flags that are sometimes there and we don't see them at first. One of the most obvious flags, is when they are not participating in their discussion and/or turning in their assignments. That is the time we have to make contact with them to let them know we do care.

Our committment to the student as an instructor is as important to their success as the information we are trying to convey to them. If we don't show compassion and empathy for our students, they are going to sense that feeling and it does affect their success.

I believe that retention is the responsibility of each and every faculty member. We must make our syllabus understandable and our expectations very clear, so that each and every student is aware of what is expected in a course. They must also understand the grading practice and what to do in case they need assistance. When we are upfront with our students, that is an aide in retention.

Our campus does not need anything to improve the school involvemet/activities! We do everything from Easter Egg hunts, to Hot cocoa and cookies in the winter months, to Halloween booths from each department and the students go to each, gather candy, and vote on the best booth! Once again, I will say it....We are blessed to have such a great team of workers! Dr. Eve

Orientation at our campus is well planned and has a high attendance of new students. I don't see how anything could be improved, other than maybe having a graduate speak to the students. Also, a power point of students in the classrooms would provide first hand observation of what to expect once they are enrolled! Dr. Eve

A method I have been using for a while to break the ice within the group and to allow students to get to know each other, is have each student introduce him/herself to the class and express their expectations about the class or why they are there. This allows students to relate to one another when it comes to their goals and expectations, and any fears/doubts they may have about the class. As students start opening up about their backgrounds and goals, others start to follow and new friends/colleages are created during this 1st hour of class. They come to class the second day knowing that everyone in class is and feels just like them, knowing that they already know people in the class they can relate to and look forward to seeing again.

What is your most successful intervention techniques to help a student open up in talking about the issues that he/she is facing?

Some students that miss the first day do not realize how much they miss and never really catch up.

First impressions are extremely important to student expectations. A realistic and concise review of any program is important.

What is your best practice to help a student to deal with stress?

One of the way to help students who take longer to grasp the subject/content is to team them up with student leaders that have been detected among the class students. They become mentor and it creates a link for the students that have some difficulty to not only refer to the instructor but also have the opportunity to search help among the student leader/mentor.