Jacqueline,
What are some ways you leverage the experiences of your adult students?
Jeffrey Schillinger
I work at a career school and one motivation for adult learners to return to school is the loss of employment. Many adult learners have returned to school because their former employer offered to pay for the education or they are receiving unemployment benefits which includes retraining for a new job.
Adults return to school for many reasons...want to advance in their current company, want to change careers and recognize they need higher education to do that, loss job and seek other employment or just want the knowledge. Money motivates people to go back to school as well because higher jobs usually result in more money, which would have a rippling affect in people personal lives.
One motivating factor that I do not see very often is Life Goal Fulfillment. Life happens, and an individual who had to put their education on hold due to life situations has a deep yearning to fulfill that goal of education whether it be a GED, Career Education, or an Advanced Degree. Awareness of each type of tree in the forest allows one to nourish the growth and develop of both the individual and the class. Keep it simple, make it fun, apply it to life!
Rosetta,
What are the most common things you learn from the responses to this writing assignment?
Jeffrey Schillinger
Rosetta,
Thank you for this post. What are some of the most common things you learn about your students during these sessions?
Jeffrey Schillinger
Greetings!
While I do not always directly ask a student why they have returned to school unless they are willing to share, I often include the question in a writing assignment in the ben ginning of a class. Surprisingly, I have always gotten great responses from students in their willingness to share their motivation for returning to school.
Greetings!
I agree it can be difficult to obtain information on the needs of students in the beginning of a course. However, I have found using "Getting To Know" you games work well in the beginning of a class. Students are often more comfortable opening up to one another than the instructor. I use this game to get students to share information, but also allows me to get to know the students as well. Additionally, I always share who I am in the beginning of any class I teach. Students must feel comfortable and as an instructor it is my responsibility to set the tone early on for a classroom that is open and responsive to the needs of students.
Donna,
Thank you for this well-written post. What are one or two specific things you do in your classroom that leverages what we know about adult learners?
Jeffrey Schillinger
So often, people don't figure out exactly what they want to do or even what they like to do until they're much older. I have several students who have already had one career which was based on just earning an income and now they would like to do something they enjoy for work. Some adult learners also chose not to go to school early on because they didn't believe the option was available to them or they hadn't been directed toward higher education. The economic shifts that have occurred in recent years may also be a significant factor.
Troy,
Thank you for this post. What are some things teachers should do to better serve returning or retiring vets?
Jeffrey Schillinger
What are some of the motivating factors for adults to return to school?
There could be lots of different reasons. Economics, loss of previous job, unhappy in current career, military vets leaving the service, completing one career and looking for a different.
I was a retiring vet and faced with returning to school seeking a second career.
Derrick,
Thanks for this post. What are some specific things you do to leverage these motivations to increase student success?
Jeffrey Schillinger
Adult learnners, in most cases, want to improve their economic situation.Other factors that may be motivational include personal satisfaction for life-long learning, motivation for children, a personal desire to achieve a goal, and a career change. Adult learners are very unique and exciting to teach because of the life-experience they bring to the classroom.
Madelyn,
This is a nice idea, but I am not sure how well these types of "bring em back" programs really work. We have found that making sure school is interesting and fun throughout the term is the most effective way to ensure students come back. We still do these types of things, but more as a thank you than for retention.
Jeffrey Schillinger
If we are taking a week break, I engage my students in sort of a motivational game. I start sort of a game. Students earn tickets for doing certain academic tasks, when they return from the break, we have a drawing. This, in my opinion, motivates them to return from the break.
David,
We are looking for specifically scheduled strategies in each class that provide them the opportunity to state their reasons and why they have those reasons.
Jeffrey Schillinger
Motivations for adult learners can be remarkably varied. Many struggling students I have noted have not yet admitted to themselves their reasons for returning to school, especially if external pressures have driven them to us. One useful tool I have used is to help these students discover and then say out loud to themselves why they are in school. This helps them internalize motivation for school. They can then re-prioitize their time and efforts.
Anne,
Thank you for this post. How do you help students wear al of their hats successfully?
Jeffrey Schillinger
Our students have to juggle many hats. Younger students predominantly have only school to occupy their time; whereas, the older adult students may have children, jobs, and school. They have to make better use of their free time.
