Human Factor
Yes, the connection is that they both are the key in retaining a student. By applying the care part, the student feels as if the instructor values the reason he/she came to school and that the instructor wants to assist him/her in obtaining their goal. The human factor is a main ingredient in teaching.
Letting them know that you are willing to work around any life interuptions to help them get thru the course, makes a huge difference.
I agree with Dr. Meers that in order to knock down certain walls and barriers, personal attention is critical to opening up a student so that they may recieve, understand and retain the information. The Human Facotr does just this.. I focus on the students who didnt get a certain topic or assignment and apply the Human Factor so they feel that they are special and they are rcognized and this opens up the door for learning and comprehending something they didn't get the first time around... Mitch
Hi Kim,
I went to a small high school with 63 students. I was in a similar class as yours my freshman year and it was overwhelming to say the least. I left the college and went to a community college where I could get the personal attention I needed as well as mature over the next couple of years. My instructors in the community college were wonderful and to this day I am grateful for their support. When I went on to the 4 year college I was ready mentally and had developed the study skills I needed to be successful.
Many of our students are in the same situation and when we remember that we are move effective in helping them with their own success.
Gary
I remember sitting in my first college English course. There were 300 students and we met in an auditorium. I know that many students are successful in this environment, but to me it was so impersonal and lacking in the human factor that I nearly quit school.
As career college instructors, we are fortunate not to have to teach under those types of circumstances. We have the opportunity to make that human connection, and it requires very little on our parts. The rewards, however, are so significant.
This is the foundation for getting and keeping your students focused and engauged in the course.
