By greeting every student and treating them like an individual instead of just a number. Get a feel on how they are emotionally before they enter the class. Recognize abnormalities in their behavior and take action.
This is probably very helpful for those students who need a little extra encouragement and need some reassurance that they are on the right track. Sometimes students have been told they are too old to go back to school they second guess their own ability to complete the assignemnt accurately
Instructs should relate to her students
Instructors can evaluate factors that discourages students and try to alter lesson plan if posssible.
Style of communicating the class content seems the most effective way of retention for my students. I rarely if ever stand in front of my class and just lecture for the required 4 hours. I ask the students questions about the material and discuss whether answers are right or wrong and why they feel so. Constantly changing the format of communicating the information allows me to reach all types of learning styles and often cross language barriers through pictures. Even the most difficult of topics doesn't seem scary to adult learners if communicated in various formats and related to everyday situations and examples, ie the body systems as parts of a house, etc. If the material is interesting, presentation of material is constantly changing, and not so scary, frustration levels will be lower and retention higher.
Effective retention is finding out why the students has returned to school, and what motivates them.
A First day or class questionnaire for students would help the instructor learn more about the student and their needs.
If you students know that you are there for them and willing to help them if they are struggling is encouraging to them. I always encourage my students to come to me before or after class if they are feeling like they need help in the subject. I let them know I have an open door policy.
by providing proper retention training system that will identify and retain the top performers within their skills
WHen handing out assignments I believe that when assignments are turned in, the instructor should go over the assignments especially if the students did not understand all the questions. In my opinion this helps the students retain the information when the main points of the subject matter are constantly repeated.
Hi Judy,
What a great way to go the extra step and show your students that you really care about their success. They can and will be successful if they will put for the effort because you are there to help them make the needed progress. This is a great comfort for students.
Gary
Instructors need to be aware of visual, verbal and written feedback from their students to be effective in their retention strategies. First, it is important to be aware of the actual classroom environment and the actual backgrounds of the students enrolled in the course. Having the students fill out a short survey will give the instructor specific student information that they can use throughout the term to engage the students in the classroom. Second, it is important to know the names of each student enrolled in the course but the instructor needs to greet and call on the students during each class. Observing students in small group activities will also allow the instructor to see how engaged students are in the course. Third, having students complete anonymous course and instructor evaluations will give an instructor positive and negative feedback on their course and themself.
My best overall retention strategy is providing a positive, open and organized instructional setting but offering assistance before, during breaks and after each class. Continual feedback is necessary for successful individual and group retention strategies.
I have always told my students that any time they do not understand something in class that I will be more than glad to either stay that day after class or come anothr day to be sure they understand what we are doing. I also give them my home phone number with certain hours they may call .
Judy
I follow up with an email or phone call when a student misses class. its, just takes a little time at the end of each class but has a huge pay off
Hi Joel,
So important for student success. Knowing their instructor cares about their success and is there to support them is critical to their future.
Gary
Displaying a genuine concern for the students success and guiding their confidence with the curriculum is essential in student retention.
through training's and seminars like these. Your institution/employer should also be able to provide workshop information.
One of our greatest fears, is the unknown. This can be eliminated by explaining your expectations and how you are there to help each student become successful in their education.
By the use of bringing in real life examples of what is covered in class. Its is easy to see if the students are retaining the information by asking them to identify a solution for a problem utilizing the content.
