Yes, we train students on actual vehicles. The student's safety is our main priority.
Robert, virtually every school does. Is there anything that makes yours stand out?
Isabella, does the school encourage adjunct instructors to get involved with these activities? Are they part of your job description? If so, are you compensated for the effort?
Mauricio, who maintains this data base? Do students has access to it?
Stan, do you actually work on vehicles? Seems like a great way to get students involved but are there any liability or insurance issues?
Shelia, are these departmental meetings? Do you keep minutes and record action taken/results gotten?
James, tell me more about a motorsports club. Are they actually driving the vehicles? If so, how does insurance work?
How does a tutoring committee work, Rob? How do the students make contact with the committee?
Our institution has a student services department the can help students and actively reach out to them.
I am an adjunct instructor so I don't have as much interaction with the staff and full time instructors to respond thoroughly. However, I can provide some insight through observations. I see many activities and opportunities for students to be engaged with the school on multiple levels - community outreach, academic, and social opportunities. I have also observed many instructors developing relationships with their students that demonstrate true concern for their academic success.
We have a variety of programs to demonstrate school commitment to the students. Not only do we have an open shop program, but several programs such as tutoring, peer to peer, as well as instructor tutoring. Another policy is where if a student has an emergency with their vehicle, we accommodate them to the best of our ability to resolve the problem. If a student has a personal issue, there are counselors available every day to address the concern.
We have a vast network with employers and keep a relationship with students for many years
We have open shop time for students with vehicle concerns or for normal maintenance staffed by instructors to oversee and assist if needed.
Weekly student "at risk" meetings involving employees from various departments. This stays on top of current student situations so that we can focus on being proactive.
We have a motorsports club that gets students exposure to lots of activities they may never have had the opportunity to do otherwise. This is on going and shows commitment to the school and the student.
Our school requires that we call students when they are absent and the dean generates weekly reports to track student attendance to watch for any trends so that the students will not violate probation, when students have barriers causing issues from attending class like transportation, we have student services contact the student to offer solutions.
As I stated before I have not started yet so I am still looking at the practices of the school that demonstrates School Commitment. So far I see it starts with admissions that make sure that the students are qualified for the program they want. The school supports and encourages tutoring for students that need extra help, or is unclear on part of the subject. The school relates the subject to the student’s future and their personal lives.
Having a tutoring comittee available to the students.
Dorothy, are you the one who is responsible for calling the student? If not, how do you communicate with the person who will call and get feedback from them?
If a student is absent from class, we call them. This way we can make them aware that they were missed. Also we have Student Support Services that we can refer students to that will assist them personally and academically. This in essence "coaches" them along. I think by doing all these things, the students feel that we care and notice them as an individual.
Also I think it is important as an instructor to let the student know that I care about them and their success. I make it a point to provide positive feedback.
