attendance
Our institution requires a minimum level of attendance. Often, students fail to meet this requirement and as a result, we must terminate their enrollment. I've often found it difficult when I have to act as a truancy officer to make them feel like they should be attending. Often, calling a student at home to say "You've been missing a lot of class" can drive them away, though I know sometimes they need to know we're paying attention. Finding a balance with this is a daily struggle.
I teach at a Career College. Our attendance policy is that if a student is tardy 4 times,it will equal an absence. All absences have to be made-up. If they miss a lecture class,hey will have to turn in a report on the topic that was covered in that class. If it was a Lab class that was missed, the student will need to schedule a time to return to school and make up those hours by performing certain procedures that were covered on the day that they missed.
We are required to contact students who miss a class period, each day, to show concern and attentiveness. It is very rare that the students pick up or return outreach efforts. The impact of poor attendance, both academically and professionally, are continuously communicated to the student body through various methods, yet there are always those few that we can't get through to.
I feel that when the students get a call it shows them that we noticed they weren't in class and that we care about them.
I think attendance starts with day 1, emphasizing employers will not accept an absent employee and this is the first step in starting that trend. Identifying potential obstacles before hand and having a plan in place for when they occur.
I think nearly all schools have this issue. For ours, students leave for circumstantial reasons, and so my intervention is of very limited value.
Every once in a while, though, a student loses motivation. As a former high-/middle-school teacher, I can spot these easily, and I feel that it's our job to inspire them.
I agree with Susan in most cases: our job is to prepare them for the workplace and thus our policies should mirror the workplace's. I disagree with this in a way, though, because our role is to help transition them. By negotiating between workplace demands, schoolwide policies, and personal priorities, and applying these policies individually, student-by-student, we can find the right balance.
My question is, what can we as instructors do as intervention to help invest our students in an education when they begin having doubts?
Glenn,
Exactly. Our role is to prepare them for work. Not just the skills necessary, but the behaviors as well. This is much more difficult be just as important.
Susan Backofen
trying to instill the importance of attendance is a challenge. What they don't always get is that their transcrips with there missed time is basically telling their potential employer how much time they are going to miss at the job.
Cheryl ,
That can be true. There is certainly a line that can be crossed. But I think it is the way we approach the subject. True compassion and desire to help the student comes through. It is ultimately up to the student to share or not. Regardless, letting them know someone cares is the ultimate purpose.
Susan Backofen
I can relate to that, I have to do the same. Often I feel that I really have no right to pry into their personal lives and circumstances. If it were me I certainly would not be sharing my personal circumstances with someone calling from my College. I understand that it helps in determining what type of support we can provide, but often we teeter on crossing that comfortable line.
Deb,
Very true. Attendance is extremely important on-the-job and we owe it to our students to help prepare them for these other expectations as well as the skills.
Susan Backofen
In my institution we have a policy when a student is tardy 5 times, a care plan is given. THis is a 'warning'. We also speak one on one with students to see if they have a plan B for why they were tardy. After 10 absences, and we rarely get to this point, the student is dropped 1 letter grade. When a student misses class, they miss so much information. I try to reinforce to students classes are like a job. If a person were tardy or absent at a job, this would not be tolerated. When a student really wants to better him or herself by attending our college, they will do just about anything to get to class.
Rhonda,
You make a great point about speaking positive things in to their lives. In many cases, we are the only ones that believe in them.
Susan Backofen
I agree it is a reality check. At this point some the the students need a life coach. I often have to remember how many people spoke positive things in my life. This is a new generation so therfore we must do new things.
Kellie,
True...but part of our job is to prepare them for work as well as teach them the skills. Not showing up or calling in, as you know, isn't acceptable in the work place.
Susan Backofen
I always teach the first set of classes and am at time just hate making to phone calls to home especially when you can't leave a detailed message due to FERPA. I have started giving extra credit for the students notifying me when they are going to be out and it seems to help some. There are and will probably always be students who are just not going to conform to calling out.
This is a big problem at our school also. If a student misses 5 consecutive days in a row, they are terminated. Our students do not call in when they are gone and it is very difficult to schedule appointments for clients and if they are in the classroom, our subjects are scheduled out so there is just so much time to complete these chapters. It is very difficult to get the student caught up.
Stephen,
This is a difficult situation. We would like to think that they would make every effort to attend class and prepare for a new career. Students often have other issues arise that take priority....or they just aren't used to the time management skills required. On the other hand, employers will not tolerate excessive absences either, so this is a good 'reality check'.
Susan Backofen
