First week, the right place at the right time!
It is very important to ensure that the student feels comfortable in their surroundings at this time in their lives. Making them feel welcome, assisting with job searches, living arrangements, school professionalism expectations, first course syllabus, testing requirements, class times, issuing books are all EQUALLY important to making them feel that they are in the right place at the right time.
Our school has developed a resources sheet regarding housing, childcare, & other community assistance within our city to initiate and empower our students to reach out and utilize necessary resources to keep them in school and better their "outside of school" lives.
Brian, I agree. When it comes to expectations and dress code it is an issue no one wants to address and be the bad guy. The issue we have is should it be Admissions (who already have the rapport), Career Services (who run the orientation), Program Managers (who will talk about it once classes begin), or Administration (so they hear it from the top and it doesn't put the instructor and student on bad terms at the beginning because a lot don't have the money to buy clothes if they don't have a uniform).
They should also be versed on the expectations. I feel that overpowering the students during the first week with rules and regulation can be counter-productive. I realize that the rules need to be addressed but it needs to be in a manner that doesn't seem to be given by a tyrant.
John--
You make very good points about the 'other' issues that need to be addressed (job, housing, etc.) It is the whole person we need to be aware of as the majority of the time these outside issues are the cause of not completing.
Susan
