students and retention
As students progress through their courses they tend to loose sight of their goals and start to emphasise on the negativity that some portray around them. I feel it is important on the first day of every new class to have the students share their primary goals with myself and others in the class. It seems to help renew their drive and helps remind them why they wanted to get into this field of training to begin with.
Sarah,
All we can do is to establish an environment that inspires students to motivate themselves. What is one thing you try yo do to accomplish this?
Jeffrey Schillinger
I try to take an interest in my students and make a point of speaking to each one individually every day. I stress the importance of coming to school every day for their own benefit. However, no matter what I do there is always at least one student that decides it is okay to take a week off to hang at the beach instead of coming to class. Here this is very little I can do about retention. People are people and in the end they will decide what is really important to them.
Thanks, Brian.
Students in career colleges do need individual attention.
Peer pressure has a good bit to do with retention as well. A student in a technical school tends to be younger and more influenced from their peers. Even if the instructor creates a positive educational environment, one must still pay close attention to warning signs of students falling back. I also feel that the same program to twart a potential drop out will not work on all indivuals because everyone has a different outlook toward their educational future. Because of this, each student must have a catered plan to prevent a potential drop out situation.
This is a great thing to do, Ronnie. It shows them thaey are important to you.
What types of things do you do during class to continue to show each student individual attention?
I agree and i take the same approach to the start of a new class. After the first day I get to know the students. I meet them at the door every day at the start of class and speak to them pne by one as they enter the classroom.
Both, of you make great points. I’ve taken classes where this was part of the introduction and it was interesting to learn something about someone else and what they want to do with their new career. Also, I think it can inspire others to be ambitious as well.
Thanks, Kimberly.
Some colleges develop a form that students complete with this type of information. They keep it in the student's academic file and many teachers can refer to it throughout the student's time at school.
I have my students write their reasons in the front of their notebook on the first day.I then have the students go back to them from time to time and have them reread the reasons. I feel this helps them to stay focused.
Thank you for this post, Blaik.
These are good things to do the during the first class meeting. What are some things you do throughout the term to help students remember they reasons that they are in school?
I could not agree more. i also on the first day go around the classroom, asking the students name, where they are from, and their ambitions and goals. It is very effective, plus as a bonus, I learn their names this way.
Art,
You are so right, students who loose sight of their goals - they tend to absorb other negativity.
I do the same thing - to redirect them towards why they are here in the first place - to learn the technology!
Chuck
