Retention also has to do with attitude
I noticed with my students a lack of commitment goes hand and hand with attitude. If the student starts with a poor attitude it follows him/her throughout their entire class term. What usually ends up happening is the student begin missing class,failing exams, and finally dropping out of my class.
My question: How are we, as teachers, suppose to change the attitude of an individual?
Theresa,
The one-on-one is a great contribution. There are some other methods to help shy or intimidated students to ask questions during class time but this is one that assures the student is reached.
Ron Hansen, Ed. D.
Jessica,
What is in place to help or deal with students with a negative attitude.
Ron Hansen, Ed. D.
I find that one-on-one time after class with the student helps. One of my students told me she feels intimidated in class to ask questions. After some tutoring sessions she was able to participate in class more comfortably.
While some students have an attitude from the beginning, I feel that reaching the student on a personal level helps them calm down and understand the demands of the course. I also feel that students need to respect the instructor. This may take a while to achieve is the student has a poor attitude to begin with.
I believe attitude does affect retention. When one student has a negative attitude, they influence the class.
We can try. As teachers we can use our passion & share our working experiences, good times & bad. Sometimes by sharing those experiences students realize that it is OK to make mistakes just as long as you can learn from them. This will give them confidence & the will to continue. The more they learn & experience the better they become at thier chosen field.
Kelvin,
Sure does. You have the right idea here.
Dr. Larry Banks
I also think that the instructor has alot to do with the retention. A ggod instructor can seize it an opertunity, and turn a student around if they are on a negative path. On the other hand, an instructor can also over-power the student and unintentionally discourage his/her progress.
Tanya,
Yes, you will learn from them. Remember, you are the teacher and they want to learn from you.
Dr. Larry Banks
I treat my students as equals. They learn from me and I also learn from them. We talk about what each student would like to do when they graduate, it keeps the goal in reach. And we have a few laughs.
I also feel that attitude has alot to do with retention. I belive that the Instructors attitude has alot to do with the students attitude. Some times it is the first experience the student gets from the learning instution that will set his or her tone for the entire school process. In the day and age of entitlement we as teachers have to be able to identify with the learners.
You got it. It is called building up self-concept. Love how you are using positive statements to encourage.
Dr. B
You make a very good point. This is something I have seen in my classroom as well. My approach is simple: I praise the fact that they are strong, determined, and dedicated individuals. That they would not be there at 10:30 P.M. if it were not so. I also remind them of their goals and the fact that they are doing something that will forever shape their future.
I have found that, no matter how poor a student's attitude is, if your build up their sense of pride and purpose, they will do better.
One last thing, because I am someone who was in their shoes not too long ago (I went back to college as an adult), they tend to respect and identify with what I have to say.
Excellent. The idea is to connect to form a relationship with your students.
Dr. B
I try to figure out what is of most interest about my class to each student and then try to build on that to change attitudes.
Thanks for sharing the story. You are right on track. Way to go!
Dr. B
I agree completely with this statement. We have an instructor who really changed the attitude and retention in one particular classroom. He began sending students to workshops and job interviews before the student had finished the program. This way the students were able to experience the actual field(if they volunteered) and they also had the chance to go through the interview process to get a feel of what they will be facing when they finish the program. Plus that gave them a little bit more of reality that what they are studying is not in vain and that the school's priority is their success.
Perfect. Get a relationship going... this will lead to trust.
Dr. B
I see this quite often, what seems to work for me is to try and relate to the student on a personal level. Most of the time they start to think of you as being person in there life and not just the face of someone judging them.
I try by showing my success as an example. Plus tell about situations that happened to me while having a poor attitude or a positive one. I try to get the student more involved with the class and others. Some attitudes are used as a shield or front for some new students. They want to be seen as the rebel or the bad ass. I tell them to look around the school and try to find any instructors who acts that way. Most students don't want to associate with these type of students in a college setting. I also explain that we all learn from each other and if one shows respect one gains it.
