I believe that bonding implies letting students know that you are there as an advocate for them and that their success is viscerally important to you.

I am a lab and didactic instructor and this gives me an opportunity for constant communication with my students. I tell them that teaching is my job and that it involves constant learning.They know that learning involves successes and dissapointments but the ultimate goal of competence has to be attained because people depend on our abilities.

In my class, I have a simple motto; failure is not an option and as a class, our successes and shortcomings are shared. I teach my class every day for a whole year and we do bond pretty well and I believe this is the basis for any retention program

The most important step for student retention and effective intervention is to believe and to make the student believe that the institution is commited to their success for reasons that go beyond the bottom line. Many of my students come to class hungry to learn and for hope of a better future and as instructors, we are their advocates.

I strongly believe that it requires teamwork to preapare a student for success. This effort begins with the admissions counsellor, and continues with the administrative personnel, instructors and the program directors. It is important to lay out a roadmap and a vision for a student and inspire them to succeed in the course ahead.

Retention is particularly challenging when it is a long course and personal financial challenges make a student question the wisdom and feasibility of persisting with the class. This is where a clear vision of the rewards is vital.

A successful organization should have a clear mission statement and its actions should motivate all stakeholders.

Enthusiasm can be infectious and this is especially true when an instructor is teaching a pm class in challenging economic times

An educational institution that provides a quality learning experience for its students should be a successful business mode. Satisfied students are the best testimonials for an institution. The key is to avoid greed and balance the competing priorities of investment and return.

As instructors and mentors, it is important to present to the students a larger vision of what staying in school can mean for the goal of creating better and more productive lives for themselves, their families and the greater community. This will help them persevere when the road gets hard and obstacles build up.