I have the advantage to work with a group of recently high school graduates and working adults. And this has really helped me because I have experienced just about everything mention in this course .

I've found that students who just came from high school have a sense of structure that is still a bit ingrained in their thinking, and therefore can do well in my classes. I also find that students over 30 are serious about learning and getting a good career. But the in-between years are the hardest. Many students who are 23 or 24 have been away from school for a while. They tend to have the hardest time getting back into a structured environment, and they aren't yet serious about a 'career'. It just takes a bit more maturity than they sometimes seem to muster up!

How can I maintain the students on task in a calss of 60 students teaching Anatomy & Physiology??

Everyone needs a little motivating from time to time. Family, friends, goals, money, knowledge, society, religion all of these things motivate individuals to succeed and to continue on. Sometimes students (and teachers) need to be reminded of what motivates them. This is key in retention.

Keeping focus on the students is necessary because they are the reason we have jobs in the first place. I teach because I have a passion for changing lives. Therefore my ultimate drive is the student. When I begin to lose focus or when I try to inspire focus in my students, I evaluate what I want in life, what my purpose is and what I want to do/where I want to be, and it gives me motivation to finish the necessary steps to acheive my goal.

Being a student myself, I know it's difficult being in a class that is boring, or where the instructor is unclear, the material is scattered or the learning environment is unorganized. So as the instructor, I stress attendance, relate to each student individually, make lectures interesting by providing real life experience, examples, guest speakers, stories and jokes. I keep lecture organized and fun while providing the students with the material in a comfortable, professional manner.

It has worked to introduce myself and give small amount of background on my nursing career. I also enjoy talking about my son and farm projects so have shared pictures of cows and pigs with class.

Why do they constanting talk beyond the instructor.

Motivation is key to students learning and wanting to learn. However, keeping all students motivated is a challenge. We all know that some students will never be motivated to do anymore than the required to get by. It is those students that keep me motivated to better myself and my teaching abilities.

Because of the current economic situation in this country, there are more adult learners entering career colleges because they need to acquire a new skill. Am I right in assuming that the retention of this particular type of student would be higher because of their need to provide for themselves and their families?

Teaching to Motivate Motivation is a group effort. Motivation can be offered and encouraged, but motivation also must come from within. For a student to truly own their goals, education, accomplishments and success, they must share and participate in the motivation process. So, let us consider the instructor half of the motivation circle. An instructor has the opportunity to show learners how useful, interesting, applicable, and exciting their subject is. For example, I teach math and statistics. These are not commonly “loved” subjects. However, I love them both! I read math, statistics, and physics for fun each day to improve my skills and to deepen my own understanding. I truly believe that math is magical and holds the secrets of the universe. I teach math with this type of enthusiasm. I take the time to show my students why and how math and statistics are not only incrediblely interesting, but also invaluable to all careers and majors. I gauge my lectures by how I would feel if I had to listen to myself. Would I be bored or would I be on the edge of my seat – waiting to hear where the story will unfold to. I have also found that clarity is very motivated just as ambiguity can be very discouraging. Attending college is enough of a challenge without having to play a guessing game during class. I make a point of creating clear and concise communication with respect to every aspect of the class. I help student to realize that they can succeed and that it is OK if they do not understand a concept right away. Learning math can be a unique experience because the concepts are new and as a teacher, I must related these new concepts to ideas that my students already have and know. This connection will realize and ground the concepts, thereby offering greater understanding and application. In exchange for my absolute dedication, I expect my learners to try hard and then try again. I encourage them to believe that they can, and that it is OK to read the textbook and solve the problems. Learning math specifically is interactive – the student and the instructor must both do their part.

Refocus: Sometimes we need to restart Teaching is a wonderful, rewarding, exciting, challenging, and energizing profession. Teachers have the unique privilege to share learning, engender confidence, and promote creativity and success. As such, teachers are always “on”. Teachers are energized, excited, motivating, encouraging, empathetic, present, and available 24/7. However, teachers are also people, and people with the type of expectations placed on teachers, must recharge, re-energize, restart, refocus. No matter how dedicated a teacher might be, a day might come when that teacher feels frustrated, defeated, or even worse, apathetic. However, it is important to realize that these feeling are normal and a natural result of offering constant and endless positive motivation and encouragement to others. Once we as teachers realize that it is OK to also be human, we learn that our feelings are normal. Then, we can take the next step – the step of refocus. For me, the Holidays are my time of refocus. I remind myself of how wonderful people are, the world is, and my ability to offer hope and success to those I share my instruction with.

Understanding Retention What is retention with respect to education? The concept of retention is to retain or keep the learner both in class and in the Academic Institution. In the past 20 years of teaching, I must first observe that retaining a student within a given class at all costs can both compromise the integrity of the institution as well as the success of the learner. In some cases, it is best for the learner to wait until a following semester to complete a course. Class retention is some cases can actually result in an institutional loss of the learner. When might this happen? In some cases, students need to take a break. Perhaps a student has lost a relative or friend to death or suicide (which has happened in my classes). Perhaps a student has received a work promotion that requires focus and time for success. In some cases, it is best to tell a student whom asks that it is absolutely OK to wait out a term or to take fewer classes until they are ready to get back up to speed. Otherwise, retention at all costs in the current class might result in a loss of that student from the entire program. Similarly, there are cases in which a student simply chooses not to complete the class requirements. While instructors might offer phone calls, emails, special late extensions, etc, there are cases in which a learner in not able to complete a class. In this case, rather than negatively affecting the integrity of the Academic Institution by allowing a learner to complete an entire class in the last week, it is best to suggest that the student repeat the class. Learning and achieving career goals is important and should not be compromised. In most cases, however, retention can be as simple as sending a motivational email, contacting a learner who has not been in class for a few days, or offering a special small extension for cases of brief illness or life-related incidences. Most students want to succeed and want to remain in class. We as instructors can certainly help them to do both. Knowing our learners can help us to help them – in all cases.

Instruction is the act of bringing information into a realm that can be absorbed and understood by others. This process is invasive, active, and cooperative. A teacher cannot force a student to learn, but a teacher can certainly offer an environment in which learning is available, interesting, and obtainable. Knowing and understanding your learners will help with the preparation of an instructional and learning environment. For example, when I had the privilege of teaching a group of students who each already had a Master’s Degrees in Math Education, I tailored by classroom setting to the assumed average knowledge level of the group. I created activates that would interest, excite, and motive the group. As such, I avoided insulting their knowledge by boring them with a review of arithmetic. Conversely, I created a number of opportunities for them to share their own knowledge and experience. Alternatively, when I worked for the Welfare- to-Work program and taught Preparatory Math to learners who had little knowledge of arithmetic, I certainly did spend a considerable amount of time reviewing the very basics of arithmetic. We used group settings and exercises to mitigate anxiety and abate fear. I made a point to not require any learner to speak in front of the class unless they wanted to. Knowing and understanding a group of learners is a necessity in creating an appropriate, exciting, interesting, motivating learning environment.

Telling students of my experiences helps to motivate them to complete their program. I always tell them that no matter what happens in life, don't ever give up. Always finish what you start. The greatest day of your life is walking across the stage on graduation day and your name is called for completing your degree, certificate or diploma.

I have learned there are many teaching methods. It may work to have the students present the material to help keep them engaged. Students enjoy being the teacher at times. I have found that if a student is given a topic they work really hard to develop that topic for group discussions and presentations.

I have found that positive reinforcement works very well with immature and mature adult learners. Letting the students know they are doing a great job helps to reassure them. Those students that are not doing must be encourage and given feedback as to how they can do better. We must always offer assistance when needed and perhaps let the administration know that a student might require a tutor.

Good information on the needs of adult learners. Nice comparison and contrast between young and older learners.

Student motiviation is a key factor in success. Recently, I assigned my students to make a poster of all the things that motivate them to attend and finish college. We hung the posters in our classroom. This allows for a reminder to why they are enduring the hardships that accompany attending college.

retaining students is rough sometimes but, if you can set clear objectives and goals and be available as needed for students retention numbers can stay high.