Common vision and working toward that vision is important for students' success and retention.

Faculty need to support students in believing in themselves and support their goals.

Faculty must know that educating students is the top priority. However, faculty should also be aware of the business aspect of customer service to ensure good retention of students

I am the Freshmen Instructor as well as the Student Services Cordinator at my school. When students first begin in my class their excited, there adrenaline is pumping. Usually about two to three weeks later is when I discover the problems. The students whom have adapted to school well are those who do not have the problems I am going to mention, but the well adapted students are having a hard time dealing with this group. Mental illness, drug and/or alcohol abuse, living in a highly dysfunctional home. How do I deal with this and help my other students deal with this. It takes time to gain the trust of a student to either open up to you or to get them to open up. I can counsel most and give them solutions, and give them the proper tools. These are the first students to either have attendance problems and drop. They cannot or have a hard time adapting to a regulated life style. I can honestly say that during the admission process most of these students go un noticed ( I am not blaming admissions). So how do you know how to help and teach a student with these issues while keeping the rest of the students happy. Is this a complex issue or a normal issue? Kim

I liked the 3Ms where Modeling, mentoring, and monitoring are key elements for students sucess and retention. This is the first time I hear about the 3Ms.

I really like the suggestions concerning job placement. I've never been comfortable calling it such. I'm going to speak with our President about changing the department name. Also, I'll alter my admissions presentation to include Career Services instead of job placement. Thank you.

I believe it is so important for an individual to surround himself/herself with positive individuals. Moreover, I truly think that it is a "life style" that someone should aspire to have which, in my opinion, would make a person happier in every aspects of life.

Many times over, at the begining of a new class, I have had students write down on a white baord what they wanted out of the course. This technique, I feel, has helped me make the goals/expectations both realistic and specific.

I think it's great to help/coach students in developing a vision for the future. I beleive it helps them stay focus, gets them excited about learning and open to the idea of trying new things.

I totally agree with the fact that an instructor must hold his or her students accountable. I've seen situations where an instructor didn't hold his students accountable for their work and so lost control of his class.

Negative energy can kill any organization, but it is essential to minimize negativity in our business more than most. We are promising to change futures and change lives, which will only come with a positive, forward-thinking attitude.

The more information the students have about what is going on and what is expected of them the more comfortable they will feel with what is going on around them. Don't leave a question unanswered.

Positive Influence; Generally when an instructor keeps a positive influence the students do too. Most of the students feed off of the instructor attitude.

Tell Tell Tell ; From what we are taught here to help with student learning is, Students are told 6 times to help in the memorization process. We tell them what we are going to do. We tell them why. We tell them how, and then we tell them all over again.

One of our companies saying here is: We are Changing Lives One person at a time to help people achieve their dreams. Example, we have people in place to help students with life’s obstacles. When a student is having issues, we are able to step in and help with Financial Aid, Employment Services, ect…..

Humor in the classroom can be a way of warming bonds with students which can later be used as a springboard for more serious discussions relating to issues surrounding student retention.

Sometimes it is helpful to quiet our preconceived notions notions and biases. Try not to be mentally developing a response before we have completely listened to a student's concerns. Practice active and proactive listening.

I did my dissertation on retention at a small, Appalachian college. I found the main correlated factor to retention was family influence and expectations. The most common response was "I do not want to let my family down."

Even though I have taught for a number of years for an institution that focuses on retention, I learned a lot in RT 101.  In fact, I learned more than I had anticipated.

The information that stood out the most to me was that on stress and its relationship to student withdrawal.  I had never linked a student's withdrawal from a class with his or her fear of failure.  I plan to use this information to focus more on encouraging my students and to point out to them that they can succeed and how we can work together to make that happen.

 

Student retention is good for students, stsff, and financial interests. Scott Humphrey.