I agree, if a student can not see the value, their interest level drops. Make everything about the field they are studying.
I truly agree. I myself was a student and one of things i realized being in the classroom at the age of 42, was that I need a variety of things to help me retain and stay focused. The one thing that was a key to my success was that I had instructors that cared about me personally and my success. Having them believe in me helped me believe in myself.
I like these ideas to help the students
Debora,
You are a great example for your students since you have been where many of them are. You came back to school as a older student and have been successful to the point that now you are an instructor. You do understand them and the challenges they face so you can be a role model for them when they face challenges that might lead them to leaving school.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I would do things that would make the students feel they made the right call
Dr. Meers.
I find that it is easier to relate to the students, if I remember how I felt when I was in their position. Why did I start down that road? How did I feel? Depending on the selected field, many people have similar motivating factors. If I understand those factors, and remember what made me more willing to apply myself, I will be more successful in getting my students to retain and enjoy the material and process.
David
Dr Meers.
I do hope that I am not repeating my last. Computer issues today. My thought is this. If I reach back and remember what my motivations were, in choosing the path that my students are now on, it makes me better able to understand where they are. I will understand their fears and concerns. Depending on the field, the motivation for those in it is similar. Once I know where they are, I can make the class more meaningful, and help them enjoy it more. Retention grows from there.
David
David,
This is a good way to get a feel for your students and then customize your instructional delivery to meet their needed. You are placing yourself in their seats and then planning from there. One of the big things when doing this is to be a good listener. Students need to see you as a person that listens to them and then respects them for what they share with you in relation to their career goals.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
David,
Like your thoughts on how to retain students. You are right about the need to explore how to make the class more meaningful for the students. Each student needs to personalize the course for themselves if they are going to see value in what is being taught. The more connections of this type that are made the greater the retention as well as engagement there will be.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
On the first day of class I go around the room and ask the students to introduce themselves and tell us the reason they decided on the program they are in.
Further on in the program I have a recent graduate come to class and talk to the class about their experience. This helps the class stay motivated and they can begin to see the light at the end of the tunnel.
I also plan a field trip to the operating room, so they can see first hand the environment that they will be working in.
Jessica,
You are hitting on all of the key elements needed to motivate students. Guest speakers and field trips increase the value of the content being taught because they get to see it in action. Through application they see relevancy and through relevancy they gain personal motivation and the results are engaged students, which are a joy to teach.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I have seen eyes rolling in one of my classes, and right away changed direction. Am learning going in prepaired and having an open mind for changing direction is a must. Being exposed to other styles is really helping me too create my own, thank you. We need even more tools for changing direction, could be as simple as an advanced materails in a seperate file. What do you think of having a off subject soft skill test?
David,
To answer your question about the off subject soft skill test I think it is a good idea. The reason is that many students only see their career development in terms of knowledge and skill. By showing them that there is the "soft skill" aspect of career development you are expanding their understanding of what career preparation is really about. It is common knowledge that the majority of positions are lost as a result of poor soft skills rather than the lack of technical skills.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
Those are very effective retention strategies I will be sure to utilize some of them in my classroom.
Being an Instructor I feel like having an important role to retain my students in class.In spite of the fact that some students have a lot of pressure from outside like family if they are married.In particular if they are jobless.I try to approach to any of their problem which prevents them to continue their education and possibly to solve it.
I find this very hard to do with some of my students. What are some good tips on doing so?
William,
There are several things that can help with student retention. First, find out all you can about your students. Many students leave school due to outside pressures such as families in crisis, day care, transportation, etc.. Second, try to create a support system for your students. A support system can have a number of ways that it works. You can provide support, fellow students can provide support, and the students services office can provide support. Another thing is to try and create a personal relationship with students so they will see that you value them as individuals and that you want to be successful. This personal connection goes a long way in keeping students in school.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
I agree with the decision making on a career choice. Guest speakers keep students engaged.
Gina,
They really do because they help to make the content you are teaching to come alive and have value for the students.
Gary
Gary Meers, Ed.D.
A best practice that I have used many times to help students remember why they started school was to have them either create a binder flyer or a motivation box. With each project the students are to come of with the reasons they chose to come to school. On the flyer they can write quotes, paste or draw picture etc. With the box they can actually place items in there that will remind them of why they need to continue their program. Either way they can have a daily reminder on their class binder or be able to come home and open the box whens time get tough or frustrating.
