Feedback from taking this class on retention
This class was extemely helpful in my retention efforts with students. I have been teaching for 7 years and it is very true that once they decide to drop -- there is not changing the student's mind. Proactiveness and connecting with students at the very start of class is key. I've had students who were rocking along doing just great when all of a sudden a family crisis hits and they're ready to drop the class.
The practices provided in this class as to how to deal with students and the way to ask questions I found to be extremely helpful and I will put these recommendations to use.
Joyce Hladky
This class is a reminder that as instructors we have a great deal of responsibility to our students. Positive attitudes and consistent fedback are vitally important to our students, especially those that are having difficulties. Continued involvement and encouragement as well as learning new approaches (learning from our mistakes), will help each of us to have better retention rates. Thank you for the insight during this course.
I know schools always stress retention and the fact that we need to keep and engage our students and I think most instructors have a general knowlege of how to do this. I do think though that these modules gave me real tools that I can use. It's easy for our deans and presidents to say we need to retain students, but it was nice to actually get some real tools I can use to do this. I also realized that it really all starts at the beginning. There were a lot of orientation ideas that these modules provided me withthat we do not implement in our orientations. We need to have more faculty and student involvement in our orientations and I know have some recommendations to bring up in our next meeting.
-Jaime Gundersen
Hi All, new to this...can someone tell me which 'class' you are referring to? Thank you very much!
This was a very interesting class. It helped in a lot of ways with my everyday job...
It has been my experience that taking the time to listen to your student and obsserve their behavior, you find those who have lost their way and are just "skating" by in class. I find that speaking with them after class privately, I ask them what is affecting them or their personal life. Most of the time by just listending, or gentle persuasion I can get them to open up. Usually I relay this information on to our Program Director so he can speak to him/her about what is hindering them to stay focused.
Yes, some issues such as immediate health issues can't be helped; but, for those who are just mad because someone didn't come running like they wanted , instructors find the student can get a bit testy with them when they feel their needs are not being met.
Our school is new and we are still working on procedures for retention. The class was very helpful in defining the problem, giving some practical tips to solve the issue and allowing me to explore retention in depth.
@jhladky :
I am in accounting. this was very helpful to me in the fact that I have to collect student payments.
Alot of students do not have jobs. This was very helpfull in my approach to my collection efforts.
@mjabs : RT102 Retention of Students
Retention is very important to both the learning institution and the student. As an instructor, part of my duty is to help the student succeed (of course), but also make them feel welcome at the school and to let them know that the money they're spending to attend is not going to be a waste. As long as they stay focused on their ultimate goal, which hopefully is a career that they're going to love and work at for a long time.
However, some people just disappear before you even realize or can do anything about it and I think that's really unfortunate.
