Retention through Paying Attention
I wanted to share some thoughts on retention this month to help SUS faculty understand our ongoing initiative to help students succeed in their educational pursuits. The first thing we need to do is help students remain in college. Once they are on a continuous track, they are much more likely to attain their educational goals.
I think that sometimes we make retention too difficult of a concept. Research on retention is important, but we don't need to overly analyze the issue. Many students point to student integration as a key factor in retention. This means that students who feel connected in some way to their University are more likely to continue to graduation. This connection may be with instructors, staff, or even a helpful member of the maintenance crew. It appears that the key is connection.
I hope everyone in SUS is connecting with our students, but I want connections between faculty and students to be our highest priority.
Think back to the classes in high school or college that engaged you the most. Chances are you had an attentive instructor who took the time to focus on each student in some way. You were more than a body in a classroom or online space. You were a person with unique interests, challenges, and viewpoints and your instructor reached out in some way to acknowledge that uniqueness. I still remember my high school journalism instructor who took the time to write several sentences of feedback on each assignment we turned in. I valued those comments a great deal because I knew he was relating uniquely to me.
As we move into the summer sessions, I would like to ask each of you who are teaching to focus on helping out students to feel unique and to encourage them to continue their education despite obstacles that come their way. Here are a few ideas I've developed along the way in my own teaching career. Each one takes very little time. I invite you to add your own.
Provide weekly or biweekly comments to students in some way, whether on assignments or conference notes in the gradebook. Students want to know you notice them uniquely.
Find out students' careers goals, perhaps by asking them to share this information in their introduction the first week. Try to provide at least one helpful hint to them when you respond. Over the course, if you find any information that would be helpful to a student in pursuing his or her career, share it in an email.
If you find that students are not participating or drop off in their participation, please continue to reach out to them consistently. Send weekly notes to encourage them to contact you to help them catch up. Even if a student misses a week or two of conferences, they are usually able to catch up and do well even if they lose points for those weeks. Let them know you care that each one does well. Challenge them in positive ways to reach higher expectations.
If a student falters badly, immediately reach out to him or her and encourage the student to seek help either through the effective writing center, a tutor, or a peer mentor. Students can recover if you reach out quickly.
If a student decides to withdraw from the class anyway, encourage them to sign up again the next semester so that they don't just take a break and never come back. Too many students intend to return to school but never do.
If I were to sum up my request to all of you, it would be this: Pay attention to each student in the same way your best instructor paid attention to you. Encourage your students. Help them reach new levels of achievement. Motivate them. Intervene when they falter to provide resources and support. Make each one know he or she is important.
I firmly believe in two things when teaching -- positive encouragement and high expectations. I set the bar high, but I encourage and support students to reach that bar. They may struggle at times, but even adult students need the guide on the side to reach out and provide help, support, advice, or just your conviction that they can succeed. Students will live up to the expectations placed upon them. Expect the best and you will receive their best.
At our UMUC graduation we see the smiles, tears, and true rejoicing of our students as they walk across the stage to receive their diplomas. Help more of our students make that important walk by paying attention to each one. After all, retention is not just a data set--retention rates represent how many unique human beings reach their goals. Think of those joyous faces at graduation as you teach your courses this summer. Let that be your motivating vision on those late nights when grading student papers or responding to conference sessions.
Have a terrific month, and my sincerest appreciation for all that you do for our students.
Marie
