Retention
I feel if students are not pushed, sometimes with very positive feedback, they feel as if they may not have what it takes to perform in a future class.
I push and encourage my students every day to how to present them self to the profesional world
How do you deliver this encouragement? Publicly, privately?
What are some of your most successful techniques? What do you do when they don't respond positively?
Retention is a team effort that begins with the admissions department and ends up on graduation day. Instructors need to realize the great extend to which our actions influence the student decision to stay or leave school. Rather, than teachers we need to be educators.
An ounce of emphaty can go long ways in the life of an student. We are require to provide knowledge but also to guide our students during moments of difficulty.
I agree with Ms Cullen that if a student does not have a challenge and when they meet that challenge and if you doi not "good job" them especially very early in programs. They get to have an uncertain feeling that can really kill the self esteem that drives them to continue on. A little bit of praise can be all that it takes or even a notice in some regards.
I think the key is balancing the "pushing" with positive constructive feedback and real world truths. I think as humans it can come naturally to tell the student what they want to hear to make them feel good. The problem is, especially with this generation,lacking the ability to see the connection between intrinsic and extrinsic rewards and hard work and perseverance. For the most part this generation has had everything given to them. It is very important to scaffold truth with positive feedback if you want to do the student the service of preparing him/her for the real world.
Shawn, can you give us an example of how you have combined positive constructive feedback and real world truths. Are these different things? They certainly need an accurate assessment of their work as they prepare for a job.
