I agree that mentoring increases retention. As soon as I start to see a student struggle with attendance or academics I set them up with a mentor. Most times just having them talk about what is going on in their life and giving them encouragement sets them on track.
Karen,
Yes, sometimes just listening to a student makes all the difference.
Ron Hansen, Ed. D.
Yes, for mentoring to work, you have to have it in place early. It is ineffective to assign a mentor after problems have surfaced - a mentoring system needs to be in place from orientation, so that you can catch problems before they become problems!
Huseina,
Yes, Let students know who their mentor is and provide opportunities to meet early on.
Ron Hansen, Ed. D.
