Why is it important for schools to implement effective student retention strategies? Student retention rate is a key performance indicator for schools. Without high retention rates, schools cannot accurately measure how well they are doing. How can we improve the retention rates of our students? Here are some tips for you to follow in implementing effective and efficient student retention strategies in your school.
o Enroll students at the beginning of the academic year. Most students opt to skip the intro class during the winter because they have other obligations. But studies show that skipping this class can backfire since it can negatively affect the attitude and performance of your students later on in the year. Make sure that you enroll new students in the beginning of the year so that you can effectively measure how many of them took the class.
o Give personalized attention to each student. Give individual attention to your students. It will make them feel important as if you are talking directly to them. This will give a sense of ownership or respect, which is very important as a student. Give the student your undivided attention so that you do not waste their precious time focusing on someone else’s class.
o Give the students a reason to stay. You should motivate your students to take the course by having engaging content and exciting assignments. Motivation starts from the core and reaches out to your students’ future. When students have a clear direction and goal for the coming year, they become more motivated to continue their studies and to perform well in the class. Showing them the link between now and the next semester’s challenge will help them do just that.
o Give students an assurance that their efforts matter. When students know that they are making a difference, their self-esteem rises and this makes them feel confident about their future. The confidence check here they have will rub off on the teachers, the professors and even the other students’ whom they interact with on a daily basis. This confidence encourages them to take further risks and meet goals that were never met before.
o Encourage your students to explore outside the classroom. Retention is not an easy task and needs extensive effort. It is important for students to be allowed to take chances and to experiment. Engaging them in extracurricular activities helps them enhance their knowledge and skills in order for them to achieve their retention goal.
o Consider using music as a medium for retention. Music is known to have a powerful effect on the brain and can easily influence its processes. The songs students listen to during breaks and during exam breaks may be instrumental songs that engage their mind in positive ways and can help retain information better. If you are using music as a student retention tool, make sure you do not use songs with inappropriate content and tone.
o Be interactive with your students. Student retention is directly connected to how interactive a teacher is. You should take the initiative to personally interact with your students. Interaction is one of the most effective ways to develop a lasting relationship with your students. Try to schedule a one-on-one meeting or exchange phone calls once in a while in order to foster deeper relationships with your students.
o Create student retention programs. These are programs that your students can take outside of school and use for fun purposes. They can be used to keep themselves busy and reduce stress. They can also be used to motivate people. Find ways to include them in your lesson plan to foster effective communication.
o Encourage personal reflection. Teachers should encourage students to identify what they appreciate about their lessons and life. This will help them in the development of their skills. A student who is able to express his or her ideas well has the potential to open new horizons for him or her. A program to develop personal reflection can be used as a class project. This will enable you to get some valuable information from your students, which you can use as reference for your teaching.
The implementation of these techniques can surely improve your student retention rate. All it takes is for you to invest some time and effort into it. Make sure to assess your current program and see how you can make it more meaningful. Once you have a system in place, you can implement whatever improvement that will make it most effective for your students.