Educators are key to ensuring student success. You provide students with the knowledge and skills they need to achieve goals, realize potential, and fulfill dreams. This is a big job! Here are a few tips to support you as you begin this term.
Cultivate a Pedagogy of Welcome
Classes in all modalities can use simple strategies to welcome and make students feel valued. Simple activities such as introducing yourself as a person, having pairs of students introduce each other, having students complete an introduce yourself survey, or doing a fun activity together go a long way to demonstrate you care about them. You can utilize Lumen’s Introduce Yourself survey with students to help cultivate belonging and welcome.
As the pandemic has shifted some of education to online, new pedagogies have emerged to bring the level of engagement students expect and deserve. Niya Bond, Lumen Circles* Facilitator, talks in detail about how faculty can create welcoming online classrooms that encourage success for every student. “Pedagogies of Online Welcome” provide an approach for faculty members to welcome students into online learning experiences by focusing on creating friendly, open-minded, and inclusive online environments.
Build a Supportive Learning Community
Students thrive in a supportive learning environment where they can connect with their peers and form meaningful relationships with their instructors. Building a sense of community promotes an atmosphere where students feel more confident asking questions and seeking assistance.
Being part of a learning community results in higher rates of attendance, participation, and persistence. Examples of establishing such a learning community can be found in the reflections of Lumen Circles participants. In one reflection, Darsha Katwala explains how she built a class community with ease. Another reflection, titled “Welcome and AH-HA! I Saw That” by Dennis O’Reilly, highlights the significance of fostering a community of learners.
Encourage Reflection and Self-Assessment
Reflection and self-assessment are keys to helping students grow throughout their college experience. It’s critical that students learn reflective practice in order to learn from mistakes, develop curiosity, and learn how to improve their performance. One way to encourage reflection and self-assessment is by setting small and achievable goals.
These goals can include encouraging students to complete their study plan activities in Waymaker and Lumen One or providing additional practice assessments in OHM. By achieving these small goals, students gain a sense of accomplishment, which motivates them to continue reflecting on their progress.
By following the above student success tips, you can create a welcoming and supportive learning environment that motivates and engages students at the beginning of the semester. Remember that the small actions you take can have a significant impact on your student’s success. By leading with excitement and openness, you can help your students tap into their full potential and achieve their goals.
*Lumen Circles is Lumen Learning’s professional development program that offers virtual learning communities in different focus areas to provide educators with the tools they need for student success.
by: Angelica Halbert, Lumen Learning