Creating a positive learning environment is key to managing your classroom. Without positive reinforcement students will avoid attending class and feel like their goals are not supported. I will apply the WIFFM - what in it for me when it comes to my students. I already had this approach, but defining it in this way helps to develop an even better approach for my students. 

I really love HABE's and how it can help students create a proper approach for success in the educational journey. HABE's allows educators to connect with students by not only setting goals, but sharing our personal journey so that students can relate and connect on a different level. Educators should always understand that students are our customers, and we should always communicate clearly with a positive vision in mind.

Overall in academics it is vitally important to personally know your students and identify issues as the arise. If a student is absent from class, it takes the academic team to recognize their absence and reaching out to let the student know they have support for their academic success. Once a students know that someone cares if they are present, they will feel that they belong and will try their best to succeed which will overall increase retention.  

Be flexible. Today's students come with challenges but they also come with experience from those challenges. Do not look at these students as AT-Risk. Look at them as a diverse perspective to add to the classroom. 

Some fields like Nursing know how to take on that mentorship role from student all the way to the job. We should learn from Healthcare. 

I like the definition of retention being equal to "Perceived" Value/ Cost. 

Retention = Perceived Value/Cost. Perception is a big component of value. 

The greater the understanding of a course and a potential career in a topic, the greater chance the prospective students have of completing the course and being successful. 

Prepare to listen. Detach yourself from the problem so you can help the individual sort out the issues on their own. Offer guidance, not answers.

This confirms seomthing Daniel Pink said which is that people need Autonomy, Mastery, and Purpose to be motivated. This section focused on the erosion of that purpose within the individual.

Be proactive with retention. Just like we maintain maintenance records on our equipment to ensure it is operating well and won't break down, we need to be just as aware of employee maintainence.