Approaches to Managing and Improving Your Students ’ Attendance

Approaches to Managing and Improving Your Students’ Attendance Michael Feher, First Literacy Jeri Bayer, Project Literacy Neela Jayaraman, Hotel Training Center 10/25/2013

Your Input

Creating Attendance Policies: Programs and Classes 2 questions to consider: What might a program attendance policy look like? What information do you think it should include?

Creating Attendance Policies • Attendance Guidelines, Expectations: • 100 % attendance, on time is optimum. • Minimum attendance required, stated in percentage or otherwise. • Punctuality guidelines?

Creating Attendance Policies Notifying teacher of absences • Planned • Unplanned Punctuality (explicitly and in some detail) • Again, on time every day is ideal • If late, join class quietly • Locking the doors?

Creating Attendance Policies How might a class attendance policy compare to a program’s policy?

Communicating Attendance Policies • Who communicates the attendance policy to students in your program? • When is it communicated? • And how? (In writing or orally? To groups of students or individually? In what emotional context?)

Communicating Attendance Policies Attendance Policies should be communicated by • Teachers and counselors • Administrators and other students And also be communicated • From the start, with reminders • At orientations or on students’ first day of class

Communicating Attendance Policies Student Contracts • Do you use them? • How useful and effective do you find them? • What kind of information is included?

Communicating Attendance Policies Statement of importance of class attendance, with mention of punctuality. • Policy in place for students • For students’ learning, progress, goal attainment • For classes, classmates

Communicating Attendance Policies Try to remember to frame your attendance policy positively, as something primarily for the benefit of students themselves, especially early on, in your first encounters with students and when communicating with multiple students. Consequences of excessive absence or tardiness would best be highlighted as issues arise, as part of managing your students’ attendance.

Managing Attendance Policies • Who manages students’ attendance at you program? • And how? • What procedures do you have in place?

Managing Attendance Policies Students attendance may/should be managed by • Teachers • Counselors/Advisors • Possibly others, like coordinators/directors Individually • Face to face • By Phone • Texts or email • Mail

Managing Attendance Policies Without established procedures, practice is slippery. Ideally, students’ attendance is managed, to some extent • Daily -- by teachers • Weekly -- by teachers and counselors • Monthly -- by teachers, counselors, and directors

Managing Attendance Policies Managing students who are absent or tardy… • Occasional absence or tardiness in adult basic education should be a non-issue. • A brief oral reminder should suffice. • Communicated in a one-on-one setting, by the teacher and counselor • Perfect attendance and punctuality may be recognized, but really should not be expected! Occasionally Habitually In Between

Managing Attendance Policies Managing students who are absent or tardy… • Accurately identifying the issues help in addressing them effectively • Clearly, calmly, and firmly • Communicated individually, by the teacher and counselor, perhaps the program administrator • Orally and in writing Occasionally Habitually In Between

Managing Attendance Policies Managing students who are absent or tardy… • Much of your effort is best focused on keeping these students from becoming “habitual.” • Teachers and counselors should be involved. • Oral and even written communication done. • Clear and firm – without frustration. Occasionally Habitually In Between

Final Thoughts… Tough love is effective in managing students’ attendance, especially when the love is clear and dominant.

Final Thoughts… Feeling or showing anger or frustration doesn’t help you, your students, or your efforts to manage and improve their attendance!

Thank you! Please do reach out to us… First Literacy - Approaches to Attendance Blog Michael Feher: mfeher@firstliteracy.org Jeri Bayer: jbayer@watertown-ma.gov Neela Jayaraman: nj.neela@gmail.com

Approaches to Managing and Improving Your Students ’ Attendance