Ways to Retain "Loner" or
High-Risk Students
The adult learners most at risk for leaving an adult education program are the loners. These stu
dents do not form friendships with other students in the classroom and traditionally have little
support outside of the classroom. Here are some ideas for going the extra mile to keep such
students enrolled.
- Consult your school counselor (or find a community counselor who would like to volunteer)
about making a plan for regular contact with loner students. A regular, at least weekly, phone
call to check up on progress and problems will go a long way in breaking the cycle of isolation.
- Ask all of your students to list on their personal information sheets a person they think
supports their work in adult education. Ask them to include a phone number or email
address for this person. Either you or your counselor should contact this person and ask
if he/she will check in weekly with this student and offer verbal encouragement. Offer
yourself as a support person this mentor can contact if the student encounters personal
or academic problems that require more support than this person can give.
- Ask your students to volunteer to join a buddy-system in which they agree to phone a
fellow student once a week and offer verbal encouragement. Both the student offering the
encouragement and the student receiving the encouragement should volunteer and every
student should get to play both roles.
- Find out if your students have a workplace or attend a church regularly. Encourage them to
identify one person from work or church who they think would be willing to serve as their
encourager. Ask for contact information and make the contact for your student to formalize
the commitment.
- Be sure at the end of the term to help your student(s) who stayed enrolled to say thank you.
They may want to write a thank-you note individually or plan and host a reception as a class.