Celebrate Learning
Page 9
the Tide” report mentions that “very few” Round 1
The "Turning the Tide" report advocates a
colleges pursued interventions that “targeted stu-
"more rigorous focus on changing the practices that
dents based on their race, ethnicity, or economic
are most likely to affect students—namely, the inter-
status,” so kudos to TCC and this team for the valiant actions that occur between students and instructors
work so far.
Kara Ryan-Johnson heads up the First-Year
in the classroom," and two of TCC's intervention
teams are doing just that. Joyce Friske heads up the
Experience/Orientation intervention team, who will
Developmental Mathematics intervention team,
pilot improved orientation practices for Fall 2011.
which is currently developing its intervention based
Her team pursued an impressive literature review of
on student barriers to success that were identified in
vanguard community colleges across the nation, and
student and faculty focus groups specific to develop-
Kara is quick to thank the following individuals who
mental mathematics. The team is planning to pilot its
studied colleges similar to ours and what each one
intervention for Fall 2011. Kayla Harding heads up
does to enhance its students' first-year experience:
the Developmental Reading intervention team,
Susan Burlew researched the Community College of
which, similarly, is currently developing its interven-
Denver; Mary Cantrell, La
tion based on student bar-
Guardia Community Col- The "Turning the Tide" report advocates a riers to success that were
lege; Tracy Ballinger, Mo- "more rigorous focus on changing the
identified in student and
practices that are most likely to affect
College; Laura Holtquist, students—namely, the interactions that
Valencia Community Col- occur between students and instructors in
lege; and Suzanne
the classroom"...
faculty focus groups spe-
Haynes, Johnson County
tion for Fall 2011 as well.
raine Valley Community
cific to developmental
reading. The team is planning to pilot its interven-
Community College (she also serves as the team's
Both teams are exploring innovations in instructional
trusty scribe and researcher extraordinaire).
strategies—whatever works to reach today’s chal-
Jeanne Urie heads up the Advising intervention team, and she and Kara share resources as
needed, sometime literally sitting side by side in
lenging student body.
Overall, while the title of the five-year report
on Achieving the Dream suggests the unlikely goal of
meetings since advising is such an integral part of our “Turning the Tide,” others compare the ATD mission
students' first-year experience. The Advising team is
to a feat much more possible: turning a large ship
focusing on tracking how students are advised, train-
toward the better shore. If you’d like to help in the
ing advisors in the complicated task of advising, and
endeavor and join up with one or more of the teams
sharing improved protocols for advising various
mentioned above, feel free to contact me anytime at
groups of students. As noted before, Jeanne and Kara [email protected] or 595-4608. I will be happy
also keep in touch with Sarah and Michael as all
to meet with you soon, and thanks for all you do for
teams aim to improve our students' persistence to-
our students.
ward success.