How to Engage, Motivate, and Retain Students

In early March, the LGR office emailed a survey about the curriculum and structure of LGR programs to coaches from the past academic year. More than 70 coaches completed the survey.

The survey asked about ideas to increase student retention and promote student motivation. Here are some of the responses:

"Increase the deposit so that the kids are more likely to continue in order to get their deposit back." [Note: The standard deposit amount is $25. The Harvard LGR has been using a $50 amount for the past year.]

"Create attendance awards for perfect attendance to the program."

"It's incredibly important to get coaches who can effectively bond with the kids in the program."

"Coaches can hound the students. The head coaches and site directors should make sure that all of the coaches are doing this."

"I think that the parents have to be brought much further into the process than they have been in the past."

"Be organized on day one. Don't make the students feel like you're wasting their time while figuring out what to do."

"I use the reward of chocolates."

These are all interesting ideas. I especially like the idea of chocolate right now. I can use a snack myself!

Stay tuned for further information on this blog or via mass email about the survey results and about LGR program development.