TITLE OF THE PRACTICE: INTENSIVE MENTORING OF STUDENTS
Objective
i)To provide more contact hours between teachers and students.
ii) To maintain proper academic and attendance record of students.
iii) To minimize dropout rates among students.
iv) To identify slow learners and advanced learners.
The context: The institute has effectively put the mentoring system into practice in the last few years, improving upon it every year to make it more intensive and encompassing for all students. With a wide variation in the student population with regard to educational and economic background, the system promises to provide a better understanding of individual students and bring out their highest potential. It also appears to be the most effective method/weapon for mitigating cases of dropout students.
The Practice: The IQAC had taken the initiative to implement this system. Every year the names of all students are collected and arranged according to their subject choice. They are divided into groups of 10-15 students depending on the number of students. Each group is assigned a teacher/mentor who is responsible for collecting academic performance and class attendance of individual students. The IQAC fixes dates for Mentor- mentee meet in the academic calendar. In these meetings the performance of individual students are discussed. The teacher/mentor is given necessary information regarding his/her mentees and is expected to offer guidance and counseling as and when required. In isolated cases parents are called for special meetings with the Principal at the suggestion of the mentor.
Evidence of success: Though the system has only been implemented in the last few years, significant improvement in the teacher student relationship can be seen. The system has been useful in identifying slow learners and advanced learners. Based on the requirement deduced through a careful examination of each mentor’s report, the institute organizes a remedial class on different subjects within the syllabus for poor/slow learners. The remedial classes have become systematized after the implementation of this system. NEED-BASED remedial classes have proved to be beneficial to the students in particular and the entire college in general. The system has also been used to identify students who need financial support. The faculty has been contributing towards an endowment fund for students every month. The Corpus fund raised from the collection of such fund is distributed to students who are identified through the mentoring system .There appears to be a lesser number of dropouts since mentors can intervene before a student falls short of attendance or has been regularly abstaining from classes. In the Context of the recent Pandemic due to Covid-19,the mentoring system has proved to be one of best ways to stay connected with the students. All important information are disseminated through mentoring groups.
Problems encountered: The practice required the division of students into group which proves to be a tedious exercise with some students opting for other courses now and then. Due to time constraint the teacher /mentor is unable to have sufficient time with the mentees Most of our students are reserved and some are too complacent to come out with their problems thus limiting the mentor’s capacity to render help. The system does not incur much expenditure. It only requires utmost commitment from teacher/mentor.
Notes (optional): The IQAC continually strives towards the improvement of the system. Contact hours with the students are ensured by inclusion of Mentor’s –Meet in the academic calendar. The system helps in identifying the aims and ambitions of the students according to which career guidance classes are held. Mentoring reports are submitted to the IQAC to ensure that the program is carried out effectively. Recently the IQAC had resolved to organize mentor-parent meet to improve student’s performance but due to constraints imposed by the Pandemic this resolution could not materialize.