Induction

Off to a Flying Start - Induction

“It’s the most wonderful time of the year!” Or that’s what that old Staples ‘back to school’ ad used to tell us at the end of the summer holiday period.   Whether it’s your favourite time of the year or not, Induction is a crucial time both for the college and for our learners.   It’s a time that sets the tone for the whole year, a time to make a good impression to our brand new students, and a time to lay the foundations for a smoother and easier year for staff too.

So, what do we focus on?  Well, I would suggest that five broad questions are particularly useful at this time of year.  Consider:

What do we need to find out about our new students?

In order for them to learn as well as they can, and in order for us to be able to help them to learn effectively whilst they are with us, what do we need to know about them?  How might we get this information from them during Induction activities within our sessions?

What expectations do we want to communicate to our students?

It is important that our students are aware of our high expectations. It may also be worth discussing and agreeing some class rules but also, very importantly, suggested sanctions for when these rules are broken.   It might be interesting to see what kinds of sanctions your students suggest for those who break the agreed class code of conduct!

What do our students need to know about the college and their chosen course? 

And how do we give them this information in an engaging way?

There are things that we need to tell our students really very swiftly such as what to do during a fire alarm, how to log onto the college IT systems, where the library is, how and when they’ll be assessed on their course, vital course-specific information around health and safety, etc, etc.   With so much information being directed at them, our new learners may start to feel a little jaded and so it also becomes vital that we consider HOW we are giving them this information.  Could they be engaged in finding the information out and then creating a wall-display or presentation for the rest of the group?  Might a ‘treasure hunt’ be a fun way to explore their new environment (maybe taking some selfies along the way!)? Could ex-students be used to impart any relevant information or to answer any questions? 

How can we make our new students feel integrated and welcome?

The thing that many new learners express the most anxiety about is whether they’ll ‘fit in’ and whether they’ll make new friends.  Icebreakers galore will help this tricky transition period and should help your learners to start to feel at home in no time.  I challenge you to create a new one, perhaps using paper chains, old newspapers, or dried pasta and plasticine.