Every January, Freshmen, Sophomores and Juniors were able to
see their goal: To be a senior in my German or French class and write their
post-graduation plans on the poster in front of the room for all to see. In
order to do that, of course, they had to be enrolled in my class as a senior.
This message was subtle, but it worked.
I started displaying this special poster every January
several years ago. It is a simple thing to do. It seems insignificant, but the
impact was huge. My goal was to encourage students to go to college. At first,
only a few had such plans. After a few years, there was a shift. The last
thirty years of my teaching career, all of my seniors went to college.
But there was a secondary benefit that I did not expect.
Often I heard underclassmen saying, “I can’t wait until it's my turn.” They
knew they had to be enrolled in my French or German class as a senior in order
to put their names and post-graduation college plans on the poster. This helped my advanced classes grow in size.
Supplies Needed: One large white poster. If this is not available
on campus, go to Smart and Final or some other restaurant supply store and buy
yourself a roll of white butcher paper. It is much less expensive, and has many
uses. Two fine, felt tipped pens of two different colors. I used black and
blue, but any two dark contrasting colors will do. Two wide, felt tipped pens
of two different colors. Pick colors that are bright, cheerful and easy to read
from a distance.
Procedure: 1. Using the wide pens put the title SENIOR
Post-Graduation PLANS on the top of the poster. 2. Create two columns on the
poster, numbering one through the total number of seniors you have enrolled in
all your classes combined. 3. Ask seniors to tell you when they have decided
which college they are going to attend, and have been notified of their
acceptance. 4. Once they know where they are going, have them put their first
name and last initial next to a number, the name of the college or university,
and what they are going to study. If their major is undecided, they write
“undecided”.
Be sure to hand them the fine, felt tipped pen you want them
to use, alternating colors to make it easier to read. Remind them to write
bold, like John Hancock. You will have to stay on top of them, until this
becomes a tradition in your program. Once it becomes the thing to do, they will
remind you. This annual event helped create a positive vibe in class. Students
were proud to display the fact that they reached their goals. This instilled
the desire to take part in the underclass students in lower levels of French or
German. As a side benefit, administration liked it as well. It’s easy. It’s
fun. It encourages students to stay in German or French until they graduate and
to go to college. All good.
You are reading from the blog, RoadtoFreeCollege.com, where we empower families with knowledge to navigate the path to higher education without the burden of excessive loans.
For more information, you’ll want my book, Free College, CLICK HERE . It teaches families how to help their kids become more successful in school, college, and life.
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases, at no additional cost to you.
Image Credit: Pixabay
