At a glance
LaDonte King, Vice President of Student Success of LAUNCH, coached Alfred State College (ASC) faculty and staff just before school opened in a full-day workshop to improve student engagement in the classroom.
LaDonte King, Vice President of Student Success of LAUNCH, coached Alfred State College (ASC) faculty and staff just before school opened in a full-day workshop to improve student engagement in the classroom. Professors were eager to learn more about connecting with students and better understanding different perspectives. These skills will benefit new students and make them more successful as they launch their college years.
Check out a video recap of the day
King is the author and co-founder of numerous academic success and professional development curriculum for professors who are interested in more ways to assist first-generation college students, minority students, and student-athletes. He has over 18 years of leadership experience in student services program coordination, academic coaching, and curriculum design within the higher education system. He is renowned for his relational and holistic approach to professional development and fervent commitment to the authentic and lasting success of all students in pursuit of their education.
King was impressed during his time with faculty and staff at Alfred State. “Our time today was very interactive. Lots of talking about the root causes of decision making and addressing culture and how to increase success by creating equitable cultures within the classroom. I am giving the faculty members some very simple things to increase engagement and build rapport and relationships with students which will ultimately cause students to continue to attend, persist, matriculate, graduate, and achieve their goals.”
“This group of faculty has a want and desire to learn more skills with the hopes of being able to be better faculty members, better teachers, better mentors, and providing better guidance for their students towards their goals.”
The professional development session was made possible through Alfred State’s Title III grant entitled “A Student-Ready College.” Interactive sessions started in the morning, continued in the afternoon with break-out working sessions, and concluded with a wrap-up session outlining some of the strategies faculty and staff planned to implement in their classrooms.
Interim Associate Dean for Student and Faculty Development, Francine Staba, organized the event and was pleased with the learning that took place. “This program is designed for us as faculty and staff to be ready to help our students be more engaged and ultimately improve retention and graduation. The faculty was engaged and there was a lot of discussion and specific strategies were discussed to be implemented to meet our goals.”
Matt Lawrence, Mechanical and Electrical Engineering Technology professor, thought the training was a great start to the new school year. “We all benefit from inspiration, and Mr. King’s sessions not only reminded us of the importance of engagement in the classroom, but he gave us some specific strategies to implement for an equitable culture of success from the very first day of class. Understanding and appreciating individual experiences is critical for effective, inclusive engagement and that is important in any class and in any major.”
The all-day development session with King was part of a professional development program each semester for Alfred State faculty and staff to hone their skills and further promote student success.
To learn more information about King and LAUNCH visit: http://www.launchstudentsuccess.com/