SJC’s Quality Program: Value Educational Access and Student Success Dr. Connie Jacobs English Program Coordinator and Outgoing Co-Director of the Honors Program

Overview 1. Support Classes 2. Learning Communities 3. Honors Program 4. Mentoring Program

Support Classes  Math Grew out of Title III Grant, 2001 Began Math 050 and Math support classes Initiated Learning Communities with Math support for Math 095 and Offered support class for Math 115 Increased completers and persistence from Fall to Spring

Support Classes  English 050 Started in response to concerns about student writing at the sentence level, 2002 Serves as a support class to any other English writing class Provides alternative delivery, more hands- on instruction Classes are multi-level and work with students at any stage of the writing process

Support Classes  English 105 In response to low completion rates Support class for English 111, Freshman Composition, a required class for all college programs, piloted Spring hour supplemental instruction Plans for additional English 111 support classes as well as a support class for English 211, Advanced Composition, Fall 2007

Learning Communities  Began as cluster classes: Reading 095, Math 095, English 095, 2001  Evolved into three different models with linked or paired courses and integrated content Academic support, i.e. Math 095 and LRNS 095 First Year Experience, i.e. College Success and English 099 Interdisciplinary, i.e. English 099 and Interpersonal Communication, English 111 and Psychology 120, American History and American Literature after 1865

Learning Communities  Creates a cohort of learners  Includes a proposal process, different levels of assessment, and professional development  Offered Spring courses 4 courses made  Plans to increase marketing efforts and refine enrollment procedures for learning communities

Honors Program  Provides students with an enriched, challenging educational experience  Prepares them better: For their careers For scholarships For transferring to four-year institutions

Honors Program  Must complete: 12 hours in honors courses With a 3.25 g.p.a.  Are recognized at Graduation  Have “Distinguished Scholar” recorded on their transcript

Honors Program  Fall 2004: 4 disciplines 4 courses 5 sections  Fall 2005: 7 disciplines 12 courses 16 sections  Spring 2006: 12 disciplines 21 courses 26 sections  Spring disciplines 28 courses 41 sections

Mentoring Adjuncts  Developed in English from portfolio system where all instructors work for common goals Assessment driven  Humanities’ department model  English Adjuncts assigned a Mentor for their first semester Read assignments together Observe one another Share calendars Work with Lead Instructor

Mentoring Adjuncts  All English adjunct instructors meet at the beginning of each semester Discuss focused topics: retention, responding to student papers, library databases Meet with Lead Instructors  School-wide adjunct meeting follows Al Buyok and Allan Nass took meeting to new level with booths and information sessions

Mentoring Adjuncts  First offering of Adjunct Symposium, February 10, 2007 Three sessions of workshops Stipend for adjuncts attending Another planned for Fall 2007

Mentoring Adjuncts  Adjunct Seminars Dr. David Bramhall’s Distinguished Teaching Award Professional development opportunity for all adjuncts Sessions offered beginning Fall 2005 Topics covered include “Developing Student’s Sense of Self,” “Alternative Teaching and Learning Styles,” and “Developing Relevancy in Subject Matter” Currently focusing on Ken Bain’s book What Great College Teachers Do

Value Educational Access and Student Success  Questions  Comments