Education can provide many beneficial returns, such as a greater lifetime income, increased personal fulfillment, expanded social skills, and more. However, it can be easy for adult students to lose sight of these outcomes while in an educational program due to the financial costs, decreased time spent with friends and family, and the stress of balancing coursework with one’s other responsibilities.
For programs to retain their adult learners, it is important that they incorporate support strategies throughout the student journey that keep these students engaged and remind them about the future payoffs of their commitments and sacrifices.
Southwest Regional Adult Education (SRAE) takes key factors into account and strives to make all their adult programs as conveniently accessible as possible. Also, there is never any cost associated with the courses.
The faculty and staff members of SRAE are there for students to provide as much support and encouragement as they can, but there are some things that adult students and their families and friends can do to keep motivation up as well. For instance, students should never feel alone.
It is important for them to feel they have others to support them along their educational path. This includes friends and family who can pitch in to cook meals, watch kids so a student can put in extra hours into studying, or help students recover from an emotional setback such as a low test score.
Adult students can also benefit from having intrinsic motivation, which means that one needs to find motivation within themselves to develop pride and confidence, attach meaning to their work, and persist despite challenges. This motivation can come from the desire to acquire new job skills, to obtain a diploma or a certification, or to gain personal growth. No matter what the motivating factor may be, the bottom line is that persistence is key. If you are an adult student, do not give up on accomplishing your goals. If you are a friend or family member of someone who is in an educational program, please provide as much support as you can. Sometimes it only takes a few words of encouragement or a dropped-off meal or a couple of hours of childcare to make an enormous difference to someone who is struggling to make ends meet. Having a good support system is oftentimes crucial to helping someone successfully accomplish their goals.
Any adult who is looking for an education program to fit their needs and schedule can call the SRAE office at 276-889-5424. Let the staff help you build your confidence and accomplish your educational goals by finding a class that works for you while providing the support and assistance you need.
