A Brief Overview of the 4 Connections

The 4 Connections are simple practices that many faculty members already apply to build relationships with their students. Perhaps they are the least revolutionary student success intervention you will ever hear about - and that is awesome! The power of the 4 Connections comes from your commitment to practice them intentionally and to continuously improve how you apply each of the practices to your interactions with students.

Interact with Students by Name

Learn your students' names and begin using them on the first day of class and throughout the quarter.

Check In Regularly

Pay attention to student behavior and track student progress. Empathize with students. When a student is struggling, intervene. Refer students to campus resources.

Schedule One-on-One Meetings

At the beginning of the quarter and throughout, schedule required one-on-one meetings with students.

Practice Paradox

Structure your course clearly. Communicate your expectations regularly. Then, be reasonably flexible when students come to you with concerns.

Background

The 4 Connections are based on Odessa College's Drop Rate Improvement Program. Odessa generously shares their work at conferences, where LWTech folks originally heard about the framework. You can read more about their development of the framework in a white paper published by Achieving the Dream.

The Drop Rate Improvement Program at Odessa College

Whitepaper from LWTech

The following whitepaper outlines the implementation and success of the 4 Connections at Lake Washington Institute of Technology. The paper is openly licensed and yours to use and modify with proper attribution (included at the end of the paper).

The 4 Connections: Moving from Intuitive to Intentional Relationship-Building to Improve Success and Reduce Equity Gaps

One More Thing...

Those of you who have seen me (Sally Heilstedt) present on the 4 Connections will hopefully recall the emphasis I place on making intuitive practices more intentional. Recently, a faculty colleague shared the following video with me. In this TEDxTalk, a professor from one of our wonderful Washington State Community and Technical Colleges describes the intentional actions she takes to build relationships with her students and empower them to succeed. Her approach aligns well with the 4 Connections and shows how powerful connecting with students can be. Enjoy!

The Gift of Teaching | Linda Seppa-Salisbury | TEDxSpokane