SPEAKER

Posted by Robert Homann on Dec 21, 2016

Our speaker was Past District Governor Don Kelley on the topic "The Purpose-Driven Student: Improving Low-Income Pupils' Graduation Rates". Don is Professor Emeritus of Engineering from Arizona State University. Over the year's Don developed an innovative teaching style that transfers learning responsibility from teachers to students. His method involves using positive peer pressure as experienced in small learning groups. It is based on two human needs - being accepted and loved and gaining self esteem and confidence based on successful achievement. It has been successful in getting students to develop goals for themselves and to stay in school longer so they can achieve these goals. Don regularly taught an eight-week summer course for minority students. A 3-year follow-up study showed that 83% of the participants were still in school or had graduated.