What is Importance

Adjunct instructors are hired on an as-needed, part-time basis to provide education to students with a variety of backgrounds. While full-time faculty develop relationships with students over several semesters, adjunct instructors face a revolving door of new students. Despite the challenges of the position, adjunct instructors must build rapport and relationships with students in short-term and solution-focused ways to promote overall success for their students. The approach may vary, but is likely to involve an adaptation of instructor engagement, teaching methods, and display of positive characteristics. With consideration of Schlossberg's theory of mattering and marginality, instructors can help students feel that they matter in the academic setting and promote success. Schlossberg studied how life transitions can impact individuals' perceptions of how well they fit in and how much their presence impacts others. This theory includes five major aspects of mattering: attention, importance, ego-extension, dependence, and appreciation.