:What it is and Strategies to Achieve it Student engagement :What it is and Strategies to Achieve it

Engagement vs Attention

Engagement vs Attention

Engagement vs Attention

Engagement vs Attention

Engagement vs Attention the degree of attention, curiosity, interest, optimism, and passion that students show when they are learning or being taught, which extends to the level of motivation they have to learn and progress in their education notice taken of someone or something

Engagement Resources You can find many resources at http://reeths-pufferevaluationsite.weebly.com/ Tools for Teachers Asking Effective Questions Substantive Student Talk Locus of Control Lesson Planning Guide

Chunk and Chew Teacher presents information in small pieces or chunks of knowledge. After each chunk, students in small groups interact by summarizing or answering questions about what was presented.

Physical Representation Teachers can use movement to punctuate certain aspects of content or to create motions to help students remember. For example, a teacher who noticed her students are having difficulty recalling units of measurement might ask students to create a physical representation for each measurement. The students might represent the largest unit by standing straight up, the smaller measurements by bending over, and the smallest measurement by kneeling down.

4 Corners Activity During corners activities, students assemble in corners to discuss different aspects of a topic being addressed in class. For example, a social studies teacher might have a unit that focuses on the topic of civil disobedience. The teacher would design four questions about civil disobedience such as: What are the defining characteristics of civil disobedience? How can civil disobedience advance democracy? How can civil disobedience impede democracy? What is an example in your life when you used civil disobedience to a good end?

4 Corners Activity cont. Each question is posted in a specific corner of the room. Each corner has chart paper and a marker. The teacher splits the class into 4 fairly equal sized groups. The teacher firsts asks each group to discuss their question offering possible answers. Then, each group selects a recorder who writes the group’s responses on the chart paper. After a certain amount of time, groups rotate to a new corner. They are then asked to read the previous group’s responses, discuss the new question offering possible answers, and then have the recorder write their responses on the chart paper. This continues until all groups have answered all questions.

Comparison Task The teacher identifies the items to be compared and selects the characteristics on which the comparison will be based. The student identifies similarities and differences for each characteristic and explains what was learned by doing the comparison. For example, a teacher might ask students to compare the physical characteristics of a school bus to a cell membrane. The students identify the physical similarities and differences of the two objects and then explain how this comparison deepened their understanding of what a cell membrane is.

Frisbee Toss 6 different prompts are associated with different colored foam Frisbees that are thrown around the classroom in a free-for-all- fashion for 15 to 20 seconds. At the teacher’s signal, the Frisbee tossing stops, and students make sure every one has a Frisbee. The students form groups with the same color Frisbees and begin working on the associated prompt. Have a student report out from each group or have all students write an individual reflection on the question their group answered.

Frisbee Toss You can create a screen like this in Smart Notebook and use it whenever you use this activity.

Frisbee Toss You can add question the screen like this. I would not reveal the questions until students are in their groups.

Multiple Choice Practice Because our students take standardized tests that include multiple choice questions, it is important for students to know how to approach multiple choice questions. A major problem many students have with multiple choice questions is that they don’t really read the question. They quickly read the stem and the distractors, but don’t really engage with the words or process what they are reading. This activity forces students to slow down, read and make notes about their thinking. A. Distribute a set of 5 – 10 multiple choice questions to students where one of the question numbers is highlighted.

Multiple Choice Practice cont. Notes: Decide how many students you want in each group. If you want 3 in each group then highlight question 1 on 3 papers, question 2 on 3 other papers, question 3 on 3 other papers, etc…. Mix the papers up before students pick them up or before you distribute them so they don’t get the same paper as the people around them.

Multiple Choice Practice cont. B. Have students follow these steps with that one problem. Analyze the Question 1. Read the question. 2. Circle the key words/phrases in the question. 3. Write a short synopsis of each key word or phrase in the question. Eliminate the Distractors 4. Read each answer to the question. 5. Write a ? next to each choice that might be correct.

Multiple Choice Practice cont. 6. For each choice you marked with a ? by it, write an explanation about how you know it might be correct. 7. If you know a choice is incorrect or a distractor, draw a slash through the letter and write an explanation about how you know. Answer the Question 8. Re-read the question. 9. Re-read the rationale you wrote for the possible answers. 10. Choose the item that appears to be the most correct choice.

Multiple Choice Practice cont. C. Next, have students get in a group with everyone else that had the same question they did. D. Have them compare and repair their work until they have the correct answer. E. Have students return to their regular seat and use this process on some of the other problems on the worksheet. As the date of the standardized test approaches, leave this process behind and have them answer questions more quickly since many tests are timed. By then, students should be able to think through the questions faster and on a deeper level than before.

This resource will also be posted on the weebly at http://reeths-pufferevaluationsite.weebly.com/ I hope the lesson ideas I am sharing help you build a classroom where students know what they are learning and what achieving that learning target looks like. I hope you expect all students to process and answer questions, share their thinking and challenge the thinking of others. I hope that all of your students feel challenged yet supported.