+ Boosting Student Engagement Presenter: Ms. Franketta Tatum Teaching & Learning Conference January 2015

+ WELCOME Please sign in About me My Contact info:

+ Does this look familiar?

+ ICE BREAKER: BRAINSTORMING What’s wrong? What does engagement look like? With your tablemates, complete the brainstorming chart. What does engagement look like? What are “look fors”/evidence of engagement? Are there different levels of engagement? How do you know you’ve reached your objective for your students for the day?

+ Research says There are 3 requirements for student engagement: 1. ACTIVE participation 2. Establish a CONNECTION to the content 3. Students must take RESPONSIBILITY in their learning needs.

+ Points to ponder YOU ARE THE MODEL How excited are YOU about the curriculum you teach? Can students SEE your enthusiasm? How do you SHOW it? What makes student ENJOY attending your class?

+ Ms. Tatum’s Cardinal Rule Relationship before rigor Why it’s important: “Emotional engagement at school is the non-cognitive factor that most directly correlates with academic achievement.” (Blad, 2015)

+ How can we boost student engagement? “If a child can’t learn the way we teach, we must teach the way they learn.” ~ Ignacio Estrada As teachers we have a responsibility to use a variety of methods engage our students in learning, every day.

+ DIVERSITY How are cultures represented in your class/curriculum? Cultures Races Religions Genders Disabilities Gender identification The Children’s Book Council:

+ TECHNOLOGY 21 st Century Learners Social media Blogs Edmodo

+ Music Incorporating music with standard expectations can help boost student engagement and reach learners in a new way. 2 WAYS: Play music of the student’s choice while they are working/organizing for class. Adapt the lyrics of a “trendy” song to fit the needs of your lesson for the day. **Always preview music options. If you’re unsure of lyrics check urbandictionary.com **

+ MOVEMENT “..by letting students experience the curriculum through their bodies, we help them make deeper emotional, interpersonal, and kinesthetic connections to academic subjects.” (Griss, 2013) How? Brain breaks (stretching, increase heart rate) Group noncompetitive activities (dance, drama). Walking excursions (outdoors, indoors) Clapping/stomping/hand signals

+ WHAT’S NEXT.. Determine what strategies work best for your students Surveys Observational notes ASK! In response, integrate 1 to 2 strategies we’ve discussed today into next week’s lesson plans. Review your data in 3-4 weeks.

+ CLOSURE/QUESTIONS Closure activity: Reflection: How will you poll your class(es) this week to determine their engagement needs? How can you hold yourself accountable for monitoring student engagement?

+ Thanks for your attention and contributions!!