What a great chapter to
get us thinking about learning! Engagement…although it may be initially difficult
for us to define, we can all think of particular lessons we have taught when we
knew that our students were highly engaged in the learning process. I am
doubtful that the lessons you are thinking about included a long lecture or
having the students read 10 pages from the textbook and answer some questions
at the end of the chapter. I would
imagine that the lessons you recalled were those lessons in which students were
involved in the learning process through some form of collaboration or involved
in problem solving and active learning. The classroom was not quiet and the
desk were most likely not in orderly rows.
You were probably not sitting behind your desk or standing behind your
podium. And most noticeably, you might
have been a little nervous if an administrator walked in. J
As noted in the
reading, engagement was the meditating
factor in improved student outcomes.
In our fast paced and technologically advanced society, it is important
that our educational practices are meeting the needs of today’s students. The
following quote stood out to me as I read this chapter. “Never before have
students’ lives outside of school been so different from their lives inside the
classroom.” (Lent, 2012) As educators are we trying to force 21st
century students to learn in a 20th century classroom? Do our
classrooms develop the skills that our students will need to be successful in
the 21st century?
The chart on page 15,
provided some great principles of engagement which you can use in the
classroom. Take a moment and note which of these principles you currently
utilize and I encourage you to pick two that you will seek to implement in the
first two weeks of school. I would also encourage you to utilize the student
evaluation noted on page 29 to evaluate levels of student engagement. How could
you use this tool in your classroom?
I am looking forward to
next week as Julie blogs about “Background Knowledge: The Glue That Makes
Learning Stick” Have a great week!
Points
for Discussion:
As
educators do we value compliance over engagement? As you reflect on your
educational experience as a student was compliance or engagement valued most by
your teachers? Are there policies at GCA that do not foster engagement?
What
role do you as a middle school teacher have in developing students who are curious?
How can you foster this desire in your students?
How
can you specifically implement some of the principles of engagement as noted on
page 15 in your classroom?
Being a new teacher with not a lot of experience, this chapter really helped me understand how I've been feeling about my textbook since the beginning. I love the freedom the author is calling us to and how she presents the "messy" methods in a positive light.
ReplyDeleteTo answer question #1, I definitely feel my education experience in school was focused primarily on compliance and not so much on engagement. I can remember two classes throughout my entire middle and high school career that truly focused on engagement. Both happened to be in 7th grade (science and English). I remember more from Ms. LeSuer's 7th grade science class than I do my senior AP Biology II class. Somehow she knew how to group us in a way that promoted learning and not socializing, cooperativeness and not dissension. That's something I need to work on. When I choose an activity to be done in a group, I find I lose control of the classroom quickly because they are flirting, gossiping, talking, and doing everything else besides focusing on the given assignment. I want to include productive group learning in my classroom and I found myself to be successful a few times- but far too many times ended in frustration for me and a careless attitude of the students (even if they loved the assignments!)
As for question #2, one of my favorite parts about teaching Bible is how passionately I can get over our content. I pray each and every day that what they see in me (hopefully an over-flowing love for Jesus and His Word) will translate in genuine curiosity to go and further search the Word for answers to their questions. We talk about so many controversial things (curriculum inspired) that it gets the emotional part of their brain ticking as well as the academic part. My hope is that they will leave each lesson with enough information to get their search started balanced with an equal spark of curiosity to find an answer.
Great comments Amber! That is great to hear about your teachers who were able to create an engaging environment. They obvious left a huge impression as you were able to recall their impact.
DeleteYou brought up some interesting points about the relationship between engagement and classroom management. Which comes first, engagement or classroom management? Many might say that you must have good classroom management first before you can effectively engage students, but I wonder if we get the order reversed and that true engagement will help us manage our classrooms. Just a thought...
Susan Witt's comments....June 13, 2014....11:27p.m.
ReplyDeleteI think we as educators often value compliance over engagement, teaching as we were taught. "Here's the information. Answer the questions. Memorize it. Your value is determined by your ability to re-present the exact information you were given." I had many wonderful teachers, but none deviated from the structure. That was what learning looked like. Students who complied were the "good" students who succeeded within this structure. The converse was also true for those who did not comply.........I cannot identify any policies at GCA that are hindrances to engagement. However, we as teacher need to be prepared to facilitate student adjustment to this new model of learning. Last year I discovered that the students who were normally most frustrated by all of the "have to's" with assignments and projects embraced the freedom to choose the particular mode of expressing what they had learned. However, some of the higher achievers, even when parameters were very clear, struggled with this freedom of choice. Being told exactly what to do felt more comfortable to them.
Possible specific ways to implement some of the principles of engagement in my classroom:
*(Engagement through interest and social interaction) SHOW more than telling information...I will create groups with 3-4 students each, giving each group a set of photos to evaluate. I will have each group (1) record their observations about each photo, (2) discuss and record how they think the photos might be related, (3) make a list of questions the photos raise. Students will then use iPads to research whether their observations and suppositions were correct and seek to find answers for their questions.
*(Engagement through self-eficacy) I will pair students with "shoulder buddy" partners with who they will sit in the classroom daily. The pairs will be intentionally selected to help each partner grow and succeed (i.e. pairing an encourager with a student who doesn't think they can succeed, pairing a very accepting student with one who usually doesn't fit in well, etc.)
*(Engagement through control and choice and interest) To help students make real-world connections, they will have the opportunity to take personal local "field trips" to different types of churches or regional ethnic festivals throughout the year. They will be able to present their new knowledge in an interesting manner of their choosing
*I want to use minicollaborations multiple times a week.
*(Engagement through social interaction) Students, in groups, will be posed with a real-life problem in another country and will be tasked with finding a viable solution using available resources.
*(Engagement through social interaction) Students, in groups, will be given a list of physical characteristics of a place and will be asked to suppose what the culture is like there, synthesizing the knowledge they already possess with the information presented to them
I am enjoying the book and am excited about the opportunity to implement what I am learning in my classroom next year to better engage students in the learning process!
Susan, great comments especially about your plans for implementation in the classroom.
DeleteYou brought up an interesting point about the high-achieving students being uncomfortable in not having a black and white set of instructions to follow. I too have observed this and it concerns me as this could limit their ability to be effective in the workplace. Most careers will involve open- ended projects with limited parameters that force us to problem solve and create the best possible solutions to problems. It is important that we all create opportunities for students to learn this important skill.
Response to Question #1:
ReplyDeleteAs teachers I feel that compliance has almost always been valued over engagement. We are always able to come up with the "why" a student was not engagement and did not learn and we almost always directly link to some sort of undesired behavior in the classroom. As teacher we often give up on an exciting classroom activity because we think of that one kid who will ruin it for everyone. As a student, I was often that kid. The one who always talked to his neighbor, always had comment to make, always found a way to push the limits just a little past acceptable, but always seemed to pull out one of the best grade in the class. Just because I wasn't the model of student behavior didn't mean that learning was not taking place. Student are often reward for being quiet, turning in work on time, and never making much of a disturbance. They fly under the radar while our energy as teacher is focused on the ones who give us the must trouble and while are energy is focused there we somehow miss engaging both groups of kids. I think engagement and interest are the two biggest factors in a students desire to learn. As teacher I feel we must be willing to step out of the comfort zone, get a little messy, and allow students the chance to find ways to truly feel engaged in what is happening in the classroom.
Response to Question #2:
As a middle school teacher we see kids everyday that are naturally curious about everything. The blinds on the windows, the pictures 7 chapters over in the book, or the new Nikes their buddy is wearing. Somehow the natural curiosity is lost in translation when it comes to the subject matter at hand. One of the outstanding points I found in chapter one was the link the between choice and engagement. Often time as teachers we feel that we must control the content, talk about this point and not that one, and we often fail to hit what students might be most curious about. One of the suggestion made in the book that I found interesting was allowing students to develop a set of question about the topic that they would like to know about and then letting those questions guide the classroom discussion. As humans we are always more curious about something we want to know about rather than something we are told we should know. As teachers I think we need to harness a students natural curiosity and build bridges that help connect it to the subject matter at hand. Allow them to guide classroom discussion, allow them to pick a particular part of the chapter that interest them and research it further, and give students the chance to explore the parts that they find the most interesting not just what we as teacher find the most important.
Question #1 - When I reflect on my own classroom, I must admit often I am focused on compliance even though I desire engagement from my students. In the last few years, I have intentionally tried to engage my students through interest. Yet, I struggle at times in the subject of Math with wanting the students to master the concepts which they must practice, practice, practice and keep them engaged. I have very few memories of classroom experiences of engagement. I remember my Middle School science teacher would create the interest and engagement through experiments and scientific instruments such as a morse code translator. Other than Mr. Weaver's science class, compliance was my classroom experience. I want my classroom to be filled with experiences my students will reflect upon later, and know they were learning while they were enjoying the experience.
ReplyDeleteQuestion #2 - I believe it important to change my teaching methods to meet the needs of today's students. We have curious students who need to know "Why do I need this?" Engagement through self-efficacy and interest are going to be important for me to spark engagement in my Math classes. They need to know why this is necessary for them to learn, that they are capable of learning it, and it must be presented in a way that is interesting to them. I want to create a learning environment in my classroom that will engage even the students that do not enjoy Math. I need to be willing to try to incorporate collaborative learning experiences that will increase student understanding and mastery.
I am old, so my memories of classroom instruction include taking a ridiculous amount of notes, memorizing that information, regurgitating that information for a test comprised mostly of recall questions, only to forget all of that information 2 weeks later. I am a huge proponent of the principles of student engagement. I especially enjoy engaging students through social interaction. This is why I am such a fan of Kagan's cooperative learning structures. Social interaction creates opportunity for students to develop their thinking and focus, as opposed to sitting there complying, acting like they are listening, when in reality, they are thinking about everything but the content being presented.
ReplyDeleteThe more I learn about student engagement, the more I am convinced of the vital role that establishing learning goals has on my planning and on the engagement of the student. When we start with the end (mastery goals) in mind, this brings relevance to the details and the skills necessary for them to master the content.
Loved reading this chapter. I definitely came from a compliance over engagement background. However, my high school biology teacher kept us engaged with hands on activities, long term projects, and group work. She recognized my interest in science and encouraged me to pursue my degree. I believe she is the reason I love to engage students with hands on activities today.
ReplyDeleteIn order to encourage student engagement, I see the importance of social interaction.
In addition, real world connections help cultivate interest in the subject. A specific example of this is having students work in groups to research the Gulf Oil spill. As we learn the different methods of cleaning up spills, each group reports what they have learned in their research. We then practice cleaning up our own oil spill and connect our experience with the methods used in the Gulf of Mexico.
As educators do we value compliance over engagement? As you reflect on your educational experience as a student was compliance or engagement valued most by your teachers? Are there policies at GCA that do not foster engagement?
ReplyDeleteI do not personally, value compliance over engagement. I believe that my educational background is full of teachers that did value compliance over engagement, but there were a few that really worked to have student engagement in the classroom; Dr. William Melton, Herr Accuff, Mrs. Caldwell, and Dr. Uselton are teachers that come to mind. My choral director (the man I strive to emulate as a teacher), my German teacher, my English teacher, and my chemistry/physics teacher, they all created a learning environment that fostered student engagement on a daily basis. I often recall their teaching strategies when struggling to get my own students motivated in the classroom. Lastly, I cannot identify a policy in place at GCA that does not foster engagement.
What role do you as a middle school teacher have in developing students who are curious? How can you foster this desire in your students?
Middle school students are trying to find their place, many struggle daily with self-esteem and self-worth. Some are very open with this struggle and some struggle in silence. The middle school years are a time of discovery for students, they want to try everything as sixth graders and begin to hone in on their real interests and passions hopefully by the eighth grade. My classroom is a place for students to discover their voices and new opportunities. I encourage exploration of their gifts through performance and a shared love of music. I attempt to explain the changing voices for male students hopefully comforting them through a difficult season of physical transformation while encouraging compassion from the female students and those that are not yet experiencing the change. I want my students to see how passionate I am about the gift of music and I hope to assist them in developing their own gifts in this area. My favorite verse to share in the classroom at the beginning of each semester is Zephaniah 3:17 (NIV) – The LORD your God is with you, He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing. Clearly, I love the ending of this verse; I am amazed at the reaction of my students when we discuss what God’s singing must sound like. My students take great delight in attempting to equate His voice with earthly sounds, but the best part is when they just realize that GOD SINGS TOO! It is a source of encouragement, knowing that God sings over us despite our inadequacies and our failures, He still takes joy in our creation and expresses that joy through song. I smile every time I read this scripture and am in awe of His love for me.
How can you specifically implement some of the principles of engagement as noted on page 15 in your classroom?
ReplyDeleteInfuse Social Interaction – Students work collaboratively:
Rhythms – I will create groups of 4 within each class. Each group will be given a set of rhythm patterns and will be instructed to choose how to perform each set of rhythms, clap, tap, snap, use classroom instruments, or a combination of these. I will allow time for groups to practice in separate areas of the classroom. Each group will “perform” their favorite rhythm pattern for the rest of the class. I will then place groups together (determined by which pattern they choose) as a bigger team and they will practice performing contrasting rhythms at the same time, and will in turn perform as a team for the rest of the class. We will then discuss how the sound was changed by the overlapping/contrasting patterns and will eventually utilize the same lesson to teach “partner songs” and discuss the creation of harmony by performing overlapping melodies.
Provide students with control and choice – Students take ownership over their reading
Song selection – I will direct students to the J.W. Pepper publishing website, I will give students parameters to work within such as look for choral music, SAB or 2-part, etc. Students will be asked to search through the music that is available, view the piece, listen to the piece, and choose two pieces they would like to suggest for the group to work on. Students must also give an explanation for their choices. I have in the past allowed the eighth grade students to assist in choosing music for the Christmas concerts; they love having input and this also creates a sense of ownership in the classroom.
As a teacher, I do value engagement in the classroom. I must admit that it is sometimes a little bit intimidating to step outside the box and try new teaching methods that encourage student engagement, but I definitely think it is worth the extra effort. As a student, the teachers I remember the most are the one's who valued student engagement. The teacher who influenced me the most was my high school English teacher, who taught us to not only read literature but to apply its lessons and themes to our own lives, and that is what I strive to do with my students today. I have no complaints with our school policies, and I feel that our administration is very supportive of creative teaching to foster student engagement.
ReplyDeleteI believe that our students' curiosity is one of the greatest tools we have for teaching them. If we as teachers can find a spark of curiosity within our students, we can use that to engage them in our teaching. Although I think this works in all subject areas, I believe it is especially true for English. Students are much more likely to enjoy writing a research paper if they are researching a topic that they are truly interested in. The same is true of reading. It is much easier for me as a teacher to recommend a book to a student if I know what he or she is interested in. I realize that it isn't always possible for students to choose what they learn, but by allowing them to have a voice in what they are learning, we can help students to feel that they are actually learning rather than just doing "busy work".
I plan to use reteach opportunities with my writing assignments by allowing students to edit and revise their final graded drafts to improve their score. I plan to allow students to have input in the curriculum when choosing writing topics and independent reading assignments. I also plan to make connections between our literature selections and the real world both by showing connections to my students and allowing them to find connections independently. For example, when we read a story about survival, I may ask students to do independent research and bring in a news account of a real-life survival story to share with the class.
Generation M, our students, are said to live in a world that revolves around visual images and that social networking is their way of life. Finding a way to engage today's students is a challenge. In a classroom setting we definitely value compliance over engagement because it is easier to evaluate, control, and manage the tasks teachers are expected to complete each day. Engagement activities, like Cooperative Learning, require a great deal of prior planning and follow-up evaluation. Class time cannot be used to update RenWeb, lesson plans, grading, and handle other daily activities a teacher is required to complete. Most teachers have families and other responsibilities outside of the classroom and being able to find the time to plan, monitor, and then evaluate these engagement activities becomes overwhelming as time ticks away.
ReplyDeleteI appreciate Trista's very honest comments about feeling overwhelmed as time ticks away. God called us to our families. I do not think that He means for us to sacrifice them consistently to serve other families. So, where is the balance? I am still trying to find it. I have not been successful so far, but feel time with my son, who will be a junior this year, ticking away. I desire to be excellent in the classroom and impact students for Christ, but do not want to miss any of the time I have remaining with him. Wisdom from anyone ahead of me on the road would be much appreciated...
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