How to Engage Students (Without Technology)
How do we engage students and keep their attention (WITHOUT technology)?
1. Movement
Student Movement: Find ways to get students to stand up and discuss with a partner or answer a question on a dry erase board or move to a station throughout the room. Have them stand up and chant formulas back to you or important concepts you want them to remember. If you feel you’re losing students’ attention, don’t be afraid to have them stand up and play a game - Simon Says, hand-clap game, shoot nerf-hoop, etc..
Teacher Movement: When lecturing, move up and down your rows talking to students. I stand on desks, I shoot markers in garbage can, I tap kids on shoulders when theirhead is down while I’m teaching
Classroom/Desk Movement: Move the room around. Most days, I have studentsseated in rows. But probably 2 to 3 days a month, they are seated in groups or asemicircle. Mixing that up keeps things interesting
2. Rigor
Challenge students daily to think and engage. If students think they can sleep through a class period and/or be invisible during an entire class period and still do well, something is wrong. Hold students to the expectation that their head is up and they are participating in class. Call on every student every day so that they know they are noticed and held accountable to be paying attention. Have questions on assessments that can only be answered because students have paid attention and participated in class.
3. Levity
Don’t take yourself too seriously. If I can find a reason to make fun of myself, I try to take it. If a student has a witty one liner (that is appropriate), I try to highlight it and celebrate it. If I can illustrate a math concept with a bit of a humorous analogy, I go for it. We all listen a little better when we occasionally laugh.
Spend some time thinking through how you can incorporate one of these concepts and then set a goal for the class period or day of the week that you’re going to try it. Let us know how it goes!