How to Involve and Engage Students1

NovaQuest International School; 12 F.C.C. Maratab Ali Road, Lahore, Pakistan. Phone: 042-577-804, 807NovaQuest International School; 12 F.C.C. Maratab Ali Road, Lahore, Pakistan. Phone: 042-577-804, 807 11

Classroom ManagementClassroom ManagementHow to Involve and Engage How to Involve and Engage

StudentsStudents

Aurangzeb BhattiAurangzeb BhattiNovaQuest International NovaQuest International

SchoolSchool


Factors impeding EducationFactors impeding Education The main factors that are keeping children The main factors that are keeping children

away from Schools in Pakistan are:away from Schools in Pakistan are: Limited Access to EducationLimited Access to Education Teacher AbsenteeismTeacher Absenteeism Non-engaging CurriculumNon-engaging Curriculum Obsolete CurriculumObsolete Curriculum PovertyPoverty Corporal PunishmentCorporal Punishment High Student-to-Teacher RatioHigh Student-to-Teacher Ratio


The main factors that are keeping The main factors that are keeping children away from Schools in Pakistan children away from Schools in Pakistan are:are: Limited Access to EducationLimited Access to Education Teacher AbsenteeismTeacher Absenteeism Non-engaging CurriculumNon-engaging Curriculum Obsolete CurriculumObsolete Curriculum PovertyPoverty Corporal PunishmentCorporal Punishment High Student-to-Teacher RatioHigh Student-to-Teacher Ratio

Factors impeding EducationFactors impeding Education


Student misbehavior isn't always about bad Student misbehavior isn't always about bad attitudes and "keeping reps" (reputation). attitudes and "keeping reps" (reputation).

Many times student misbehavior in the Many times student misbehavior in the classroom happens because of sheer classroom happens because of sheer ‘boredom’.‘boredom’.

When students are bored in class their brains When students are bored in class their brains begin to wander and they start thinking, "I begin to wander and they start thinking, "I wonder what would happen if I….." Then the wonder what would happen if I….." Then the little disruptions begin. little disruptions begin.

How to Involve and Engage StudentsHow to Involve and Engage Students


The little disruptions pile up and turn into The little disruptions pile up and turn into large disruptions. This scenario can go on large disruptions. This scenario can go on and on until everything is out of control.and on until everything is out of control.

When everything is out of control – You When everything is out of control – You

as a Teacher are obviously as a Teacher are obviously NO LONGER NO LONGER IN CONTROL IN CONTROL of the Classroom. of the Classroom.

What can we do about this kind of What can we do about this kind of behavior?behavior?



Keeping students Keeping students involvedinvolved and and engagedengaged in in activities is the best solution. activities is the best solution.

When students are When students are excitedexcited about their learning, about their learning, they are they are motivatedmotivated to pay attention in class. to pay attention in class.

You as a teacher get excited because your You as a teacher get excited because your students are actually paying attention. students are actually paying attention.



The students sense your excitement The students sense your excitement and get even more motivated to stay and get even more motivated to stay in your class. The positive effects in your class. The positive effects continue to pile up.continue to pile up.

However, it isn't always easy to keep However, it isn't always easy to keep students involved and engaged. Here students involved and engaged. Here are a few tips and ideas to help you are a few tips and ideas to help you along.along.



First of all, paper/pencil worksheets First of all, paper/pencil worksheets are not engaging activities. are not engaging activities.

Do they keep students busy? Yes. Are Do they keep students busy? Yes. Are they motivating? No. they motivating? No.

Reading the textbook aloud and then Reading the textbook aloud and then answering questions at the end of the answering questions at the end of the section is not an engaging activity. section is not an engaging activity.



Reading the textbook aloud takes up Reading the textbook aloud takes up the whole class period but it is not the whole class period but it is not motivating and exciting to students. motivating and exciting to students.

While these activities deceptively look While these activities deceptively look like they keep students involved and like they keep students involved and engaged, in reality they do not. In fact, engaged, in reality they do not. In fact, you can generally meet the same goals you can generally meet the same goals and objectives with different activities.and objectives with different activities.



Activities that involve and engage Activities that involve and engage students are ones where they are students are ones where they are manipulating the information manipulating the information physically and mentally. physically and mentally.

Students need to be moving around, Students need to be moving around, working in groups, and discovering working in groups, and discovering information for themselves. information for themselves.



Reading along, taking notes, listening Reading along, taking notes, listening to a lecture, or copying vocabulary to a lecture, or copying vocabulary words are all ‘passive’ learning words are all ‘passive’ learning activities. activities.

You want to get students actively You want to get students actively thinking and moving. How can you thinking and moving. How can you accomplish this? You need to start accomplish this? You need to start thinking "out of the box."thinking "out of the box."



If you have a lot of worksheets in the school If you have a lot of worksheets in the school curriculum then how might your students curriculum then how might your students gain the same information in a more gain the same information in a more engaging manner? engaging manner?

Break students into groups and give each Break students into groups and give each group different questions from the group different questions from the worksheet. The group must answer their worksheet. The group must answer their questions, create a half-poster that questions, create a half-poster that illustrates the answers, and then present the illustrates the answers, and then present the information to the class. information to the class.



Students could use graphic organizers Students could use graphic organizers such as a Venn Diagram, or Charts to such as a Venn Diagram, or Charts to present the information. present the information.

Your students might want to create a Your students might want to create a rhyme, poem, or song to help other rhyme, poem, or song to help other students remember the information.students remember the information.



If you have chronological information that If you have chronological information that students must remember? students must remember?

Type out the information and cut it up into Type out the information and cut it up into strips. Give each pair or group of students an strips. Give each pair or group of students an envelope with the strips. envelope with the strips.

Have them work together to put the events Have them work together to put the events in order. This could also work with the steps in order. This could also work with the steps of a math problem or science experiment. of a math problem or science experiment. Let students paste the strips onto Let students paste the strips onto construction paper.construction paper.



Have students retell a section of Have students retell a section of the textbook as a short children's the textbook as a short children's story. story.

Have them tell the story from the Have them tell the story from the point of view of one of the point of view of one of the elements or participants. Use a elements or participants. Use a round-robin story.round-robin story.



Break students into groups - Each group Break students into groups - Each group is assigned a section in the chapter. One is assigned a section in the chapter. One student starts writing the "retelling". student starts writing the "retelling". After a minute or two, pass the paper to After a minute or two, pass the paper to the next student who continues the story. the next student who continues the story.

Keep rotating the paper around the group Keep rotating the paper around the group until the entire section is retold in a until the entire section is retold in a story. Set a timer to help everyone stay story. Set a timer to help everyone stay on track.on track.



Create ‘displays’ for visuals that Create ‘displays’ for visuals that represent information. represent information.

When students read a novel or a When students read a novel or a section in the textbook, have them section in the textbook, have them draw pictures that illustrate the draw pictures that illustrate the concept or events and hang it on a concept or events and hang it on a displays. displays.



Make a class paper chain of Make a class paper chain of information. Each student writes one information. Each student writes one fact on a strip of construction paper. fact on a strip of construction paper. Have the class stand in front of the Have the class stand in front of the room. The first student reads their room. The first student reads their strip and then folds it in a circle while strip and then folds it in a circle while you staple it. The next student reads you staple it. The next student reads their fact and then attaches their strip their fact and then attaches their strip to the chain. Continue through the to the chain. Continue through the entire class.entire class.



Give students "clues" to look for Give students "clues" to look for items in the classroom that relate items in the classroom that relate to your topic of study. to your topic of study.

Put students on a "scavenger Put students on a "scavenger hunt". Once they find the item, hunt". Once they find the item, they must explain why it is on the they must explain why it is on the scavenger hunt. scavenger hunt.



Let students go on a road trip. Place Let students go on a road trip. Place different stop signs around the different stop signs around the school or classroom with an activity school or classroom with an activity or reading passage. or reading passage.

Students must "travel" to each place Students must "travel" to each place and complete the activity. Give and complete the activity. Give students a "passport" that must be students a "passport" that must be stamped at each "stop" on their trip stamped at each "stop" on their trip (Like we did on our ‘International (Like we did on our ‘International Day’ project).Day’ project).



Let students make artifacts from a culture they are Let students make artifacts from a culture they are studying or give a speech as a famous historical studying or give a speech as a famous historical person or a character from their novel.person or a character from their novel.

Have children plant flowers and trees in groups as Have children plant flowers and trees in groups as these activities promote and reinforce character these activities promote and reinforce character and build qualities of ‘Team Play’.and build qualities of ‘Team Play’.

For history lessons, have them create “Timelines” For history lessons, have them create “Timelines” and relate events to each other on different and relate events to each other on different timelines.timelines.



For math lessons, give students For math lessons, give students interesting real-world projects or fun interesting real-world projects or fun stuff like the opportunity to act out 5 stuff like the opportunity to act out 5 plus 3 or 10 divided by 5. plus 3 or 10 divided by 5.

Create centers in the school for Create centers in the school for students to visit and complete an students to visit and complete an activity that meets one of your activity that meets one of your “Learning Objectives”.“Learning Objectives”.



These kinds of activities get students These kinds of activities get students moving both physically and mentally. moving both physically and mentally.

Before you know it you'll hear complaints Before you know it you'll hear complaints like, "Is it time to go already?" and "I'm not like, "Is it time to go already?" and "I'm not finished yet" from your students. But those finished yet" from your students. But those kinds of complaints are music to the ears. kinds of complaints are music to the ears.

It isn't easy to create these activities and It isn't easy to create these activities and plan out the details. You have to provide plan out the details. You have to provide structure and you have to constantly structure and you have to constantly monitor and guide students as they work. monitor and guide students as they work. But as a Teacher you must be But as a Teacher you must be CREATIVECREATIVE..



You won't have perfect products in the You won't have perfect products in the beginning and you will have to stress beginning and you will have to stress the importance of turning in work that the importance of turning in work that reflects "personal best“ – but with reflects "personal best“ – but with practice your “engaging products” will practice your “engaging products” will improve. improve.

It takes time and it takes effort - but It takes time and it takes effort - but when you start hearing those when you start hearing those complaints, you'll know that you have complaints, you'll know that you have succeeded and it was well worth doing.succeeded and it was well worth doing.



Keep Students Keep Students Involved and Involved and Engaged in Engaged in activities !activities !



“ “When Students When Students are are ExcitedExcited about about

their learning, they their learning, they are are MotivatedMotivated to pay to pay attention in Class”attention in Class”..



I + E + E= MI + E + E= M(Involved + Engaged + Excited = (Involved + Engaged + Excited =

Motivated)Motivated)


Qs. What is the Formula for keeping Qs. What is the Formula for keeping Students Motivated in Learning?Students Motivated in Learning?

ANSWERANSWER


Thank YouThank YouAurangzeb BhattiAurangzeb Bhatti

NovaQuest International NovaQuest International SchoolSchool

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How to Involve and Engage Students1