Previously, I wrote about the importance of engaging students in learning. I noted that students need to feel connected to and interested in the curriculum in order for them to truly comprehend and accommodate new ideas. As a staff, we continue to plan and reflect on our teaching to ensure that our lessons are meaningful to students. The teachers strive to create learning activities that challenge student thinking. In addition, we continually ask ourselves how we can improve active intellectual engagement for students. At times, this is very hard work!
Last month, we questioned ourselves, “What is the difference between a student being engaged and a student being on-task?” We concluded that students can be on-task (following the lesson, doing what is asked of him/her, etc.) but not engaged in the lesson. As adults, we have all had the experience of participating in a meeting at work while our minds wander. We nod our heads when appropriate and jot down notes as needed yet we are really thinking about the laundry that needs to be done, what is going to be for dinner, and if can we get away with skipping the gym that day. Students do the same thing. In order for students to be engaged, they must be interested in what is being taught. Obviously, we cannot eliminate curriculum that may not immediately spark a student’s interest but we can change how we present the information and how we set up learning experiences for the children.
Using Charlotte Danielson’s Framework for Teaching, we will be looking closely at how we engage students in learning during the months of January, February, and March. Danielson states that we can gage student engagement by looking at student enthusiasm during a lesson, examining if learning tasks require high-level student thinking, and determining if students are highly motivated to work. Students must be actively working rather than simply watching the teacher work.
At P.S 188, our goal is for students to learn and apply learning to their own lives. The entire staff works toward meeting this goal every day. If you have specific questions about your child’s engagement in school, please contact your child’s teacher. Of course, you are always welcome to contact me, as well. Thank you!
Tags: charlotte danielson, Danielson, day students, engaging students, intellectual engagement, motivation, On-Task, Student Engagement, student enthusiasm
