Comments on: Fostering Engagement http://durandus.com/phaedrus/2006/09/27/fostering-engagement/ Technology is neither the problem nor the solution. Tue, 6 Jan 2009 19:37:53 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: lowell http://durandus.com/phaedrus/2006/09/27/fostering-engagement/#comment-11122 lowell Thu, 25 Sep 2008 13:37:20 +0000 http://durandus.com/phaedrus/?p=42#comment-11122 I think you meant grades as motivation, Amy. And you're right. My daughters are - sadly - not motivated by the D's and F's they're getting. But they will turn every stone to learn something they want to know. But engagement takes time and - as Monica points out as well - time is something sorely lacking in the K-12 classroom these days. I think you meant grades as motivation, Amy. And you’re right. My daughters are - sadly - not motivated by the D’s and F’s they’re getting. But they will turn every stone to learn something they want to know.

But engagement takes time and - as Monica points out as well - time is something sorely lacking in the K-12 classroom these days.

]]> By: Amy Howard http://durandus.com/phaedrus/2006/09/27/fostering-engagement/#comment-11119 Amy Howard Thu, 25 Sep 2008 02:18:12 +0000 http://durandus.com/phaedrus/?p=42#comment-11119 I find that for some students grades are not engagement. They do not care if they get an A or B for a grade. So engagment has to be found in different ways. I agree that sometimes we can make it to comfortable for students and they take advantage of that. I took those classes in high school that I knew would keep me in a comfortable environment. I need to find different ways to keep my students going. Monica has a good point about time and teaching content. When students think out of the box is great, but we are always watching that clock and checking off what is taught before testing. I find that for some students grades are not engagement. They do not care if they get an A or B for a grade. So engagment has to be found in different ways. I agree that sometimes we can make it to comfortable for students and they take advantage of that. I took those classes in high school that I knew would keep me in a comfortable environment. I need to find different ways to keep my students going. Monica has a good point about time and teaching content. When students think out of the box is great, but we are always watching that clock and checking off what is taught before testing.

]]> By: monica http://durandus.com/phaedrus/2006/09/27/fostering-engagement/#comment-11102 monica Wed, 24 Sep 2008 01:21:41 +0000 http://durandus.com/phaedrus/?p=42#comment-11102 Cued response versus engagement...major issue in my classroom. I teach 3 subjects to 2 different grade levels. I have exactly 40 minutes to teach science, exactly 60 minutes to teach math sandwiched between humanities, lunch, recess, orchestra, spanish. I have a two inch binder full of content I am required to cover for each grade level. Heaven forbid that a student ask a question 'outside the box' that demonstrates they are actually thinking in depth about the content. I settle for cued response way too often! Technology enhanced instruction, if used to its full potential should increase engagement. I'm thinking kids need time to research, question, and synthesize information gathered from online resources....can't really manage to give them time to actually do active learning activities - too busy delivering content..... Cued response versus engagement…major issue in my classroom. I teach 3 subjects to 2 different grade levels. I have exactly 40 minutes to teach science, exactly 60 minutes to teach math sandwiched between humanities, lunch, recess, orchestra, spanish. I have a two inch binder full of content I am required to cover for each grade level. Heaven forbid that a student ask a question ‘outside the box’ that demonstrates they are actually thinking in depth about the content. I settle for cued response way too often! Technology enhanced instruction, if used to its full potential should increase engagement. I’m thinking kids need time to research, question, and synthesize information gathered from online resources….can’t really manage to give them time to actually do active learning activities - too busy delivering content…..

]]> By: lowell http://durandus.com/phaedrus/2006/09/27/fostering-engagement/#comment-11100 lowell Tue, 23 Sep 2008 21:54:21 +0000 http://durandus.com/phaedrus/?p=42#comment-11100 Huh. Who'd have thought it? Huh. Who’d have thought it?

]]> By: Elizabeth Freeman http://durandus.com/phaedrus/2006/09/27/fostering-engagement/#comment-11099 Elizabeth Freeman Tue, 23 Sep 2008 21:21:46 +0000 http://durandus.com/phaedrus/?p=42#comment-11099 I do not think that a teacher can judge engagement by simply getting students to speak up in class. If my kids are still asking questions and talking to each other or myself long after the lesson is over, that's when I know that I got them hooked. I did a place value lesson last week and the students had to use units (1's) and strips (10s) to show me the value of numbers. One of the numbers they used their manipulatives with was the number 54. After they showed me the typical answer of 5 strips and 4 units I asked them to show me another way to show 54. Based on their reaction you would have thought that I had asked them to do something horrible. They did not want to think outside of the box. I can tell they are a group of kids that have been spoon fed and it really made some of them mad. They wanted me to just tell them another way. I even had a parent call because her child said that I refused to tell them the answer. Anyway...that lesson was last Thursday and yesterday and today I still have kids randomly showing me other ways to make 54. They are now fascinated that they can do it more than one way. I think that engagement is very important in all classes, but it may mean different things for different students. I do not think that one method is going to get all students engaged. I guess I "punished" my students last week and I really punished the girl who talked to her mom about math that day, but at least I got her attention and maybe got her mom a little more involved in the process. The child turned in homework for the first time yesterday. I think that one way to encourage engagement is to let students do a little inquiry. It makes them think and when they think they will learn something. They will actively use their minds instead of just getting fed information. I do not think that a teacher can judge engagement by simply getting students to speak up in class. If my kids are still asking questions and talking to each other or myself long after the lesson is over, that’s when I know that I got them hooked. I did a place value lesson last week and the students had to use units (1’s) and strips (10s) to show me the value of numbers. One of the numbers they used their manipulatives with was the number 54. After they showed me the typical answer of 5 strips and 4 units I asked them to show me another way to show 54. Based on their reaction you would have thought that I had asked them to do something horrible. They did not want to think outside of the box. I can tell they are a group of kids that have been spoon fed and it really made some of them mad. They wanted me to just tell them another way. I even had a parent call because her child said that I refused to tell them the answer. Anyway…that lesson was last Thursday and yesterday and today I still have kids randomly showing me other ways to make 54. They are now fascinated that they can do it more than one way.
I think that engagement is very important in all classes, but it may mean different things for different students. I do not think that one method is going to get all students engaged. I guess I “punished” my students last week and I really punished the girl who talked to her mom about math that day, but at least I got her attention and maybe got her mom a little more involved in the process. The child turned in homework for the first time yesterday. I think that one way to encourage engagement is to let students do a little inquiry. It makes them think and when they think they will learn something. They will actively use their minds instead of just getting fed information.

]]> By: phaedrus » Blog Archive » About Engagement http://durandus.com/phaedrus/2006/09/27/fostering-engagement/#comment-11094 phaedrus » Blog Archive » About Engagement Tue, 23 Sep 2008 11:56:02 +0000 http://durandus.com/phaedrus/?p=42#comment-11094 [...] but a lot of what passes for engagement is only cued response. I wrote this piece to help explain: Fostering Engagement. One of the initial problems a distance designer faces is how to get students engaged. The reason [...] [...] but a lot of what passes for engagement is only cued response. I wrote this piece to help explain: Fostering Engagement. One of the initial problems a distance designer faces is how to get students engaged. The reason [...]

]]> By: Cognitive Dissonance » Blog Archive » I’m Back http://durandus.com/phaedrus/2006/09/27/fostering-engagement/#comment-10440 Cognitive Dissonance » Blog Archive » I’m Back Thu, 07 Feb 2008 14:20:28 +0000 http://durandus.com/phaedrus/?p=42#comment-10440 [...] Fostering Engagement came as part of the design and development portion of the course wherein I explained how I was demonstrating engagement in the course and practicing what I preached. [...] [...] Fostering Engagement came as part of the design and development portion of the course wherein I explained how I was demonstrating engagement in the course and practicing what I preached. [...]

]]> By: Gloria Newsome http://durandus.com/phaedrus/2006/09/27/fostering-engagement/#comment-6045 Gloria Newsome Sat, 29 Sep 2007 17:59:29 +0000 http://durandus.com/phaedrus/?p=42#comment-6045 I see what you mean about this and the safety zone. This is how we are told to structure our classrooms. Our students are to know exactly what we expect them to learn from each class and exactly what we expect frm them. I would really need to think of a way to get this in my subject area since they can't do much except the very basics. If we could have discussions or debates it may be possible to get them thinking out of the comfort zone. And like Tippi said, How would we assess this? I see what you mean about this and the safety zone. This is how we are told to structure our classrooms. Our students are to know exactly what we expect them to learn from each class and exactly what we expect frm them. I would really need to think of a way to get this in my subject area since they can’t do much except the very basics. If we could have discussions or debates it may be possible to get them thinking out of the comfort zone. And like Tippi said, How would we assess this?

]]> By: Tippi Thompson http://durandus.com/phaedrus/2006/09/27/fostering-engagement/#comment-6000 Tippi Thompson Fri, 28 Sep 2007 14:29:07 +0000 http://durandus.com/phaedrus/?p=42#comment-6000 I completely agree with forcing students out of their comfort zones to make them think better. I thoroughly enjoy arguing about things. No matter what my true beliefs are about something I like to argue both sides of an issue. This type of discourse in the classroom will definitely make students use their heads more because it becomes more personal. But how do we assess this? I completely agree with forcing students out of their comfort zones to make them think better. I thoroughly enjoy arguing about things. No matter what my true beliefs are about something I like to argue both sides of an issue. This type of discourse in the classroom will definitely make students use their heads more because it becomes more personal.

But how do we assess this?

]]> By: Lexie http://durandus.com/phaedrus/2006/09/27/fostering-engagement/#comment-5995 Lexie Fri, 28 Sep 2007 12:39:49 +0000 http://durandus.com/phaedrus/?p=42#comment-5995 I agree, we sometimes baby our students too much. I feel like in our new "feel good society" that we are attempting to make our students feel at home and take their emotional and physical needs too much. We happened to the school of hard knocks. The world really isn't a cushy, cushy place. It is a world of both the good and the bad, and the sooner we show our students that the world is competitive the better they will be. I know that we are coming to a new place within the education spectrum where engagement is just an afterthought, because all administrators care about are test scores and basketball (at our school). Engagement is ongoing and evolving, I think that is why it is so difficult to do well. It changes with every grade and class. But it is a challenge worth pursuing. I agree, we sometimes baby our students too much. I feel like in our new “feel good society” that we are attempting to make our students feel at home and take their emotional and physical needs too much. We happened to the school of hard knocks. The world really isn’t a cushy, cushy place. It is a world of both the good and the bad, and the sooner we show our students that the world is competitive the better they will be. I know that we are coming to a new place within the education spectrum where engagement is just an afterthought, because all administrators care about are test scores and basketball (at our school).
Engagement is ongoing and evolving, I think that is why it is so difficult to do well. It changes with every grade and class. But it is a challenge worth pursuing.

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