Is curiosity in middle school learners a thing of the past? Caron
probed MiddleWeb readers for their thoughts on this necessary component
of learning. The conversation led to a parallel discussion about "engagement
vs. entertainment."
I recently began an early morning women's class and our first week focused
on the forgotten truth of curiosity.
All of a sudden it became apparent to me that our seventh graders this year
are not curious about anything, except maybe how to get out of doing anything.
They don't really care about learning much or exerting any energy.
Not every year is like this, but this has been a very draining group this
year. High intellectually, low in Higher Order Thinking Skills or independent
creativity.
Any suggestions out there on intrinsic motivation and on just provoking
them to want to know more about life? Learning? Stuff?
I mean I go NUTS not knowing everything about everything!! This is hard
for me to relate to!!!
HELP!
- Caron
--------------------------
Kristen shared her observations.
I too am having a lot of trouble with my 8th graders. They seem to have
absolutely no passion for learning. Somehow, they're managing to get basic
skills but they have no curiosity about the world. I find that they too
are very low on critical thinking skills. I hate the fact that I often get
blank stares from them when I'm asking a very simple question. They have
very little interest even in group activities or interactive projects. Your
help/advice/encouragement is appreciated.
- Kristin
----------------------------
Amy wondered if the practices schools use to educate actually end up
inhibiting the curiosity factor in middle school learners.
Maybe because school tends to "kill" the natural sense of
curiosity. You must know it "this way" and be tested on every
detail.
Then again, maybe the media dulls curiosity, too.
- ADesh10186
------------------------
Caron responded.
So, how do we address this?
Curiosity is what drives imagination which is what fosters research and
discovery? If curiosity dies does man's progress?
And, as educators, do we let that happen or what?
- Caron
------------------------------
Amy pointed out the importance of seeking out topics that "grab"
this age group.
Are they not curious about ANYTHING or just about anything "academic"?
Are they interested in skating? Movies? Video games? Eating Disorders? Cars?
Surely you can work in some of their personal interests in some instances.
I have been pleasantly surprised by the connections my students could make
and the inquiry projects they have done when learning about things that
MATTER to them (if they can see WHY and HOW they matter, unlike some school
info, which you might need to connect to them more closely).
One interesting research project I did required students to select an event
in history (recent, ancient, local, global... whatever) and research. The
goal was to figure out as much as possible about the event, including how
the student's life was affected by the event, positively or negatively,
directly or indirectly. They needed to consider the possibilities of how
their lives would be different, had their chosen events not taken place.
Everyone got involved in this project, and it involved history and science
(in many cases), language arts, and technology (they presented their projects
on hyper studio). I had students research the building of the local mall,
the Holocaust, Columbine, and dozens of other great topics. The only criteria
I required for topic selection were: The topic MUST BE appropriate for school;
and You MUST show some logical connection to your life (This helped me to
give reasons why Charles Manson was NOT a great choice; I didn't accept
"If he hadn't done what he did, I wouldn't be researching him--that's
how he affects me.").
- Amy Deshane
-----------------------------
Sara recalled a middle school project that captivated her interest.
My first research paper in school (Grade 9, junior high) was on the
Charles Manson Murder Trials. Because it was a subject that I was interested
in, I put all my efforts into it and deserved the A that was given. One
of the reasons that my students do not put their "hearts" into
their LA research papers is because the teachers choose the type of topic,
which must relate to an environmental issue (to tie in with science), etc.
Nothing wrong with this, but if you want kids to really go for it; I believe
strongly that you should let them choose the topic.
(In Grade 10 (American Lit), I did my paper on Woodstock and in Grade 11
(Brit Lit), on medieval medicine. If I hadn't been able to choose the topics
than I wouldn't have put in much effort.)
- Sara
--------------------------
Caron wondered if limiting projects to those that entertain in the end
interferes with imagination and curiosity.
I agree, to some point, that what kids learn must be relevant to where
they are. But I also believe we often harp on that to the point of overkill
and foster their sense of self-centeredness.
Next Friday I do my annual backpack weigh-in. The kids will spend about
three classes analyzing what is in their bag, whether it meets a need, a
want, or is just there out of laziness or fashion and what can be eliminated
to make the load lighter. We also will spend time discussing and investigating
back safety and long term health issues.
But to keep designing projects that "entertain" and focus strictly
on what kids are interested in denies them the experience of drawing them
into the greater world to experience other things. It severs the source
that feeds the imagination and curiosity. My problem is how to get them
to pull their heads out of themselves and into the rest of the world???
They give themselves entirely enough think time.
- Caron
---------------------------
Sue shared the learning experiences of her own children.
I see both sides of this issue. As a mom of three whose children all
felt differently about their research expectations, I can understand from
their perspectives, too.
My daughters were very studious and never would think of doing anything
else than what a teacher expected. I use to say they grew up being people
pleasers, but amazingly they still developed a strong mind and will of their
own. They are both lawyers who stand up for what they believe in no matter
what.
The same wise teachers who taught my daughters in all honors classes also
taught my son. They were astute enough to see that over the years students
developed a greater interest in topics that they were curious about. Mike
was very engrossed in music and guitar and grew to love Led Zeppelin from
our generation and Pearl Jam from his. He worked harder and read more books
doing a research paper on these bands than he ever would have on the topics
my daughters were "given" or "assigned" to do. All three
of them received high A's but who do you think remembered more and enjoyed
more. I can honestly say I took great pleasure in watching his enthusiasm.
On the other side of the argument, I definitely agree not everything students
do in school will be fun and enjoyable. My response to students on "why
do we have to learn this?" is to tell them that they may never get
another chance to learn about the unknown and I want them to see that just
maybe it can and will be a valuable experience.
- Sue
-----------------------------
Brenda pointed MiddleWeb readers to a thought-provoking article.
"How do we teach just plain ole' curiosity?"
I was just thinking about that, Caron. I came across an Education Week article
that gave me a little jolt regarding what I consider the "main
thing" in learning and what my kids consider the main thing. "What
Students Need in the Restructured High School" looks at the discrepancy
between adult emphasis on academics and the often-apparent different agenda
of the students they serve.
Apparently (according to research) in high school, adolescents are primarily
engaged in the work of growing up. I would predict it's not a lot different
in middle school.
What Students Need in the Restructured High School
http://www.edweek.org/ew/ewstory.cfm?slug=07hoffman.h22
Here's another one to look at:
Isn't That Interesting!
http://www.edweek.org/ew/ewstory.cfm?slug=43rude.h20
- Brenda
--------------------------------------
Elizabeth speculated about why students fail to extend their own learning.
I agree with many of the "curiosity" posts. What I have difficulty
with is that I will find something that will excite the kids, but fail to
instill in them the urge to continue on their own. Once they are finished
with my idea, no one seems to want to seek out different ideas on their
own. They keep waiting for me to come up with the next great project or
the next exciting book, etc.
- Elizabeth
----------------------------
Nancy suggested other reasons for a lack of motivation in students.
One of the best books I ever read (and it's not a book for kids) is
The Autobiography of Henry VIII. It is fiction - can't remember the author.
Anyway, one of the themes in the book is "No learning is ever wasted."
That's what I say to the "How will we use this stuff" question.
As for the non-curious kids, I'm sure there are class leaders. How do they
act? Sometimes this apathy could signal depression in a student, and if
he/she is a leader, it spreads.
I think we all could encourage curiosity by just talking (or rather just
listening) to kids. Their conversations show interest in something.
- Nancy
-------------------------
Ellen pointed out the importance of bringing the prescribed curriculum
into alignment with the interest and real needs of students.
Let's take one thing into account: developmentally, adolescents ARE
self-centered. This is the time they are trying to figure out who they are
and how they fit in the world around them. They want to be unique, but they
want to fit in. Rather than trying to work against that developmental characteristic,
we'd do better to use it to our advantage.
Relevance is a huge issue regardless of what subject or grade level we teach.
Most of us have at some point in our lives asked, "Why do I have to
learn this?" (I cried it almost daily while taking Geometry in high
school; I didn't see relevance until I took Trigonometry.)
I think the key is to NOT water down the curriculum, but, rather, look for
ways to bring the curriculum into our kids' real lives. It is a task that
really forces us to think outside the box and to get to know our kids and
their interests well. For example, when teaching point of view--specifically
the concept of, "How would the story change if this other character
told the story?"--I have to start with something they already know,
usually what they call "He say--she say" stories. Every time I
have skipped that step, they continue to change all the events of the story
instead of merely telling it as that other person has interpreted it. Point
of view now gets a nod because it makes sense in their own lives.
I think the real key with adolescents is to start with them and move the
concept outward. It's not always easy, but my kids are always more successful
when I figure out a way to do this.
- Ellen
----------------------
Debbie agreed.
I agree with Ellen, and in fact I think that's the key for all of us.
In his book "Flow," Csikszentmihalyi writes that the desire to
learn is one of, if not 'the' strongest urges of all humans. If curiosity
is natural, and I agree that it is, perhaps we could make more progress
focusing on the ways mass education shuts down curiosity, instead of trying
to figure out what's wrong with our kids...
- Debbie
------------------------
Russ proposed using real life problems as a motivating force to teach
curriculum.
Sometimes I wonder if we confuse entertainment with motivation.
Most kids really do want to learn what it takes to be capable adults.
Give them real work in the real world. Give them real problems to solve-
real questions to answer. Use that as the springboard to teach the things
they need in order to do that real work.
Start small and well thought out. And good luck!
- Russ
------------------------
Bill added to Deborah and Ellen's thought.
To follow up on what Deborah and Ellen both said, with which I strongly
agree, here is a pertinent quote from the article Brenda mentioned that
appeared in Education Week:
"What are adolescents seeking to accomplish in high school? My research
tells me that they are primarily engaged in the work of growing up. They
value experiences that encourage and support their efforts to be involved,
to get along with everyone, and to develop independence. If these essential
"adolescent ethos" elements were recognized as the centerpiece
of the high school program, rather than elements to ignore, suppress, or
work around, how might high school be?"
Indeed, though the "work of growing up" evolves as students move
from middle school to high school, this statement does pertain to middle
school as well. I think that's why the rock bands are so "easy"
to teach - everyone matters (belonging), everyone has to manage their part
on their own (competence and independence), and it doesn't sound right unless
we all work together (getting along).
I think that's also why French doesn't really come alive for some of these
kids until they are advanced enough to be involved in key pal exchanges
and the like - it's only when French is truly the only common language with
someone else with whom they want to communicate that getting the spelling
and grammar right begins to matter, to many of them anyway.
- Bill Ivey (the French teacher)
------------------------
Paul suggested a link between lack of curiosity and a poorly written
assignment.
Try doing the assignments you give your kids. Whenever I give an assignment
that is different I do it along with the kids. It quickly becomes apparent
why certain assignments don't pique students' curiosity. When I find myself
making excuses for not doing it, or putting it off, I know why my kids have
no interest in it and we make changes to it -- even to the extreme of stopping
a project in the middle and just starting over.
It's not usually the kids who lack curiosity; it's me who gave an assignment
that is not interesting. I have also had the reverse happen -- last year
I gave an assignment that I was going to throw out. On the mid-year evaluation
it came out the assignment was one of their favorites -- go figure.
Unless you teach in a very unique school, public schools are set up right
now to squash curiosity. Who on this list would choose to live the life
of a student, sitting in a chair six hours a day, textbooks, assignments
with no connection to their lives, assignments that end up in a garbage
can, assignments that reward the product and not the process, and of course
there are the grades, blah blah blah, I'll stop.
- Paul
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Melba agreed whole-heartedly!
I completely agree with you, Paul. It is not the curriculum, but how
we present it to the kids that make it or break it for us. I can't sit still
for very long so why do we expect it of adolescents? Vary the instruction,
let them move around, give them a reason to talk to each other, challenge
them, relate it to their lives, make them do the work--the person doing
all the work is the one learning after all.
- Melba
-------------------------
John made a suggestion.
I'm thinking it might be useful for us to talk about the difference
between "entertainment" and "engagement." We're all
eager to be entertained. Sometimes we're eager to learn. Assignments that
make us eager to learn will very likely involve "real problems"
and "real work." Engaging and challenging aren't opposites, are
they?
- John
-------------------------------
Bill offered his perspective on the difference between entertaining and
engaging assignments.
I wouldn't say that engaging and challenging are opposites. In fact,
I would say more often than not they coexist, presuming that the "challenging"
is also the achievable.
As for the difference between entertainment and engagement, it seems to
me that the difference is in where you're heading. With entertainment, the
ultimate goal, whether consciously or not, is to have fun. There's a place
for this in education - for example, as a brief respite after a long, involved,
successful and rewarding project. But with engagement, there is some core
of learning which is the ultimate goal, following which the means chosen
to achieve that end (and, ideally, the end itself) inspire excitement in
the kids and, in their words, "make them want to do it."
Does that make sense to the rest of you?
- Bill
------------------------
Russ shared ideas from his web site.
A common theme in discussions of student motivation is what I call "Tricks
of the Trade," that is trying to hook the students in some way in order
to pull them into learning.
One approach is to make the lesson entertaining. Interesting (entertaining)
lessons have appeal to the students, because students are so tuned to be
entertained. It definitely has value and a place in education. I have used
a form of it myself to draw students into a presentation. Entertaining elements
help students stay focused on the lesson.
But entertainment tricks are not the same as motivation. They may be necessary,
but they are insufficient. Tricks may pull students into the lesson, but
they still need to be motivated to learn the material, practice it, and
internalize it so they will be able to use it throughout their lives. We
need to work on intrinsic motivation so that learning is solidly in the
self interest of the students. That is one of the goals of this site.
Many tactics to motivate students are highly dependent upon "external"
situational factors, such as:
- Teacher's personality
- Teacher's style
- Teacher's skill
- Teacher's tricks and methods
- The exact nature of the material being taught
Often, if these externals change too much, motivation will be lost. This
indicates the child lacks internal motivation. Not too many teachers are
SUPER enough to be able to reliably overcome the lack of internal motivation
in all settings.
(It should be realized that students who have been unmotivated for most
of their school experiences are operating with a severe knowledge deficit
- a form of learning disability in itself!)
- Russ
---------------------
Renee tried to shed some light on the difference between an assignment
being engaging or challenging.
"Engagement" means being actively involved in the learning
process. Students should be involved rather than passive learners. Challenging
should be a characteristic of the task, in that you expect them to "stretch"
a little beyond a comfortable response. We should expect success from our
students, but we should challenge them. We are not to spoon feed them. We
should be catalysts.
- Renee
-------------------------
Karen responds to Renee's ideas.
"We should be catalysts." Your concept intrigues me, Renee!
How can we accomplish this? All the ideas I've been reading are stimulating,
and I wish I could apply them to my students. My challenge is, how can I
act as a "catalyst" for students in 5th-6th grade who are reading
on a 1st-2nd level, with very low cognitive skills? Their frustration level
is so low that any effort to challenge them to "stretch" results
in most of them shutting down. They automatically assume my expectations
are beyond their ability, anticipate failure, and give up. I know some of
these kids truly can achieve more than they believe they can. Does anyone
have suggestions for techniques that would facilitate my acting as a catalyst
for my developmentally handicapped (cognitively disabled) kids?
- Karen
------------------------------
Melba provided a list of engagement descriptors.
We know when students are engaged when they:
- are actively involved in their learning.
- interacting with the teacher or each other
- are on task
- are so involved that they are oblivious to visitors in the room
- are in deep discussions about the work
- are able to tell you about their learning
- can carry a discussion or task with minimal help from the teacher
- can problem solve collaboratively
- when they begin the what ifs with each other
- when they apply and make connections to other aspects of life to name
a few.
- Melba
------------------
Ellen asked Melba a question.
Have you ever experimented with asking the students if they are engaged?
- Ellen A.
---------------------------
Melba responded.
When I go on instructional walks, I ask the students about their learning
and if they get involved with their learning. I'm not sure if I have ever
used the word engaged though. It's a good one to try this week. Where are
you going with this question?
- Melba
------------------------
Paul reflected on his own efforts to engage his students.
Entertainment occurs in the physical classroom, engagement occurs in
the student's head. I have just recently debated this in my head. My lessons
were getting more entertaining, without becoming more engaging. I had to
really stop and examine what we were doing. I have started to plan my "entertainment"
as a way to get to engagement. I also noticed that as the projects became
more entertaining, they had less engagement a week or two into the project.
Entertainment is really a short term solution to building student interest
and motivation. Students can walk away from entertainment; it is hard to
walk away from engagement. It is easy to walk away from a music video to
get a snack, but when you are playing the music you want to keep playing.
Students are externally involved in entertaining lesson, internally involved
during engaging lesson.
- Paul
------------------------
John pointed out the wisdom in Paul's comments.
Paul...
This is brilliant insight. In my interviews with teachers about their professional
growth, I have often heard this very point. It's not too hard to entertain,
but engagement - that requires some sweat equity.
- John
-----------------------------
Russ commented on the short term gain of tricks that teachers use to
grab student attention.
I agree- right on target. From many exchanges on this and another list,
I see lots of "tricks" discussed, which seem to me as only short
term to pull them in. After they are pulled in, the hard work in your head
and their heads begins.
Engagement has two elements (I say, shooting from the hip).
(1) The things which the teacher can do to introduce relevance and interest.
(2) The students desire to learn the material. These two must be fueled
by student motivation.
If the internal motivation to learn is not there, pulling them in is certainly
not enough, and engaging them is more difficult. I think developing the
internal motivation is the most important factor, and it must be done well
before the child breaks away from the external motivation to please parents
and teachers. After that, they switch their motivation to another external
force, pleasing their peers. At that point they too often become unteachable.
- Russ
------------------------
Ellen challenged Russ and shared a story from her own classroom.
The first part of this statement I agree with. The second sentence,
however, I disagree with. If we are in this business, to believe that any
child is "unteachable" is nothing short of a crime. Once you label
a child as unteachable in your mind, s/he is, in fact, unteachable, but
only because we have labeled her/him so.
Now, I agree, it may be much more difficult to engage the child, but it
CAN be done. It just takes more effort, creativity and ingenuity on our
parts, which we may or may not feel like giving.
I am not successful with every hard-case child who enters my classroom,
but I have always supposed it was because I haven't figured out the right
way to pull him/her into the fold. I am not saying the child has no responsibility,
but I AM saying the child is a child who has learned bad habits and is a
product of their home/school/life experiences. We are teaching 10-15 year
olds, not adults.
When we encounter such hard case children, we must ask ourselves what made
them that way. Find out about their lives, their families, their interests,
their beliefs...once you have done that, it is easier to figure out ways
to engage the child.
We had a child last year who was put BACK into 6th grade as a punishment
by our principal. He was failing every class, skipping classes, causing
problems, making rude remarks to teachers, etc. I won't lie; I really didn't
want him back in my classroom. He had done nothing the previous year, and
had become more of a behavior problem during his time in 7th grade. However,
I am pretty stubborn, and I was determined that the time he spent back in
my classroom was going to be more worthwhile than the year before.
I discovered he wanted to have his biological father involved in his life,
but no matter what he did, only his mother and step-father would show up
to the school. His mother made excuses for the child; his step-father played
the heavy in front of us but didn't follow through at home. Everything this
child did seemed to be directed at getting attention from the adults around
him, and he was delighting in sending all of us into a tizzy.
He was never held accountable for his actions in any real way--suspensions
were nothing but time off to run the streets while mom was at work. I also
found out he loved to write and perform raps and plays (attention), and
he had a great sense of humor. He also was a good reader--the year before
I believed he didn't do anything because he couldn't read, but he was only
acting out a role. (Why do anything if no one ever expects you to do anything?)
I formed a plan. When he didn't show up to class, I started the class working,
had an aide supervise the class, and went looking for him.
When I found him, I'd grab on to his arm as if he was escorting me
(like a gentleman) and tell him I knew he just wanted to be walked to class
in style. I did this again and again, and he began hanging out on the floor
before class so I didn't have to look for him. Still, I'd have him escort
me to class and go on and on about how he just wanted to be seen with the
teacher.
After a while, I didn't have to escort him because he was waiting in line
with the rest of the class. In class, he tried to avoid the work, but again
I went over the top and suggested he just wanted me to come sit and work
with him. I called on him during oral discussions, harassed him about homework
and class work, and expected him to work and learn with the rest of us.
I offered the option of performing assignments to demonstrate knowledge
of various concepts, and he paired with other students to create some of
the most entertaining and engaging skits and raps I have ever witnessed.
All the while I noticed just how much he knew.
In the classes where he was received with a different attitude, he continued
to skip and cause trouble. What was the difference?
I am no miracle worker. All of us are capable of dealing with, teaching,
AND engaging these types of children. We just have to make the commitment
and effort to do so. Not always easy with the amount of work we have, but
if we really believe we have a responsibility to teach ALL of our children,
not just the ones who make it easy for us, it is a necessary endeavor.
- Ellen
--------------------------
Russ elaborated on his thoughts.
Yes Ellen, you are correct. I made the mistake of not fully explaining
my meaning. I was only thinking about the cause-and-effect connecting those
two statements. A child, who at the time is unteachable, can change in the
future, and become teachable. We keep trying to find a key, and/or hoping
that the child will find his own key. We shouldn't give up. I tried to do
whatever it takes to help a child. Once I spent one evening a week all summer
working with a 7th grade girl in her home with either parent. That was a
mental processing problem situation. She learned new algorithms, and did
well the following year.
- Russ
-----------------------
Laurie applauded Ellen's extra efforts with her students.
Once again you touch my heart with your extra efforts for your students.
How wonderful to have your students "escort" you to class -- how
clever! I love that you found out about his interests and strengths, and
used those to support and empower him. He must have loved you and coming
to your class. You never gave up on him, did you? Even if his family didn't
give him the attention he so desperately ached for, you did. You are right
about the commitment we make to our students: we DO have to responsibility
to teach each and every one of them. I wonder, how is he doing this year
without you?
- Laurie
-------------------------
Ellen responded to Laurie.
You truly give me more credit than I deserve. I think all of us to one
degree or another try to figure these things out.
I never gave up on him, though my principal sort of made the comment that
since he'd been acting this way for so long, what made me think
I'd be able to change his life...said I should give up on him and let him
suffer the consequences! My thought was that if EVERYONE was communicating
that he was important and welcome in their classes, and if EVERYONE held
him to high standards and expectations, he would eventually give in.
Now, he never completely quit testing me, trying to push my buttons, but
I think he was just trying to see if I meant what I said. Kids do that,
and too often we give in to them, confirming their erroneous beliefs.
This boy has slipped back into the same behavior. To be honest, his teachers
are doing just about as well as they can do. That particular group of 7th
graders is EXCEEDINGLY challenging...we had a difficult time with them last
year in 6th grade, and they've only gotten worse. As a group they are used
to folks having low expectations for them. It doesn't help that our principal
holds many of them unaccountable for their actions because their parents
have called down to central office and complained...if a parent complains,
she will no longer suspend or hold the child accountable in any way. (My
thought is that the 7th grade teachers need to call the union in on this
one....don't know why they haven't.)
I actually caught him and two of his buddies wandering the hallways last
week, and I slipped into the old routine with him: "Aw, you miss your
old teacher. Here, I'll help you get to class." He offered me his arm,
and I escorted him to class with no complaints at all.
Teaching is ALL about relationships. I just heard/read (can't remember)
last week that the major factor that determines if a child will do well
with us or not is the relationship between student and teacher. If they
like, respect, believe we are acting in their best interests, they will
try their hardest for us; if not, they believe they are punishing us by
not working.
When I begin having problems with a child, I try to see myself as the child
sees me. I usually find I am communicating something negative or need to
change something I'm doing. In the end, we cannot control what the kids
do; we can only change what we are doing.
- Ellen
-------------------
Deborah described how learning engagement is happening in her classroom
in spite of a tight time frame.
I have been quiet these days, taking so much of these wonderful exchanges
in and saving the comments for a really big moment...
I have been into my new assignment for about 3 1/2 weeks, the newly configured
6th grade teams that I was all in a panic about. Thanks to much good advice
I calmed down and when school began...I decided to march in and teach the
standards...in the best way that would engage my students. With the Yearbook
pressing down on me like the ancient "death by pressing," I focused
on a day that involved halves-- 6th grade in the am and yearbook in the
pm.
I worked with my co-teacher who has a doctorate in math and is fit into
the afternoon LA teaching ( she is head of the math department but teaching
LA) by cutting her loose, offering support, sharing materials, and going
my own way. She comes in during the morning-- just the first two periods
to watch me teach... and she does not panic when I teach to the moment,
change lesson plans, shift strategies, and refocus the resources. She teaches
math like that when she does get to teach it, so she is on my wavelength.
All of this is to tell you about engagement... my students are doing non-fiction
as the academic window directs, and we have done many anthologized stories
of immigrants... and we have done Rosa Parks, and Jackie Robinson, and discussed
the inequities of our society... looked a timelines all the way back to
the Civil War and dug out great quotes that tie into relationships, King,
friendship, family and so on...
The kids are intrigued, leaning forward, asking questions, reading and rereading
and bringing in resources and information. I have not been particularly
entertaining-- not at all entertaining... but the kids are engaged because
I am shoved into a timeframe and with a calendar that is a mandate and it
is working. ...
- Deborah
--------------
Melba made several observations about Deborah's posting about her program.
While you may not think that you are entertaining your students, you
are. You said it yourself when you wrote "the kids are intrigued, leaning
forward...." You have made your lessons interesting and relevant to
their lives, therefore the students are interested and engaged. You have
given them topics of interest to them and varied the activities, therefore
the students are engaged. They are entertained in their learning. That is
what I meant when I said in an earlier post that isn't it all the same?
When presented in an interesting way, they will respond. Good job! We can
all learn from you.
- Melba
-----------------------
John suggested ways real life problems can be integrated into math.
Real world/work problems? How about the stock market? I had my math
students chose stock to invest in. We tracked their stock for 3 weeks, and
then they invested and tracked for six weeks and graphed it. They compared
each other's investments, wrote about them, discussed possible reasons for
the drops, and invested and/or sold more stock. At the end of the unit,
they knew how to change decimals to percents, fractions to decimals, and
really understood the relationships between them. Some kids continued to
track their original stock "for fun". Engaged? You bet they were
engaged AND their grades improved along with their attitudes. Use that as
the springboard to teach the things
- John
--------------------
Rick Selby shared an entertaining learning activity from his learning
past- one that effectively merged entertainment with engagement.
"Engagement" is the buzzword in my district this year, so
I pondered this question for a while now that I am back. I think that there
needs to be SOME entertainment in SOME activities because of today's learning
styles. I can still vividly recall when I was in the 8th grade, and my history
teacher put trash bags over the windows and had us re-enact the Salem Witchcraft
Trials. To this day I still remember many of the "facts" that
were covered in that activity based on the entertainment value. However,
I think some teachers may take the entertainment factor too far and neglect
the thinking process that needs to occur.
- Rick
--------------------------
Bill and David both pointed readers to a timely article in Teacher Magazine:
WHY DO STUDENTS LACK MOTIVATION?
We know that children, almost from birth, are driven by curiosity; they're
like sponges, soaking up everything they see and hear. Learning is as natural
to them as breathing, and they delight in every accomplishment. As author
James Raffini puts it, "Rarely does one hear parents complain that
their preschooler is 'unmotivated.'" Research suggests that kids' motivation
to learn is significantly influenced by their home environment and by the
attitudes of their parents toward learning and questioning. Children who
arrive at school with a learning deficit often struggle and fail in classrooms
and may withdraw as an act of self- preservation. But many youngsters from
reasonably affluent homes and with educated, encouraging parents often lack
motivation, as well. This suggests that something about the school experience
may contribute to the problem. In this article, Ron Wolk interviews his
7-year-old grandson to find out why school is perceived by so many children
as getting "in the way of life."
http://www.teachermagazine.org/tmstory.cfm?slug=05persp.h14
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