Tagged: student engagement

Seeing and Celebrating Each Learner’s Gifts

Once teachers see, value, and capitalize on a learner’s unique talents and strengths, it changes the student and it changes us, writes Regie Routman. “Possibilities override limitations. Pride of accomplishment replaces failure. Effort leads to excellence. Joy is present, the best gift of all.”

Five Lesson Plan Tweaks I Borrow from Marketers

How is teaching like marketing? In student-centered classrooms, relatable lessons motivate students because they connect and have emotional appeal, writes teacher and former marketer Kelly Owens. In turn, engagement leads to purposeful work, supporting more on-task behaviors.

5 Ideas to Add Comfort and Joy to Math Class

Middle grades math teacher Mona Iehl applies five of author Gholdy Muhammad’s strategies to unearth joy as her students experience the December classroom scramble. Mona suggests activities to help realize each strategy with your students. Try musical math and much more!

The Power We Gain by Teaching Vulnerably

In The Power of Teaching Vulnerably David Rockower explains how personal, relational, and dialogic vulnerability can help educators build healthy classroom dialogue. Amy Estersohn would have liked more guidance for teachers facing job loss if they discuss sensitive topics.

A Fresh Way to Engage Students in Research

The Multigenre Research Project approach lets students truly show their learning and mastery on any topic they choose to explore. Melinda Putz provides teachers across subject areas everything they need to help students go deeper than PBL, says MGRP user Erin Corrigan-Smith.

Rubrics: 5 Go-to Ways to Engage Students

The more students interact with the rubric, the more ownership they take over it, writes Megan Kelly. Once they feel empowered by the rubric, they can use it as a tool to accomplish their goals rather than a means of judgment, putting them on the same team as the teacher.

Motivating Students to Test Their Best

Amid all the stress and organized chaos that comes with state testing, there can be bright moments that make everyone smile. AP DeAnna Miller shares how her school’s staff (and students) brightened their test season to encourage kids to do their best after a challenging year.