1.
Working with their peers
"Middle-school students are
growing learners who require and want interaction with other people to fully
attain their potential."
"Teens find it most interesting
and exciting when there is a little bit of talking involved. Discussions help
clear the tense atmosphere in a classroom and allow students to participate in
their own learning."
2.
Working with technology
"I believe that when students
participate in "learning by doing" it helps them focus more.
Technology helps them to do that. Students will always be extremely excited
when using technology."
"We have entered a digital age
of video, Facebook, Twitter, etc., and they [have] become more of a daily thing
for teens and students. When we use tech, it engages me more and lets me
understand the concept more clearly."
3.
Connecting the real world to the work we do/project-based learning
"I
believe that it all boils down to relationships. Not relationships from teacher
to student or relationships from student to student, but rather relations
between the text and the outside world. For example, I was in a history class
last year and my teacher would always explain what happens in the Medieval World
and the Renaissance. And after every lesson, every essay, every assignment, he
asked us, "How does this event relate to current times?" It brought
me to a greater thinking, a kind of thinking where I can relate the past to the
present and how closely they are bonded together."
"If you relate the topic to the
students' lives, then it makes the concept easier to grasp."
"Students are most interested
when the curriculum applies to more than just the textbook. The book is there
-- we can read a book. If we're given projects that expand into other subjects
and make us think, it'll help us understand the information."
"What I think engages a student
most is interactions with real-life dilemmas and an opportunity to learn how to
solve them. Also, projects that are unique and one of a kind that other schools
would never think of. Also something challenging and not easy, something to
test your strengths as a student and stimulate your brain, so it becomes easier
to deal with similar problems when you are grown up and have a job. Something
so interesting that you could never ever forget."
"I like to explore beyond the
range of what normal textbooks allow us to do through hands-on techniques such
as project-based learning. Whenever I do a project, I always seem to remember
the material better than if I just read the information straight out of a
textbook."
"I, myself, find a deeper
connection when I'm able to see what I'm learning about eye-to-eye. It's more
memorable and interesting to see all the contours and details of it all. To be
able to understand and connect with the moment is what will make students three
times more enthusiastic about learning beyond the black and white of the Times
New Roman text."
4.
Clearly love what you do
"Engaging students can be a
challenge, and if you're stuck in a monotone, rambling on and on, that doesn't
help...instead of talking like a robot, teachers should speak to us like
they're really passionate about teaching. Make sure to give yourself an
attitude check. If a teacher acts like this is the last thing they want to be
doing, the kids will respond with the same negative energy. If you act like you
want to be there, then we will too."
"I also believe that enthusiasm
in the classroom really makes a student engaged in classroom discussions.
Because even if you have wonderful information, if you don't sound interested,
you are not going to get your students' attention. I also believe that
excitement and enthusiasm is contagious."
"It isn't necessarily the
subject or grades that really engage students but the teacher. When teachers
are truly willing to teach students, not only because it is their job, but
because they want to educate them, students benefit. It's about passion. That
extra effort to show how it will apply to our own future."
5. Get
me out of my seat!
"When a student is active they
learn in a deeper way than sitting. For example, in my history class, we had a
debate on whether SOPA and PIPA were good ideas. My teacher had us stand on
either ends of the room to state whether we agree or disagree with the
proposition. By doing this, I was able to listen to what all my classmates had to
say."
6.
Bring in visuals
"I like to see pictures because
it makes my understanding on a topic clearer. It gives me an image in my head
to visualize."
"I am interested when there are
lots of visuals to go with the lesson. Power Points are often nice, but they
get boring if there are too many bullet points. Pictures and cartoons usually
are the best way to get attention."
7.
Student choice
"I think having freedom in
assignments, project directions, and more choices would engage students...More
variety = more space for creativity."
"Giving students choices helps
us use our strengths and gives us freedom to make a project the way we want it
to. When we do something we like, we're more focused and enjoy school
more."
"Another way is to make the
curriculum flexible for students who are more/less advanced. There could be a
list of project choices and student can pick from that according to their level."
8.
Understand your clients -- the kids
"Encourage students to voice
their opinions as you may never know what you can learn from your
students."
"If the teacher shows us that
they are confident in our abilities and has a welcoming and well-spirited personality
towards us, we feel more capable of doing the things we couldn't do...What I'm
trying to say is students are more engaged when they feel they are in a
"partnership" with their teacher."
"Personally, I think that
students don't really like to be treated as 'students.' Teachers can learn from
us students. They need to ask for our input on how the students feel about a
project, a test, etc. Most importantly, teachers need to ask themselves,
"How would I feel if I were this student?" See from our point of view
and embrace it."
"Students are engaged in
learning when they are taught by teachers who really connect with their
students and make the whole class feel like one big family. Teachers should
understand how the mind of a child or teenager works and should be able to
connect with their students because everyone should feel comfortable so that
they are encouraged to raise their hands to ask questions or ask for
help."
"Teachers should know that
within every class they teach, the students are all different."
9. Mix
it up!
"I don't like doing only one
constant activity...a variety will keep me engaged in the topic. It's not just
for work, but also for other things such as food. Eating the same foods
constantly makes you not want to eat!"
"Fun experiments in science
class...acting out little skits in history...if students are going to remember
something, they need visuals, some auditory lessons, and some emotions."
"Also, you can't go wrong with
some comedy. Everyone loves a laugh...another thing that engages me would be
class or group games. In Language Arts I've played a game of "dodge ball.
We throw words at each other, one at a time. If they could get the definition,
the person who threw the word would be out...Students remember the ones they
got wrong, and of course, the ones they already knew."
10. Be
human
"Don't forget to have a little
fun yourself."
I'd like to end this post with one
more quote, this one from my student, Sharon: "The thing is, every student
is engaged differently...but, that is okay. There is always a way to keep a
student interested and lively, ready to embark on the journey of education.
'What is that way?' some teachers may ask eagerly. Now, read closely... Are you
ready? That way is to ask them. Ask. Them. Get their input on how they learn.
It's just as simple as that."
Go on. Try it. Ask.
(Heather's website is www.tweenteacher.com)
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