Tips for Curing Student Disengagement
Close the gap between teaching and learning by actively engaging your pupils in the classroom.
By Matthew Spinogatti
A man is on a walk with his dog when he comes across a good friend of his. The man says, “Guess what? I taught my dog how to whistle.” The friend says, “Really? That’s incredible. Can I hear?” The man says, “I said that I taught him, I didn't say he learned it.”
I hate to be the one to break the news to you, but some students are completely oblivious to what is going on in the classroom. They don't know what they are currently studying, they don't know what page they are supposed to be on, and don't even think about asking them what the homework was last night or even if they did it. A nicer way of saying this is that some pupils are disengaged. But how could this be? Language arts is fascinating. History is fascinating. Math is fascinating. Right?
Things to Remember
Most people who become teachers do so because they enjoy education. The idea that not all kids feel the same way is a cruel truth that ranks right up there with chips being an unhealthy snack. As teachers, we need to remember that we are the ones who love learning and reading books. Math teachers are the ones who love solving puzzles, and science teachers were probably the kids who liked playing with bugs. How many times have you heard a science teacher say, “See…isn’t this cool?”
Students, on the other hand, may have never been so engrossed in a book that they forget to sleep or shower. They might not enjoy solving puzzles, and some of them may even believe that bugs are gross.
The Problem with Disengagement
By nature, teachers are dedicated, hardworking, and passionate. Unfortunately, none of those qualities mean very much if learners are not engaged in what is happening in the classroom. The perfectly crafted lecture on Henry David Thoreau might fall on deaf ears if that student is struggling at home, thinking about that boy or girl that they like, or even just wondering what they will eat for lunch that day.
Student Ownership and Responsibility
Part of the new Common Core way of thinking is the gradual shift in responsibility to the student. Think about how difficult it is for students not to participate in the learning process when they are the ones responsible for the activity and output of the classroom. With many traditional forms of instruction, pupils have had the opportunity to “opt-out” or simply not participate. By eliminating this option, we will inherently reach a wider range of learners.
Getting Students More Involved
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Exploration: When introducing a new topic or unit, assign different parts (ex: background, significance, time period) to your learners and have them research and present to the class. Be prepared to make clarifications, but get them involved in the learning beyond copying down the teacher’s notes.
- Group Work: Create groups and make each student within that group responsible for some type of output (ex: scribe, presenter, artist, reader) have them rotate positions for different activities so they are all getting a turn in each role. Groups have a tendency to hold each other accountable beyond the teacher’s ability.
- Technology: Most pupils enjoy using technology in the classroom. Bring them to the computer lab or see if your school has laptop carts to bring in. Perhaps even let them use their phones. Send your class on a research scavenger hunt and then have them create a PowerPoint to share with the class.
- Historical Context: Give students background information when beginning a new topic. We are all curious by nature. By discussing the authors' struggles before beginning a short story, the significance in hair styles for the Plains Indians, the real-life implications of a scientific discovery, or even where we see certain mathematical equations played out in nature, we are giving our learners the gift of perspective and context. Lessons need to be meaningful (or at least momentarily interesting) for them to buy in.
- Teach Skills through a Medium They Find Interesting: In a desire to teach the class about argumentative essay writing, I posed a very simple question: “Is Facebook good or bad for society.” Pupils used non-fiction articles to explore this question and used research strategies to formulate arguments supporting their position. The best part is, they cared. They were engaged in discussions, in research, and in rebuttals.
By incorporating some of these strategies, today's learners will not only be more responsible, they will be more engaged. Remember, it is their education. Perhaps the key to getting individual students involved is to make them responsible, hold them accountable, and create an environment where they can flourish.
What are some ways you engage your learners in the classroom? Share your thoughts and ideas with the Lesson Planet Community.