3c: Engaging Students in Learning

Student engagement in learning is the centerpiece of the Framework for Teaching; all other components contribute to it. When students are engaged in learning, they are not merely “busy,” nor are they only “on task.” Rather, they are intellectually active in learning important and challenging content. The critical distinction between a classroom in which students are compliant and busy and one in which they are engaged is that in the latter, students are developing their understanding through what they do. That is, they are engaged in discussion, debate, answering “what if?” questions, discovering patterns, and the like. They may be selecting their work from a range of (teacher-arranged) choices, and making important contributions to the intellectual life of the class. Such activities don’t typically consume an entire lesson, but they are essential components of engagement.

A lesson in which students are engaged usually has a discernible structure: a beginning, a middle, and an end, with scaffolding provided by the teacher or by the activities themselves. Student tasks are organized to provide cognitive challenge, and then students are encouraged to reflect on what they have done and what they have learned. That is, the lesson has closure, in which teachers encourage students to derive the important learning from the learning tasks, from the discussion, or from what they have read. Critical questions for an observer in determining the degree of student engagement are “What are the students being asked to do? Does the learning task involve thinking? Are students challenged to discern patterns or make predictions?” If the answer to these questions is that students are, for example, filling in blanks on a worksheet or performing a rote procedure, they are unlikely to be cognitively engaged.

In observing a lesson, it is essential not only to watch the teacher but also to pay close attention to the students and what they are doing. The best evidence for student engagement is what students are saying and doing as a consequence of what the teacher does, or has done, or has planned. And while students may be physically active (e.g., using manipulative materials in mathematics or making a map in social studies), it is not essential that they be involved in a hands-on manner; it is, however, essential that they be challenged to be “minds-on.”

Danielson, C. 2013

Artifact 3c-1

This is a lesson I taught, it was a review on adjectives. I partnered the students in pairs and had them work in pairs to accomplish each part of the activity. I had split the class based on their numbers and partnered them one by one down the list. I had them race to get done the fastest and I had them work quietly so that the other people around them. The kids seemed to enjoy the activity because it seemed like it was a race but also a way that they can review what they have learned. I hope to create engaging activities in the best way I can with my students and help them make learning fun.

Artifact 3c-2

This was a lesson I created for young kids. I had given each student or group a "health helper" or someone who isn't and had them decide if they are or not. I had the students engaged with each kid getting a card and working on what they think. I had them explain why and then I was having them work with the others to be able to share their own opinions and share their ideas. I am having the kids all be involved in the lesson and having them play a specific role helps them feel engaged in the lesson even if it is one simple part.