Not what you were looking for? Click HERE to go back to the December 2020 Archive Menu

Elementary: Keeping Kids Engaged Using Gradual Release

By Jenny Bushman

Excited to learn more from Distance Learning family choice teachers I “visited” some classrooms and saw some amazing engagement with students. I had not really thought about the correlation between the gradual release model and student engagement until I entered Amy Burski’s 4th grade classroom! Amy is in her 21st year of teaching and has had experience with various grade levels, working as enrichment coach, and in the integration program.

From the start of the time I entered the classroom, kids were energized and excited about math, and I would attribute much of this to the positive attitude and perspective on learning Amy models for kids daily! Observing her work with students on a math lesson, following a short mini lesson, I noticed she began to release students to work on their own with only a few students taking the off ramp to work independently at the first opportunity. She continued to work with students who stayed on Zoom by working through additional math problems together and allowing time for questions. Later, she provided students with another off ramp to work independently. By the end of the math lesson, she was left on the Zoom with two students who needed more support while other students were practicing independently. Students returned as a whole group getting the differentiated support they needed to build confidence in their math skills.

What I didn’t observe but learned about after is that Amy shares a recorded math lesson with students ahead of class so when they are together, they are coming with some background and questions so they are able to engage from the very beginning of the lesson, and she is able to provide various levels of support while keeping all students engaged.

When I was able to talk with Amy about this lesson and how she approaches engagement in a distance learning model she shared the importance of getting students moving and excited to learn at the start of every day; she uses quick games and activities to do this. She shared that the process of a pre-recorded lesson, followed by a math Zoom allows her to answer questions and provide the support students need to build confidence. Thank you Amy for the energy and engagement you bring to students every day!

Secondary 5 Ways Wegter Wins Engagement

By Stephanie Schlangen

There is no doubt that Brianne Wegter works hard for her students. But how is she getting her students to work hard for her in distance learning? I happily jumped at the chance to watch her in action as she piloted a new tool. When she started her Zoom, I instantly felt her energy and saw kids’ smiling faces populating her gallery. How did she get this reaction? The following 5 strategies stood out to me:

1. She greeted students by name

Brianne welcomed Every. Single. Student. By. Name. Simple? Yes, and worth it. Each kid knew she knew they were there. Cameras were on, smiles were rampant, and it took all of one minute.

2. She created a Classkick

Distance learning requires a lot of up-front planning, and so does Classkick, but this tool is worth it. If Jamboard and Nearpod had a baby, this tool would be it, and I dare say this child is destined to do great things.

3. She piqued student interest

Have you ever made a music video parodying one of the hottest songs from 2020? Me either, but Brianne and Melissa Bloch have. It’s fun, it’s packed with information, and it’s well-executed. If you’re not ready for that kind of trust-fall, you could look to incorporate student interest in other ways that don’t include vocal performances, but bonus points if you do!

4. She used Zoom breakout rooms for collaboration

Once students listened to directions, Brianne opened up 25 breakout rooms on Zoom and let students choose to work in rooms together. Kids appreciated that they could collaborate and have some normal-ish conversations while working on their coursework.

5. She gave immediate feedback

One of the best features of Classkick is that Brianne is able to jump into each student's work, as if virtually “walking around the room.” At a glance she can see how far they are, if they are stuck, or if they need intervention AS THEY WORK. Brianne, an avid Bitmoji user, even created her own virtual stickers to place on students’ work.

As I turned to leave Brianne’s classroom, I spotted an Abraham Lincoln quote she had on her wall: “I'm a success today because I had a friend who believed in me, and I didn't have the heart to let him down.” And there it is - relationships lead to engagement, and ultimately, success.