One strategy I used a lot was filling in dead time. I used to have extra activities to do just in case the lessons ended earlier, having extra fun activities helps keep the students engaged and prevents chaos from starting. I also tried to make lessons more interactive instead of just talking the whole time, especially with younger students, because they lose focus quickly if they sit too long. I used games and activities like Scratch coding because younger kids got really excited when they could actually create something themselves. I also noticed that giving students small choices helped keep them engaged, like letting them pick colors, characters, or designs in projects.
15 things that kids aged 6 - 10 are currently excited about:
Sports
Playing in parks
Roblox
playing with slime
Cartoons
toy cars/ other toys
coloring books
Legos
YouTube Kids
Dance parties
Minecraft
card games
Video games
puzzle games
Pokemon and Beyblades
The teacher who keeps me most engaged is my AP English teacher. She starts class with a fun question or a circle question, which gets everyone talking before we start the lesson. It helps students wake up and actually want to participate instead of just sitting quietly. She also uses a point system across all her classes, and the class with the most points at the end of the week wins and gets prizes . That competition makes students pay attention more, participate, and stay on task because everyone wants their class to win. Another thing she does a lot is discussions and talking with the person sitting next to you. Instead of only lecturing the whole class, she gives us chances to share opinions and hear other people’s ideas, which keeps the class more interactive and less boring.