The Importance of Increasing Student Engagement in the Classroom

Application 4: Engaging Instruction

Engaging Instruction

Engaging students in the classroom can be a difficult task. Understanding the process of how students learn can help a teacher adapt the lesson to meet the needs of all students. I will encounter students that are not intrinsically motivated so I will need to find different ways to motivate each and every student. Understanding how my students learn can provide me with insights as to how to help each student learn which will minimize classroom management problems.

It is important for my students to understand and value learning goals in the classroom. At the start of every chapter students will be supplied an outline of what they are going to encounter in the upcoming weeks. The outline will be broken down where the students can see their daily objectives, state standards, activity, and assessment. By providing an outline to the students “This not only provides students with an opportunity to examine and discuss the learning goals but also helps students to understand the learning process” (Jones & Jones, 2007, p. 250). Students need to be actively involved in the learning process both academically and personally. Students will be challenged to work cooperative with classmates and individually to complete a “variety of activities in attempt to stimulate interest and facilitate student growth” (Jones & Jones, p. 257).

Increasing student engagement in instruction and learning while minimizing disruptive behavior will be accomplished by having students create learning goals related to their own interests and choices. At the start of each semester I will review with the students what they are going to encounter during the semester and we will brainstorm as a class differ...

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...fferent effective instructional approaches. Taking time out of the class period to inform the students of the objectives of the lesson will prove to be beneficial in getting higher quality of work completed by the students with less resistance. Students are more likely to be engage in tasks that are enjoyable, important, and relevant (Laureate Education, Inc., 2008). My classroom will have a multitude of different learning styles and I will accommodate the different learning styles when I create my lessons.

References

Jones, V., & Jones, L. (2007). Comprehensive classroom management: creating communities of support and solving problems. Boston, MA: Pearson.

Laureate Education, Inc. (Producer). (2008). Understanding influences on the learning environment. [Motion picture]. Creating an effective classroom learning environment Baltimore: Author.