Differences in engagement rates were substantial
Differences in engagement rates were substantial. For example, 42% of students reported being attentive during low-challenge activities, whereas 73% report- ed paying attention during activities that were more challenging and required more skill (Emmer & Gerwels, 2006). Emmer and Gerwels cite other studies related to eliciting student interest. Mitchell (1993), studying secondary math classes, found that involvement in classroom materials was a strong predictor of student interest. Identifying two kinds of situational interest characteristics as “catch” and “hold” (elicitors and maintainers of interest), he found that group
T H E S K I L L F U L T E A C H E R 87
PART TWO | MANAGEMENT | TIME
work, computers, and puzzles were three types of “catchers,” and meaningful- ness and involvement served to “hold.” One of the best predictors of situational interest was involvement, measured by perceived enjoyment in the activity and “learning the material ourselves” and “doing something” versus listening to the teacher talk or “come in, take notes, go home, do homework and it’s the same thing every day” (Mitchell, 1993, p. 436).
Other studies soliciting teachers’ views (35 of 65 teachers were secondary lev- el) of how they engage students found the most common method reported by all teachers was the use of hands-on activities (Zahorik, 1996). At least a third of the teachers also mentioned three other strategies: (1) personal- izing the content (linking it to prior student knowledge or experiences), (2) building student trust (by using activities that permit students to share
Management • Attention moves, especially those in the alerting, enlisting, and winning categories (Chapter 5).
• Space arrangements that minimize distractions and facilitate learning objectives (Chapter 7).
Instruction • Clarity concepts: framing the big picture by communicating objectives, itinerary, reason for activities, and activating student knowledge to create context and establish rel- evance; choosing explanatory devices that engage auditory, visual, and kinesthetic learn- ing modalities; and making cognitive connections and checking understanding broadly and frequently to ensure students understand (Chapter 11).
• Principles of Learning: embedded in lesson design, including active participation, vivid- ness, meaning, feeling tone, degree of guidance, say-do, knowledge of results and feed- back, reinforcement, goal setting, and keeping students open and thinking (Chapter 13).
Motivation • Classroom Climate: addressing elements from all three strands—building community, creating an environment where it is safe to take intellectual risks, and cultivating personal efficacy (Chapter 16).
• Expectations: employing the critical attributes of communicating expectations regarding four kinds of standards and expectations and ensuring that all actions and interactions with students communicate three key messages: “This is important; you can do it; I won’t give up on you” (Chapter 14).
Curriculum • Lesson Objectives: setting objectives that are challenging but attainable for students (Chapter 18).
• Differentiated Instruction: learning experiences that are differentiated in input, process, and output to address differences in student readiness, interests, and learning styles (Chapter 20).
• Assessment: ongoing in a learning experience to get and keep students on track (Chapter 21).