Standing at the front of the classroom and telling a keen, smiling and focused group of students to stop working is actually one of the most effective strategies for student engagement that I know of. Surprise!
But first, for the purpose of this post, student engagement is when we as teachers see students interested, curious and motivated. Engaged students show through their actions, words or the work they produce that they are learning new things and they are focused when they are being taught.
As you can see there is a contradiction between my strategy to maintain student engagement in the first paragraph, and definition in the second paragraph.
Hence the title of my blog is ‘surprising’ strategies for student engagement.
But let’s start at the beginning.
Why is student engagement important?
Student engagement is important because engagement propels curiosity. Given the opportunity, engaged children will explore constantly. Strategies for student engagement are simply the propellant towards independent learning and engagement.
The greatest sign of success for a teacher… is to be able to say, ‘The children are now working as if I did not exist.’ Maria Montessori
I remember starting my journey in the classroom and being overwhelmed with the responsibility of finding something . . . anything . . . to keep them on task . . . all of the . . . at the same time . . . at different levels . . . all day long! Oh wow!!
But then I thought, “What if student engagement wasn’t teacher driven, but was, in actuality, student driven? What would I use as my strategies for student engagement?”
So . . . why is student engagement important?
Without strategies for student engagement, in my experience, there becomes a need for alternate strategies like constant rewards, consequences, extra time, extra homework, and notes to parents, which leads to everyone’s frustration and our disenchantment.
Engaged students are motivated, inspired, curious, and easier to manage because they are on task. They still need support, but they are a joy, and we teachers end the day with full hearts.
Preventing the Roadblock to Strategies for Student Engagement
I often lost sleep over the tension between the time I had, the curriculum, and age appropriate attention spans. How far do I need to get in this unit during this period?
In the beginning I too often forgot that my job was to teach children, and I would focus on teaching the curriculum instead. As I pushed them too much, I lost them.
I started practicing the constant and active monitoring of student engagement. I made some interesting observations. Sometimes they lost focus even during their favourite activities. Why was that?
When we have to drag students back to the lesson, then we know they are not engaged in the lessons. This can happen even with subjects, projects or lessons the students love.
My responsibility then is not to discipline the children for having a developmentally appropriate attention span, but, rather, to adjust my lesson.
No problem, pivoting isn’t that much work. 🥴
The Pressures of Pivoting To Support Student Engagement
I remember when my vice principal was observing me for my official evaluation. We were working on a challenging art project; Button Blankets.
This project had not gone as quickly as it had with another class the year before. We weren’t going to be able to finish it well in the time remaining that day.
As I looked around the classroom I could see their enthusiasm and dedication. However, this project involved some tricky tracing and cutting felt which was hard on fine motor skills. Their eyes looked keen, but their engagement could quickly be replaced with frustration as I tried to stretch them too far.
This happens, of course, but what was I going to do…. my vice principal was watching.
And taking notes!!!
What to do? Would he see that I had overplanned, or think that I was incompetent and had chosen a project that was too tough?
My job here was to remember the limits of my kiddos and avoid creating off-task behaviour.
Breathing deeply I assessed, and I looked at these beautiful faces that had listened so well and worked so hard.
I passed out the Art envelopes to our unfinished projects until the next Art class.
The Surprising Strategy for Student Engagement
My students were so grateful to go to Buddy Reading and have some reading/social time after that intense effort of mind and fine motor skills. They also knew I was proud of them for their hard work, which is a much better way to end a lesson than frustration from both sides.
I share this ‘surprising strategy’ as one of my strategies for student engagement because even when we implement all the strategies I will list below we still need to be aware of the kids in the equation. Even when we do everything right we need to be observant.
There was no real reason why it took longer for this group than for the group the prior year. At least no reason that was obvious to me.
In order for me to maintain student engagement I needed to look beyond the strategies for student engagement I had implemented and see the students I was teaching. Even the most effective strategies for student engagement can only take us so far with student engagement.
The shift to Buddy Reading was also super easy because I had established essential routines and procedures as a part of my classroom structure. I will share more about that down below.
As an aside, my vice principal, Mr. Z. made a point of telling me that he completely supported my decision, so my fears were to no purpose. He too could see how hard it was and how well they had done.
Staying focused on the students is always the right choice.
Strategies for student engagement in the classroom vary according to the situation. Certainly, I am looking for hands up, eyes focused, and on task behaviour, but that isn’t always enough.
How to Increase Student Engagement?
There are, of course, more typical strategies for student engagement that also have a powerful impact on your classroom management, time and energy.
My favourite evidence-based strategies include:
- Student ownership
- Roles and responsibilities
- Collaboration in curriculum development
- Academic rigour and development of a growth mindset
- Leadership engagement
Let’s break them down a bit.
1. The Role of Structures for Student Ownership in Engagement
Creating classroom expectations together is one structure that builds engagement.
This is done at the beginning of the school year, of course, however, there are many, many other opportunities to establish ownership and expectation..
There were many questions daily:
- Do you want to choose your own partners, or would you like to use partner cards?
- Would you like to run laps or do GoNoodle for an active game?
- Should we pull out the STEM kits or directed drawing for free time?
- Should the birthday person be at the front of the line or the Star of the Week?
- Would you like to stand on the carpet or sit?
- What should we do for the party?
- What would you like to decorate your bikes with for the rodeo?
Classroom expectations is just one example of how by giving students simple choices I raised their sense of ownership and authority in the classroom to support this strategy for student engagement. These structures create a safe space that allow students to engage their learning.
2. Provide Students with Roles and Responsibilities to Build Engagement
Providing students with real roles and responsibilities also supported their engagement. They had the right to speak into their learning and environment, but there were also responsibilities.
I implemented a chore chart.
The awareness of their responsibilities had a trickle-down effect on their work ethic, group work and community involvement. Their investment in the classroom contributed to their sense of interest and engagement with what we were doing in the classroom.
3. Using Collaboration Within the Curriculum to Build Engagement
Of course, kids need to be kids, and kids learn through play. Nothing gave me more joy than creating play opportunities both within and outside of the curriculum. And play can just be another word we use for collaboration.
- There are many creative ways to engage students within the curriculum.
- Math and spelling games.
- Reader’s Theater
- Collaborative science activities like building toys and racing them for Force and Motion
- Buddy Reading
- Content related items (seashells, plastic sea animals, and animal track moulds to play with during breaks.paw prints, animal models etc. )
- Content related murals
- Writing class books
By creating play based learning opportunities students are naturally engaged through their most natural channel for learning. This is such a simple strategy for student engagement.
4. Academic Rigour Creates Student Engagement and a Growth Mindset
Academic rigour also has its place in engagement, but it needs to be balanced. This means differentiation in the classroom is essential for student engagement.
Differentiation means students are being given the opportunity to work within their zone of proximal development (ZPD). Because students are working within the ZPD students, they develop a growth mindset which also leads to better student engagement because they know the rewards of effort and perseverance..
To develop a growth mindset requires teaching students they can accomplish what they set out to do.
When a student was uncertain they ‘could’ we looked at our growth mindset anchor charts and reiterated our classroom mantra:
“Did we do hard things?” I asked, “Yes!” they shouted.
“Did we give up?” “No!” they shouted.
“Are you proud of yourself?” “Yes!”
“Can you do hard things?” “Yes!”
And then I glowed with pride.
Differentiation coupled with strategies for developing and supporting a growth mindset remove potential roadblocks to student engagement.
5. Leadership Activities Are Engagement Activities
Leadership activities in the classroom are an essential for strategy for student engagement. Simple things like being in charge of taking a letter to the secretary can be a leadership opportunity. Even the quiet-spoken child can be successful when done right.
Servant-hearted leadership was the goal for our classroom. Leading the line appropriately is what everyone likes to think is leadership, but:
Reorganizing the math bucket is leadership.
Cleaning up when it is time rather than delaying is leadership.
Helping a friend who is stuck is leadership.
Modelling to visiting students how we care for our classroom is leadership.
Much of the groundwork for teaching leadership in the classroom is laid when establishing classroom expectations. And then, as we use positive reinforcement to affirm the students choice we are confirming they are being leaders.
For example:
‘Tina, I really appreciate your leadership by tidying up that math bucket without me having to remind you.’
‘Thank you Gareth for being my leader by getting started on cleaning up right away.’
And so on . . .
Leading in a servant-hearted manner requires engaging the culture and expectations of the classroom which strengthens students’ engagement overall.
What are Strategies for Student Engagement?
The ultimate goal of teachers is to create and maintain an environment where curiosity thrives and students are eager participants in their learning. Strategies for student engagement are about more than keeping them busy; it’s about empowering them to take ownership of their growth and development.
By employing creative strategies—like encouraging autonomy, offering opportunities for collaborations, and promoting leadership—we can inspire a classroom culture that values inquiry, effort, and resilience.
The path to engagement is as diverse as our students themselves. As you embrace these strategies for student engagement , remain open to experimentation, reflect on what works best for your unique group, and don’t shy away from innovation or pivoting.
By doing so, you contribute not only to the academic success of your students but also to their lifelong enthusiasm for learning.
Thank you for joining me on this exploration of strategies for student engagement. I look forward to hearing about the incredible transformations happening in your classrooms. Keep up the fantastic work, and happy teaching!
