TL;DR:
- Student engagement goes beyond compliance and involves attention, curiosity, interest, optimism, and passion for learning.
- Authentic engagement requires establishing connections with students to create a safe and supportive learning environment.
- Strategies for fostering connection in the classroom include showing genuine interest in students, providing choice and voice, conducting morning meetings, being intentional in planning, incorporating real-life connections to content, and building meaningful relationships.
Connection Over Compliance
Engagement has been an education “buzzword” for about ten years. The Glossary of Education Reform states that student engagement “refers to the degree of attention, curiosity, interest, optimism, and passion that students show when they are learning or being taught, which extends to the level of motivation they have to learn and progress in their education.”
Often we confuse engagement with compliance. Students are paying attention, following directions, and participating. But do those behaviors truly mean that students are engaged? Consider the definition I shared earlier. Attention…check. But what about all of the other things this definition encompasses?
I would argue that, without connection, students will not be authentically engaged. Without connection, students will not feel safe. Without a feeling of safety, students will not expose their curiosities. Click To TweetI would argue that, without connection, students will not be authentically engaged. Without connection, students will not feel safe. Without a feeling of safety, students will not expose their curiosities. They will not be open to making mistakes, and they will not be motivated to stretch themselves to learn more.
Connection in the Classroom
How does one connect with students in the classroom? In a million different ways! Here are just a few.
Showing Interest in Students as People
Find time each day to talk individually to a couple of students about THEM (interests, family, etc.), not about the content or the work.
Student Choice
Allow students to make choices about the content, the products they produce, who they work with, etc.
Student Voice
Use student surveys to better understand your students, how they learn, and their interests. Give students the opportunity to make decisions, solve problems creatively, and guide their learning structure.
Morning Meetings
This is a wonderful way to develop a classroom community where students feel safe, seen, and cared about. This can vary from fun activities to talking about feelings and challenges and sharing with their peers.
Intentionality
Have a plan and purpose for everything you do. Know each student’s strengths and plan the learning environment, opportunities for students to interact, and assessment around those strengths.
Real-Life Connections to Content
Strive for high practical relevance. Use concrete examples so students can see how academic topics relate to them.
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Relationships!
More than ever, students need a human connection. We have so many opportunities to provide that for our students through instruction! Getting to know your students as people AND as learners will not just improve your instruction, but will also help to develop your students as humans.
About Robin Shrum
Dr. Robin Shrum is school administrator with a passion for learning and growing and doing what is best for kids. She has been in education for 28 years – as a teacher, teacher leader, assistant principal, and principal. She completed her Doctoral Degree in Administrative Leadership in 2022 and wrote her dissertation on new teacher retention. Her focus as an educator = People first! She believes that leadership is an action, not a title, and that there are opportunities for learning everywhere, every day! Robin has been a member of the VASCD Conference Committee for 9 years, and plays an integral part in the planning of one of Virginia’s best educational conferences.
