Six Ways to Supercharge Student Engagement
Creating a high level of student engagement takes a lot of work. At the beginning of the school year it’s important to evaluate the methods we use to engage students. Here are six ways to develop high levels of student engagement that have worked really well for me.
1) Positive Reinforcement
Positive reinforcement is key to strong student engagement. The type of climate you have within your class directly relates to the amount that students are engaged. From the time students enter the door until they exit at the end of class there is not a more powerful tool than positively reinforcing students. Read my blog, Analyzing Teacher Feedback to help evaluate how much positive reinforcement students are receiving within your classroom.
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My Active Literacy Project
“In order for man to succeed in life, God provided him with two means, education and physical activity. Not separately, one for the soul and the other for the body, but for the two together. With these two means, man can attain perfection” – Plato
Last year our provincial leadership put in place an Education Sector Plan that set goals/targets for the year 2020. Within this sector plan the Hoshins were established. For those of you that do not know what a Hoshin is, simply put, it is a plan of action. Plan – Do – Act – Check. As our provincial leadership created goals and targets, each school division and school within the province set targets based on the Hoshins. The main Hoshins that we are focusing on in the next few years are; 1) increase First Nation & Metis graduation rates, and 2) implement a reading initiative at the grade 3 level. When I heard about the Hoshins and the Education Sector Plan at a staff meeting last Spring, I had a few thoughts running through my head, “What can I do, as a Physical Education teacher to support my students in these provincial goals”, and “How can I use Physical Education and Physical Activity to reach these goals?”. As a result, my research and plan of action began.
Teaching Students About Standards-Based Assessment Through Play
One of the hot topics being discussed in the physical education world right now is standards-based assessment (SBA) and instruction. SBA is a grading system that assesses what a student knows, understands, and can do in relation to each of the National Standards for K-12 Physical Education…or grade-level outcomes…or standards that your state or district or province has established. In a standards-based grading system, students’ grades are consistent, accurate, meaningful, and supportive of learning.
I use a SBA system to give grades meaning and give students real feedback on what they have learned. I want everyone (my students, their parents, and myself) to know where the students are successful and where they need to improve. A standards-based grade provides an accurate picture of student performance, while a traditional letter-grade system is too simple and does not tell us enough. Read More
PHYSEDAGOGY 