ENGAGING TEACHERS IN THE LEARNING PROCESSBack to School – August, 2012

Sue Van Hoozer

ENGAGING TEACHERS = ENGAGED

STUDENTS

DID YOU KNOW? THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A STRONG TEACHER AND A WEAK TEACHER LASTS A LIFETIME.

Having a good 4th grade teacher: makes a student 1.25 percent more likely to go

to college, makes a student 1.25 percent less likely to get

pregnant as a teenager, increases annual earnings by $25,000 as an

adult, and this is the effect of only one strong teacher!

Conversely, a poor teacher has the same effect as a pupil missing 40 percent of the school year.

Study conducted at Harvard & Columbia Universities

REFLECTIONWhat do I do to engage students in learning?

What do I do that causes students to

disengage?

“ONE GOOD TEACHER IN A LIFETIME MAY SOMETIMES CHANGE A

DELINQUENT INTO A SOLID CITIZEN.”

Philip Wylie - American author

IN THE AVERAGE CLASSROOM, WHO TYPICALLY DISENGAGES FIRST – TEACHER OR STUDENT?

Question??

WHAT DOES TEACHER DISENGAGEMENT LOOK LIKE IN THE CLASSROOM?

Absence of teacher in hall or doorway before or after school; during passing periods

At desk On cell phone – talking, texting… At computer during class time (excluding

taking attendance) Little or no planning evident Utilizing last 10-15 minutes of each class

period for homework or other class work Student misbehavior – sleeping, acting out,

failure to turn in work Other?

IS TEACHER ENGAGEMENT AN EXPECTATION IN THE CLASSROOM?

Domain I: Active, Successful Participation in the Learning Process 1. Students are actively engaged in the

learning process.2. Students are successful in learning.

Domain II: Learner-Centered Instruction4. Instructional strategies include motivational techniques to successfully and actively engage students in the learning process.

Domain V: Professional Communication6. The teacher’s interactions are supportive, courteous, and respectful with students, parents, staff, community members, and other professionals.

Domain VII: Compliance with Policies, Operating Procedures and Requirements3. Apart from classroom responsibilities, the teacher generally contributes to making the whole school safe and orderly, and a

stimulating learning environment for all students.

REFLECTIONWho was my most engaging teacher?

Who is the most engaging teacher I

know now?

A MASTER CAN TELL YOU WHAT HE EXPECTS OF YOU.

A TEACHER, THOUGH, AWAKENS YOUR OWN EXPECTATIONS.

Patricia Neal – Oscar winning actress

HOW DO I BECOME A MORE ENGAGING TEACHER? OR HOW DO I HELP MY TEACHERS BECOME MORE ENGAGING?

Question??

DO I:

Believe that intelligence is not static and all students can learn and all teachers improve?

Have high expectations for myself (and/or my teachers) for continually improving and delivering quality teaching and learning?

Demand that I (and/or my teachers) think logically, analyze and compare, and question and evaluate our teaching practices?

Utilize research-based instructional practices in my classroom or my school?

Contribute to a positive learning community in the classroom and for the campus as a whole?

ENGAGING TEACHERS: THE RESEARCH – WHAT WE KNOW

NATIONAL COUNCIL FOR SOCIAL STUDIES

Change the environment of the classroom

Use culturally relevant instruction

Use a variety of lesson formats

Use a range of materials in every lesson

NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF SECONDARY SCHOOL PRINCIPALS – LEADING SCHOOLS

Communicate explicitly and with clarity

Engage students in learning

Question, probe, and facilitate discussion

Provide feedback to students

Use a variety of grouping structures

ASSOCIATION FOR SUPERVISION & CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT

The teacher as a person

Classroom management & organization

Planning and organizing for instruction

Implementing instruction

Monitoring student progress & potential

Professionalism

“BOREDOM EQUALS MISBEHAVIOR”MICHAEL LINSIN, EDUCATOR & AUTHOR

Engage and keep student attention through:

Adventure

Laughter

Challenge

Fascination

Teaching to the heart

REFLECTIONBased on research, how

engaging am I?

What will I do to be a more engaging

teacher?

??

“THERE ARE THREE THINGS TO KNOW WHEN TEACHING: KNOW

YOUR STUFF; KNOW WHOM YOU ARE STUFFING; AND THEN STUFF THEM

ELEGANTLY.”

Lola May – former math educator

ENGAGING TEACHERS = ENGAGED

STUDENTS