Chapter 8: "I Can’t Wait to Learn More”- Classrooms where Students Engagement Thrives
- Sometimes highly engaged classrooms can get loud and hectic – this is okay! (199).
- The relationships we build with out students matter – they allow us to know who our students are, what they need and how we can best support them (201). The more effort we put into the relationships, the more that returns in the form of student engagement (201).
teacher tools:
Acts of Service:
Schwartz, Kyle. I Wish My Teacher Knew: How One Question Can Change Everything For Our Kids. Da Capo Lifelong Books, 2016.
- This is where students address genuine needs within the community (202). This can be a great way to teach students, while helping others (203).
- For example, donating to the local woman’s shelter, adopting a family at Christmas time, etc (203).
- Make these projects optional and ungraded (212). They are also open to interpretation (212).
- For example, “We are learning about the planets. Create an interesting solar system project. There are no rules. Have fun!” Students can use whatever they have at home, or if they don’t have supplies, you could send home construction paper (213). The best part of this is that families help with the project – often parents are just as excited as the students (213).
- For example, “We are learning about the planets. Create an interesting solar system project. There are no rules. Have fun!” Students can use whatever they have at home, or if they don’t have supplies, you could send home construction paper (213). The best part of this is that families help with the project – often parents are just as excited as the students (213).
- This is also good because it gives students complete freedom to investigate a topic (213).
- “As teachers, sometimes all we need to do to engage our students is to provide the opportunity (213).”
Schwartz, Kyle. I Wish My Teacher Knew: How One Question Can Change Everything For Our Kids. Da Capo Lifelong Books, 2016.