1. Technology is out there; use it!
Technology has changed incredibly in just the decade or so since I graduated high school, and students likely use it on a regular basis. Why, then, shouldn't we harness this fact and use it to help promote student engagement? There are a lot more ways to do this than I have space to describe here and much more eloquent and tech savvy people to suggest them. Some of these include utilizing electronic resources such as Kahoot, Schoology and the like to cut down on papers students have to organize and use. They can also enable activities which allow for group interaction and competitions, as well as formative assessment in the form of quizzes and surveys. One idea I've had lately was a Game Show format as a way to preview content. In this case it's Meso-American geography in the precontact era. In the game, students would get in groups and then have 30 seconds to discuss whether the image being shown in quiz represents a geographic area where people can or have lived. This could be adapted for all sorts of content, and like any technology it's fairly adaptable and potentially engaging if used appropriately.
2. Let them have choice!
A common complaint students have, especially at the secondary level, is that the content is boring because it's required. Something being required makes even the interesting seem more like work and less like anything you'd want to read about or do. It's just more work. Students are more likely to be engaged in class if they have some control over what and how they're learning. Howard Gardner illustrates that everyone learns differently through his Multiple Intelligences. Allowing students the ability to choose an assessment option while still meeting the standard being taught addresses both differentiation and granting some ownership over learning. Even if it's just in the form of learning centers, students having some choice in the matter could open the doors to engagement rather than just having more work to do.
3. Physical movement - learn to use it
I feel like this one gets overlooked when discussing ways to get students engaged in class. The teenage brain is changing chemically in quite drastic ways that can mess with their energy and motivation. It's not necessarily their fault if they seem zoned out in class - some times of day are just bad for them. One thing that can help students process information and re-engage with class is to incorporate some activity or just mental break where they can get up and move around. Getting the blood flowing again can help processing and also help them refocus. This obviously needs to be done within certain guidelines - you don't want students to be distracted by the movement to the point where re-engaging with content is impossible. However it could really help, maybe for bodily-kinesthetic learners.
Your point about physical movement is one that is often overlooked by teachers. Great point.
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