Student engagement in the classroom is crucial for academic success, with engaged students being 2.5 times more likely to receive higher grades and 4.5 times more likely to feel hope for their futures. Yet, anywhere between 25% and 54% of students report not having engaging experiences in school. When students aren’t motivated to get engaged, they are much less likely to feel that their lessons are important for their futures. Even challenging lessons that are meant to promote engagement aren’t always implemented productively as 49% of students say that their lessons aren’t challenging them in a positive way.
So, what can be done to get students hooked on learning? Here are three creative strategies that classrooms are using to enhance their student engagement.
Giving Students Control
Giving students control of their own education is a great way to promote engagement. While premade lesson plans are necessary for structure, granting students options through choice boards allows students to feel like they have autonomy in the classroom rather than being pushed into lessons that aren’t particularly interesting for them.
One such English Language Arts program does just that with easily shareable choice boards provided by the North Carolina Department of Public Instruction. These boards were organized by grades and structured in a way that allowed students to complete the work in a method that best suited them. Although this method was implemented during lockdown measures that pushed schools into remote learning, this structure can still find success today.
When students choose the path, they want to take for their lessons, they can build confidence as they are engaging in activities that allow their strengths to shine through. At the same time, offering multiple options encourages them to explore new areas of interest, helping to expand their skills and abilities.
Learning STEM from Pets
Bringing pets into the classroom has worked great for SEL strategies, so why not include them in the lesson plan? That’s just what Pet Care Trust has decided to help schools try out.
Through their Pets in the Classroom and Dogs in the Classroom programs, Pet Care Trust helps students engage in hands-on learning as they watch learn to care for the animals. In doing so, they learn about animal behaviors and their environments. By taking care of the animals, students must perform calculations to track the costs of care for a growing animal.
Allowing students to manage animal care within a controlled environment can help accelerate student learning while encouraging accountability for how they manage the pets.
Dancing Meets Science
Art can sometimes be seen as the opposite of STEM, but it can actually complement it well in the classroom. One research study from 2022 observed the integration of arts into a STEAM curriculum, reporting how arts and movement were used as learning strategies.
Not only did arts integration help students retain new scientific vocabulary, but encouraging students to take part in dance exercises provided a deeper understanding of the lessons.
“In the corresponding dance lesson, students created a Biomass Pyramid Dance to demonstrate the relationship of the numbers of organisms at each level of the pyramid, representing how the energy is transferred up the pyramid and the consequence on an unbalanced pyramid.”
International Journal of STEM Education
This example highlights how blending art with science fosters a more engaging and memorable learning experience, making complex concepts accessible and enjoyable for students.
Unlocking Student Potential
Student engagement is the cornerstone of academic success, and implementing creative strategies can transform the learning experience. By embracing diverse approaches to teaching, educators can create dynamic classrooms where students feel motivated, inspired, and prepared for future success. The key is to keep innovating, meeting students where they are, and sparking their natural love for learning.
