What is component 3c? Component 3c focuses on student engagement in learning which is the main focal point of the framework for teaching. When students are engaged they are actively learning and understanding challenging content. Students should be engaged in discussing, debating, answer “what if?” questions, discovering patterns, etc. They select their work from various teacher-arranged choices and make contributions to the class. These activities are not the main points in class nor do they consume the entire lesson, but they are essential in engagement. An engaging lesson has a distinct structure:
A beginning, middle, and end, with scaffolding provided by the teacher or by the activities.
The teacher organizes tasks to provide cognitive challenges and then encourages students to reflect on what they have done and what they have learned. The lesson has closure: students learn from their own actions.
A question for an observer in determining the degree of student engagement is “What are the students being asked to do?” If the answer to this question is that they are filling in blanks on a worksheet or performing a memorization procedure, they are unlikely to be cognitively engaged.
In observing a lesson, it is essential not only to watch the teacher but also to pay close attention to the students and what they are doing. The best evidence for student engagement is what students are saying and doing as a consequence of what the teacher does, or has done, or has planned.
Why is it needed? Students need to be engaged in learning to get the best outcome for the next grade level and basic life choices. A teacher who is engaging their students and asking important questions and then having students reflect on what they have learned is a teacher of impact. One distinction between a classroom where students are just “busy” and one in which students are engaged is that students are developing their understanding and learning through what they do. This component ties back to the theorist Vygotsky and he said to use scaffolding to aid students in learning.
What are the elements of 3c? Activities and assignments. The activities and assignments are the centerpiece of student engagement, since they determine what it is that students are asked to do. Activities and assignments should promote learning are aligned with the goals of the lesson. Activities and assignments should be purposeful and require student thinking and may allow students to exercise some choice. This could be used through worksheet or using technology tools. Grouping of students. How students are grouped for instruction is one of the many decisions teachers make every day. There are many options for grouping:
Students of similar background
Similar skill may be clustered together
More advanced students may be spread around into the different groups
Students to select their own groups
Formed randomly
Instructional materials and resources. The instructional materials a teacher selects to use in the classroom can have an impact on students’ experience. Although some teachers are obliged to use a school or district’s officially sanctioned materials, many teachers use these selectively or will supplement them with others of their choosing that are better suited to engaging students in deep learning. Structure and pacing. Keeping things moving, within a well-defined structure is ideal. Much of students’ learning results from their reflection on what they have done, a well-designed lesson includes time for reflection and closure.
How can it be implemented in the classroom? Teachers make the activities and assessments align with the goals of the lessons. Keeping the students excited and interested in the learning. Create the classroom environment align with the lessons to keep the students engaged and excited to learn. For example, in a preschool room learning about trees, have a “Chicka chicka boom boom tree”, make your own tree out of cardboard boxes, transform the classroom into a forest. Teachers can create activities based on the themes in the classroom. Students should be challenged and engaged in high-level thinking. Keep students motivated even when tasks are challenging. Keep the pace in the classroom suitable for the lesson, do not drag or rush the lessons. Using twitter and make a hashtag. Make a Google Form to get student feedback. Grouping students together with a purpose. Have students pick a partner and them group partners together.
Sources: 25 Chicka Chicka Boom Boom Activity Ideas for Kids | From ABCs to ACTs. (2016). From ABCs to ACTs. Retrieved 26 October 2017, from http://fromabcstoacts.com/chicka-chicka-boom-boom-activities The Framework for Teaching Evaluation Instrument. (2017). Static.pdesas.org. Retrieved 26 October 2017, from http://static.pdesas.org/content/documents/danielson_rubric_53.pdf Students. (2017). Eschoolnews.com. Retrieved 26 October 2017, from http://www.eschoolnews.com/files/2015/09/shutterstock_134658011.jpg