Are you struggling to keep your students engaged in the classroom this year?
Are you struggling to keep your students engaged in the classroom this year?
How are you keeping your students excited during remote learning?
While watching television the other night, I noticed an insurance company’s advertisement that showed two young adults playing a video game. At the end, they indicated the game was boring and decided to move on to something else.
Is this the attitude your students are feeling about your lessons? Remember that excitement and interest are quick to fade. The next shiny object or thrill is “just around the corner”!
Here are some ideas for adding student engagement to your lessons:
Response cards. Is there a procedure in place to ask for help? Have students hold up card that indicates their thinking or understanding of concept (i.e. true/false, yes/no, need help/OK I got this, etc.). If one student has a concern or does not understand the directions, there are probably others.
Stimulation. Are you connecting the day’s lesson with something going on in your students’ lives? Plan interactive or real-world experiences into your lessons.
Involvement. Do you integrate ways for students to “physically” participate? Students cannot learn if they are not actively involved in the lesson. Remember: “He who is doing the work is the one who is learning.”
As we enter the final stretch of the school year, here is a list of my top websites for special education teachers. From information about special education law and accessible programming to online learning activities that you can share with your students, this mix of free and premium resources will help you better prepare for the last few weeks of the school year, whether it is in-person, virtual, or a hybrid of both.
Wrightslaw: for parents, educators, advocates, and attorneys to receive information about special education law and advocacy for children with disabilities.
easyCBM: a system to give teachers insight into which of their students may need additional instructional supports as well as to provide a means by which they can measure the effectiveness of their teaching.
Understood for All: programs for families, educators, and young adults that focus on empowering people who learn and think differently and those who support them, offering customized, accessible resources and a compassionate community.
Newsela: classroom-ready learning materials from the world’s most trusted providers
Teachers Pay Teachers: online marketplace for original educational resources.
Khan Academy: free lessons on math, art, computer programming, economics, physics, chemistry, biology, medicine, finance, history, and more for students in grades kindergarten through twelfth grade.
ReadWriteThink: the he highest quality practices in reading and language arts instruction for educators, parents, and after-school professionals.