HOW DO I GRAB THEM? July 8, 2010 8:00 am to 11:00 am

Strategies for Classroom Engagement Middle School C-207

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David Montalvo

A. INTRODUCTIONS

Video: Magic

Quote: Edward Tufte Visual Explanations (Cheshire, CT: Graphics Press, 2005)

"Several of the classic texts of magic advocate two primary principles for successful illusion-making, suppressing context and preventing reflective analysis."

"These techniques of disinformation design, when reversed, reinforce strategies of presentation used by good teachers.

Analogy: A good healthcare experience

B. FRAMEWORKS

Story: Dave in high school

Research: Phil Schlechty: Types of Classroom Involvement

http://s3.amazonaws.com/www.schlechtycenter.org/tools/prod/4046/original/sc_pdf_engagement.pdf?1272415798

http://www.schlechtycenter.org/

Engagement

Strategic Compliance

Ritual Compliance

Retreatism

Rebellion

Group time: Think back to when you were a student

What was your level of involvement & in what classes? Why?


C. THE WELL-REGULATED CLASSROOM

The Video Dilemma

Story: When I first started teaching…

Suggestion: Attention span issues: Use video wisely

Short clips to grab attention

"Pause & Talk" method

Video Clip: Video questions & video answers

Telling Stories

Field trip: Our first educational system

Video: Ira Glass on storytelling

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n7KQ4vkiNUk

Story: My 7th grade science teacher & his son

Suggestion: Collect stories & use them purposefully

Suggestion: The larger story of what you teach

Using Questions

Quote: John Holt Learning All the Time (Perseus Books, Reading, MA: 1989), p. 127-128.

"Not only is it the case that uninvited teaching does not make learning, but --- and this was even harder to for me to learn --- for the most part such teaching prevents learning. Now that's a real shocker. Ninety-nine percent of the time, teaching that has not been asked for will not result in learning, but will impede learning."

Research: Grant Wiggins & Jay McTighe Understanding by Design (ASCD, Alexandria, VA: 1998), chp 1 & 2

Backwards Design

Using questions that lead to the Essential questions

Example: How do you win tug-of-war?

Video clip: Derek Collins

Diagnose Where They're At (Frequently)

Story: My first inkling that hearing and learning are not the same thing Research: Formative Assessment: no embarrassment, no grade consequences

Analogy: The very poor doctor

Example: The East Denver model: Red, Yellow, Green

http://j.mp/eastequity

Example: ABCD cards

Example: Whiteboards

http://www.dryerase.com/

Example: Online & free

http://spreadsheets.google.com/viewform?formkey=dDdsckh2U0N4bGRZdkY0Z2dxTnhKNVE6MA#gid=3

Choice

Suggestion: Incorporate as much as you can

Example: East Denver Model

Little Things Mean a Lot

Suggestion: Name memorization: do it early

Suggestion: Off-task behavior = opportunity to strike up a conversation

Research: Make an emotional connection (The Limbic System)

Suggestion: Voice

Suggestion: Firm, but caring

Suggestion: Your mood

Research: Carol Dweck

https://www.stanford.edu/dept/psychology/cgi-bin/drupalm/system/files/Suble%20linguistic%20cues%20impact%20children%27s%20motivation.pdf

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=7406521

http://www.nais.org/publications/ismagazinearticle.cfm?ItemNumber=150439

https://www.stanford.edu/dept/psychology/cgi-bin/drupalm/system/files/Implicit%20Theories%20of%20Intelligence%20Predict%20Achievement%20Across%20an%20Adolescent%20Transition.pdf

D. THE BIG PICTURE

Research: Phil Schlechty - Designing for Engagement

http://s3.amazonaws.com/www.schlechtycenter.org/tools/prod/4046/original/sc_pdf_engagement.pdf?1272415798

Examples:

States project

Accident design mystery

The case of George Moriarity

Students evaluate students

The Physopedia

The Great Gumball Gunkulator

Research review: Elizabeth R. Bowen

Review of engagement literature (Dangers of extrinsic rewards) http://s3.amazonaws.com/www.schlechtycenter.org/tools/prod/4048/original/bowen_pdf_litreview.pdf?1272417199

Inspiration: Sir Ken Robinson

Creativity in education

http://www.ted.com/talks/ken_robinson_says_schools_kill_creativity.html

Children as natural resources

http://www.ted.com/talks/sir_ken_robinson_bring_on_the_revolution.html

One last story: The case of Dan Keefauver and the Gunkulator