This week the author introduced the seven engagement factors. Which of these seven factors have you recognized in your classroom or school? What strategies have you used to address them? Are there any you feel are impossible to overcome?
(Next week: Read Chapter 2- The Rules of Engagement)
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Thanks to those who have already replied to Week 1. Your experiences have been heartbreaking yet inspiring to continue to make a difference in our students' lives. Looking forward to the more discussion as we push forward.
I really enjoyed this chapter! I highlighted so much.
ReplyDelete1. Health and Nutrition: this makes me so proud that our school does the fresh fruits and veggie program. I see this as being an issue in my class, kids are always coming with no breakfast. I wish we could change the FFV to am. I have even talked to my own daughters about their breakfast choices.
2. Vocab-we started working hard on that this year with academic vocab. I see such a deficit of our students not having experiences to include in a rich vocab. I wish we could have more in town field trips to build more!!!
6. Relationships- "In poor homes, the ratio of positives to negatives is 1-2 contrast to 6-1 positives in higher income homes". We need to make sure we model positives with our kiddos rather than focus on bad behavior. Our PBIS tokens helped with this. I also try to give more positive DoJos.
7. Stress Level- again our kids don't come with the same experiences we have. Our babies have to deal with "evictions, utility disconnections, overcrowding, or lack of stove or refrigerator..." These are items kids shouldn't have to deal with. They crave stability when they enter BAE doors!
#6-HUGE! I thought that statistic was so so important to know and then do something about at school!!
DeleteI love the fruit and vegetable for the kids as well. They look forward to it daily. Not only does it supply a small snack, but it's also educational because many of these items are not common to our daily diets.
DeleteI agree with #6 being a huge factor! I forget sometimes that their home life isn't like mine was, since I also grew up in poverty. However, my mother knew the value of reading to me, and giving me positive encouragement to do whatever I wanted to in life. My father showed me the value of perseverance, and somehow paid for my college education.
DeleteThe PBIS initiative has helped us focus on the positive behavior we see, and do what we can to encourage it.
I too agree with trying to maintain being as positive as possible, but this is an area with which I struggle. I have my students for such a short amount of time once a week. I want to get the lesson taught because I know time is of such essence. I try to be positive and catch students being good, but sometimes a student comes in with an "attitude" and will do something i can't ignore for the sake of the rest of the class. The next time i will try and make sure I give that student some extra attention. I always appreciate the other classroom teachers and their help in this area.
DeleteYou know BAE didn't get approved for F&V Program this year?:( This is going to be a huge disappointment to so many students at our school! I saw huge benefits of this program!!
ReplyDeleteOh no, that is horrible! They are going to be crushed as well as hungry. They ate every bit of what ever was provided and in some cases, I am sure the only fruit or veggie besides lunch they would receive.
DeleteI'm glad you broke it to her Maryann, I forgot to! I hate it for them, too.
DeleteYes, very sad! :(
DeleteThere wasn't a single factor that Eric outlined that did not resonate. I don't know that I can rank one over another but I know that every one of them, at any given time, are playing a role in my classroom. I feel like I can have the most direct influence on building relationships which correlates to effort and energy as well as working to build a growth instead of a fixed mindset! Definitely no quick, easy fixes for any of the factors but, I am anxious to continue reading to learn more strategies to impact these factors positively for my students.
ReplyDeleteMe too! Every single factor was so important in my mind as well. But, I agree with your top two as well...those relationships are CRITICAL!
DeleteI agree! And, both the Model Schools Conference sessions and the Eric Jensen book emphasize the building of relationships. The relationship you have with a student gets you through the hard patches!
DeleteCount me in too! I have run into students years after I had them telling me something I did or said made a difference to them. Many times I don't even remember having said or done it. It also makes me very cognizant that negative experiences probably have similar power. My prayer every time I walk into that classroom is to let me be an example for love, concern and caring..
DeleteYou're always so positive and optimistic! I love your outlook! :)
ReplyDeleteLike Elizabeth, all of these factors play a role in any classroom for the wide range of learners we have. #2 vocabulary stuck out to me because I don't think I always think of that in my teachings. I need to be more mindful in making sure students understand what is being asked of them or taught to them rather then assuming we are all on the same page. #3 effort and energy also touched me because it is easy sometimes to make assumptions of our students and parents. #4 is another really important point. If we don't believe in them and have high expectations, why would they? Meet them where they are at and make attainable goals to celebrate. A lot of this goes back to teacher perception and attitude. I enjoy learning more about this topic because I do want to reach all of my students, not just my top learners. I did and do need to gain a deeper understanding of where they are coming from so this is very helpful.
ReplyDeleteVocabulary was a good Factor read:) I'd like to do more with that myself!! I completely agree that if students don't understand the text or what the teacher is stating in the vocabulary they will fall behind, and they will get very frustrated which will lead to behavior and other classroom issues!!
DeleteI also really was interested by the vocabulary factor. This statistic resonated with me: "Toddlers from middle- and upper-income families actually used more words in talking to their parents than low-SES mothers used in talking to their own children." This quote stopped me in my tracks. Vocabulary is so important, and this just shows that there is such a divide between our students and those who come from higher or middle income homes!
DeleteI also really was interested by the vocabulary factor. This statistic resonated with me: "Toddlers from middle- and upper-income families actually used more words in talking to their parents than low-SES mothers used in talking to their own children." This quote stopped me in my tracks. Vocabulary is so important, and this just shows that there is such a divide between our students and those who come from higher or middle income homes!
DeleteOne of my philosophy is that no child will go hungry in our schools even if the child don't have any fund to pay for breakfast or lunch meal. I believe in all seven engagement factors that must begin with the building level administrator then trickle down to all staff. Building level administrator should have an outstanding attitude and build great relationships/respect with his/her students and staff which would lead to his staff buying into his instructional strategies for all.
ReplyDeleteI agree that no child should be hungry. I would like to see a grab and go breakfast program. If students are tardy they still would get breakfast. All those students who are on free breakfast program could pick up a breakfast and use it for snack if they have already eaten.
DeleteI have a lot highlighted in this book so far...what a great read!
ReplyDeleteI think the factor that hit me was the Effort and Energy section...if a child is not putting forth effort, they are telling you that your teaching is not engaging. OUCH! But, honestly, I think there is so much truth to it! We have to find a way...as hard as that might be...to reach that uninterested child. We have to engage. And more often than not, I do believe we can make that happen!
I also find Relationships to be essential! We have to make each of our students know that they are cared for and that we truly value and respect them. It is not always easy...but it is something that will greatly impact their learning, and our teaching.
Love the last line in the chapter...YOU CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE!
I believe this whole heartedly! Do you?
Lyndsi, I love that you ended your post with a challenge! If I'm being honest with myself, some days I forget that I can make a difference. It's so easy to get burnt out when you aren't seeing results or you're having a hard time. In the end, an educator makes all the difference in the world. I heard a quote once I really liked- "Teaching is the one profession that creates all other professions." It really is so true! In order to learn to do something, you have to be taught. We can't ever forget how important our jobs are as educators.
DeleteLyndsi, I love that you ended your post with a challenge! If I'm being honest with myself, some days I forget that I can make a difference. It's so easy to get burnt out when you aren't seeing results or you're having a hard time. In the end, an educator makes all the difference in the world. I heard a quote once I really liked- "Teaching is the one profession that creates all other professions." It really is so true! In order to learn to do something, you have to be taught. We can't ever forget how important our jobs are as educators.
DeleteAll the factors resonated with me as I teach also. I think the one factor that is essential is relationships. I believe making connections with my students and trying to understand them helps me to relate to them. It also allows them to know me and hopefully allow them to know they can rely on me to be there for them. Flexibility is the key. There is not any one method or time frame that works with all students.
ReplyDeleteFor me we need to continue to address student hunger. A student who is hungry is struggling to just get by. I have written grants with Hether Darnell to influence students to eat breakfast and make healthy choices.
I enjoyed this chapter as well. A lot of surprising statistics! While I have seen some form of all these factors in my classroom and believe they are all important, I agree that relationships are essential. I believe they are the foundation for all of the work we do with kids and influence all of the other factors. Another one at the top of my list is health and nutrition, which I am passionate about. It breaks my heart to see inside the lunch boxes of some of my kiddos and to know that they may have come to school hungry or may have little to no food over the weekend. I am happy that Boulevard participates in the Buddy Bag program to help with that. I wish we were able to take part in the fruit and vegetable program.
ReplyDeleteThe fruit and vegetable program sounds awesome! I hate to see so much overly processed foods in their lunchboxes. Last year during a lunch club in my classroom, one of my students had brought only 3 things for lunch: twizzlers, potato chips, and a ding dong. I think having a fruit and vegetable garden would be awesome to have.
DeleteHow awesome would it be for them to eat the food they have grown with their own hands?! Would love to see that instead of Pop Tarts :(
DeleteHeather, we have an awesome teacher in 4th grade that does a growing program. Her students would come in early to harvest what they made and I am sure it exposed them to new foods!!
DeleteI have addressed all seven factors of engagement. But the Effort and Energy factor #3 leaps out to me for a comment. At various times, depending on their personal stress levels, hunger factor, and level of difficulty of material, effort waned. At these moments, we might take a break to stretch and get the blood flowing, or I might break out the candy, stickers, or hand stamps. If I noticed that a math lesson, for example, was not understood, I might present the material in a different way, or use peer tutoring to help the kids understand better. Teaching requires Improvisational Theater!
ReplyDelete"Improvisational Theater"-I love that! How true!
DeleteI love the “take a break to stretch and get the blood flowing.” We use gonoodle.com and my kids love it. Just a quick brain break and they are more focused!
DeleteI have little foam balls that i throw at them at the beginning of an assessment and let them roll them around or squish them or what ever with them and then after the assessment they get to "shoot" them back in the basket. They love it!
DeleteThe seven Engagement Factors: Here are my thoughts. Health and Nutrition- I really dislike that Bon Air isn't going to have the Fruit and Veg. Program this year, because our students really looked forward to each day!! Effort and Energy- "Effort matters a great deal in learning". I totally agree, but I personally don't think I have to get a kid to like and respect me to try harder. That's one area I struggle with, because there is a few who think that! Nor do I believe a student who is not putting in effort is telling you your teaching is not engaging. What I've seen in my classroom is described more Factor 7: Stress Level!! I can't wait to read later in the book about giving the students more control, because that's going to be hard for me....although I know I need to!!!! This is where our behaviors arise from. I might skip ahead now:)
ReplyDeleteI have really enjoyed this chapter! I think health and nutrition are so important. In fact, during the standardized testing days, I provide (and if I'm lucky parent volunteers provide) healthy snacks for the students to each morning. I wish I could do this all year! I was reminded of the South Heights session from the Model Schools Conference with this quote from the Effort and Energy section: "Who you are and how you teach both have a huge influence on whether low-SES students will both to engage." South Heights staff reminded us that you have to SELL what you're teaching. You can't say "OK, well we have to learn this..." You need to say "You are going to LOVE this boys and girls!" It is also crucial to build relationships with students.
ReplyDeleteIsn't there a quote out there that says, "Teaching is 1/4 knowledge and 3/4 pure theatre." I love it and its totally true. We have to sell what we're teaching. If I'm bored or over it so will my students. South Heights taught me so much about energy and effort. I would love to be a student at South Heights. I hope I can apply that in my classroom.
DeleteWhile reading this chapter I found myself relating most to the section on relationships. It connected back to what I was thinking after reading the preface and introduction. Many students do not have a constant positive role model in their home life. They are living with lots of different people and seeing their parents only occasionally if at all. I know that I have worked very hard on building relationships with my students and trying to make the majority of our interactions positive on a daily basis. I absolutely loved the last part of this chapter and I think it would make a great daily reminder to me. I will probably have to include this as a quote in my planner so that I can be reminded of it often.
ReplyDelete"It's not easy: this process requires you to upgrade your repertoire, roll up your sleeves, get a fiercely positive attitude, and charge ahead into your job. But you can make a difference."
Love the phrase "fiercely positive attitude". Great idea to incorporate it into a daily reminder.
DeleteYes! That is my favorite part too :)
DeleteThat was a great quote. I loved the last line, “But you can make a difference.” I think that says it all. We as teachers have many choices in our classroom and those choices we make determine if we make a difference.
DeleteI love the adverb "fiercely" as I do think it sums up the approach we must always try to attain.
DeleteI have seen and tried to address all seven factors in my classroom. But I always feel there is so much more I could be doing, especially when I start reading books like this one:) Reading about those seven was like reading about every problem our school is facing. Oral language is such a big issue in primary grades that factor 2, vocabulary stood out to me. To address factor 2 I would pull out two words from a picture book we were reading and make a poster that had a picture of the book and then a picture of what each of those words meant. That way students could associate the vocabulary word with the book to help them remember the meaning. Then that week I would give incentives if the students could use the word in a sentence. Factor 6, relationships, is something I really have tried to address in my classroom. I liked the quote, “Many simply do not know how to behave.” I was raised in a family where we talked everything out. Explaining why we were doing something or why we couldn’t do something. So, I have really tried to bring that into my classroom. I try to get to the root of the problem or issue a student is having. And then we go through steps of how to get passed that problem or issue and what we can do in the future if it should happen again. I feel factor 1, health and nutrition, is a very hard one to overcome as the classroom teacher. Knowing how important a nutritious breakfast is I cannot afford as the teacher to feed my students every day. And I really feel like our school provided breakfast does not meet high nutritious standards.
ReplyDeleteI agree with everybody else on the fact that this chapter gave us a lot of information and I could talk about each one but I think #6 Relationships really stuck with me. It states, "All children need reliable, positive adults in their lives." Can I post this up on my classroom door or out in the hall by the office? I'm kidding, well almost kidding. It is just so frustrating to me sometimes when parents (not all) just can't handle the load it takes to be a parent. The effect that hard relationships is having on students is heartbreaking to me.
ReplyDelete"Poor emotional regulation among prekindergarten children predicts academic difficulties in first grade."
"The probability of dropout and school failure increases......"
"Many poor children do not have the repertoire of necessary social-emotional responses for school."
I mean the list just keeps going. So I guess I'm hoping that for at least a few hours out of their day, when they come to school, they can be engaged and learn while in my classroom.
I agree Tina and I am often astonished of the resilience some children have to keep going and remain so positive in light of all of their hardships. Many children will succeed and we truly don't know where our influence may in some small way make a difference in his or her quality of life. Someone once said in talking about a former teacher, " I really don't remember much about what they taught me, but I remember clearly how they made me feel."
DeleteMy absolute favorite factor to read about in this section was the relationships. It's very eye opening to read about the relational issues in our kids lives. My upbringing was worlds different than my students. I had a stable home, and many (most) of my students do not. The text says that unstable relationships early on causes the child's developing brain to become insecure and stressed. These kind of emotions are horrible for a young child to experience. I think the way I address this in my classroom is by showing students that I care about them as a role model. My favorite quote from this section said "Instead of disciplining students for poor emotional responses, teach them how to respond in ways that will help keep them out of trouble." I think it's easy for us to be upset at our students, when really they may not know better. This something I have worked on, and will continue to do so. Teaching kiddos more than just content, but life skills and positive emotional regulation will help them later in life.
ReplyDeleteMy absolute favorite factor to read about in this section was the relationships. It's very eye opening to read about the relational issues in our kids lives. My upbringing was worlds different than my students. I had a stable home, and many (most) of my students do not. The text says that unstable relationships early on causes the child's developing brain to become insecure and stressed. These kind of emotions are horrible for a young child to experience. I think the way I address this in my classroom is by showing students that I care about them as a role model. My favorite quote from this section said "Instead of disciplining students for poor emotional responses, teach them how to respond in ways that will help keep them out of trouble." I think it's easy for us to be upset at our students, when really they may not know better. This something I have worked on, and will continue to do so. Teaching kiddos more than just content, but life skills and positive emotional regulation will help them later in life.
ReplyDeletetest 1051
ReplyDeleteAwe, I start to get sarcastic as I have had the worst time trying to log onto this book study and as fate would have it, my sarcasm gets published. I am an art teacher and have taught all grades. I am currently teaching K- 5 art at both
ReplyDeleteBoulevard and Wallace. I have had so many students who have such heart breaking stories. I did get to know my students the best when I taught high school. I am often surprised sometimes that students are able to stay in school due to the many battles and dramas that are going on at home. I think many times (because that is what they know and is comfortable to them) they try and draw us into it. We have to remain cool, calm, and collected. this is often easier said than done.