Increasing Student Engagement Originally from educational Consultant Gale Elkins I’d like everyone to take a minute and think about student engagement. What does that mean? What does student engagement look like?

Learning Targets Today I will learn: To differentiate between “Mandated” and “Discretionary” prompts. How to utilize both Covert and Overt Mandates that increase student engagement, active participation, and cognitive processing of the learning. How to look for natural breaks in the lesson and incorporate mandated processing activities designed to allow students to process the content and concrete it to memory.

Anyone?

Appointment Clock Please get up, move around the room, and set all appointments for today. You have 1 minute to get this done and get back to your seat.

12 9 3 6 Appointment Clock 12:00 apt. ____________ 9:00 apt. Please draw this clock on your paper. You have 30 seconds to make two appointments. Find two people who will work with you and then write down their names as your 12 apt and 6 apt. During our time together I will ask you to find your appointment and share information with him/her. Go (30 seconds) Back to your seats 6 6:00 apt. _____________

What is the difference between A and B? A: Everyone show me a T of F on the following… B: Who can tell us if… A: Discuss with your partner… B: Can I have a volunteer… A: In your journal jot down… B: Can anyone tell me…anyone? “I’d like you stop and think to yourself, which set of directions engages kids more? Set A or Set B?” Why? Write down your answer on the back of your clock paper. “What are the differences between Set A Directions compared to Set B directions?” Write down your answer on the back of your clock paper.

12 3 9 6 Which set of directions engages kids more? Why? Discuss with your 12:00 appointment

What is the difference between A and B? A: Everyone show me a T of F on the following… B: Who can tell us if… A: Discuss with your partner… B: Can I have a volunteer… A: In your journal jot down… B: Can anyone tell me…anyone? “I’d like you stop and think to yourself, which set of directions engages kids more? Set A or Set B?” Why? Write down your answer on the back of your clock paper. “What are the differences between Set A Directions compared to Set B directions?” Write down your answer on the back of your clock paper.

12 9 3 6 What is the difference between set A and set B? Discuss with your 3:00 appointment 6

Student Engagement Optional, a choice Set A Directions—Mandates Set B Directions—Discretionary Mandatory, required, not optional. 3 Critical points All Students Simultaneously Processing (Doing or manifesting) the learning. Optional, a choice Volunteerism in learning Sometimes you do want to hear from just one kid, but it should be intentional and not let others off the hook. **Can be threatening and or damaging to at-risk kids.

Mandate Without talking or looking at your notes….Think to yourself for 30 seconds…What are the 3 critical attributes of a MANDATE? Everyone—Write them down on your white board. Share what’s on your white board with your 6:00 appt. Check each other to make sure you both have the 3 critical attributes. Now working with your partner… Sort the tickets in the envelope into two piles of Mandated vs Discretionary statements. Hint: check the 3 critical attributes

When to use “Mandates.” Used to allow students to process “chunks” of new material being presented. Ever heard of “Chunk, Chew, and Spew?” Also effective as a review strategy.

Brain Research about learning Long-term Memory Short-term Memory Processing time and activity Adults=10 minutes of new input 9-12th grade= 7-9 minutes 6-8th grade=??? Less After that it’s gone and replaced with new data. Learning Ten best teaching practices: How brain research, learning styles, and standards define teaching competencies DW Tileston - 2005 - books.google.com

Mandate Examples Think for 30 seconds to yourself about how this brain research information relates to the need to break up lessons into manageable “Chunks.” Now get together with your 9:00 appointment and discuss your thoughts. Now do a 90 Second power-write about how this information is critical to teaching and learning? Be ready to share.

2 Types of Mandates Covert Mandate Overt Mandate Creates a mental manifestation. Gives private think or rehearsal time. **Effective to use before an overt mandate or paired with discretionary. Creates a physical and visible manifestation of the learning. Total Physical Response=Signal Verbal Pair share/Choral Response Written

Benefits of Covert Mandates Think time and the effect on Student Responses: More correct answers—Increases students’ accuracy (mental rehearsal). Increases sense of security if students can think about it before hand. Longer more well developed answers—have time to really create a complete answer. More sophisticated vocabulary—time to prepare. THINK TIME is critical to all students process and mentally rehearse before answering or more importantly hearing some else’s answer first.

Think Time THINK TIME is critical in order for all students process and mentally rehearse before answering or more importantly hearing someone else’s answer first.

How to use Covert Mandates Four examples: Give a covert direction that prepares them for a mandate. Give a covert direction that gets them to give a correct overt answer. Give a covert and then go to cold call or popsicle sticks. (Everyone thinks first and then cold call on students to answer.) Give a covert and then go to discretionary (Ask for volunteers to answer and ask other students to listen and see if he/she is correct or if anything is left out—“Raise your hands if you had the same answer…”).

Mandate example I want you to get together with one of your appointment clock partners. I will tell you who in a minute….Your task is to make a list of as many examples of Overt Mandates that you can think of in 2 minutes that you could apply to a recent or upcoming lesson. Get with your 12:00 appt. now. Be ready to share your list with the group.

Mandate example I am going to read a mandate out loud. When I read it write on your whiteboard a big C or O to tell me if the statement is a Covert or Overt Mandate. Show me when I say 1,2,3 show me. Be ready to defend your answer either way.

Discretionary Questions? Review: Mandates or Discretionary Questions? “Everyone take out your book and turn to page 97.” “Raise your hand when you have an answer.” “On the count of three, everyone tell me what the least common factor of 25.” Mandates: 1. All Students 2. Simultaneously 3. Processing the learning #1 All students are doing it, at the same time, but no learning is happening. #2 Asking all students, to do it at the same time, but do they really have an answer or are they raising their hands because everyone else is? #3 All students, at the same time, processing learning

More Review A) Discuss Covert vs Overt Mandates With a partner of your choice stand and do an A/B discussion: 1 person is the “A” the other the “B” A) Discuss Covert vs Overt Mandates B) Discuss why overt mandates can help students more quickly achieve a deeper understanding.

Take Away Exit Ticket On scratch paper please write about one take-away today related to the use of Mandates. This is something you now feel comfortable consistently implementing into your teaching toolbox. Feedback- What did you think of today’s presentation? What would have helped you learn this better?