We want students to dig in, become engaged in their education. So what do we need to do to foster that outcome?
1. Make activities meaningful to the students. All of us become more engaged in activities when we feel a personal connection, a tie to our lives or our experiences. Find the connections; allow students to share their previous knowledge. Then move on to brainstorming how the new activity relates to their lives.
2. Allow students to work together. Collaboration as the project begins or through the entire project will allow students to strategize, self-evaluate, and find ways to create a stronger outcome. It’s similar to when author is part of a critique group: the sharing of what is produced, opens the work to suggestions from others which often leads to a stronger outcome (for both the writer of the activity and ultimately for all participants).
3. Provide ample time to compete the activity. The Common Core suggests we change what we do and how we do it: Go deeper by focusing on fewer tasks. Dig in, take more time, find more details, and share your discovery.
Full engagement takes time but rewards the learner by developing his/her skills in finding the value in the task rather than rushing through to “get a grade” and move on to the next assignment, and the next, and the next.