Blog #6: What strategies does the teacher use to actively engage the students? How effective are these?

In the classroom there are so many different learning styles and personalities.  As a teacher you have to try and keep the students engaged in what you are trying to teach them.  I think this can be a hard part of the job because of all the differences you have in your classroom with you student.  The teacher I worked with used a couple of different methods that I will talk about below; popsicle sticks and a review game.

I like the idea of using popsicle sticks with students name on it, it provides a chance for all students to participate.  I know growing up I wasn't someone that was excited to raise my hand to answer a questions even though most of the time I knew the answer.  I know this method can be a little stressful for some students who may not know the answer.  In observing this method when the student does get the answer wrong, if it is a close answer she will help prompt them to the correct answer, if the aren't even close she is really positive with the student and moves on to another.  When she does get the correct answer she goes directs her attention back to the student or students that may have missed it and explains why their answer was wrong to make sure they understand.  As I watch the students get the wrong answer they don't seem to be embarressed about it, they just pay attention to figure out the correct answer.  I don't think you ever want to purposefully make your student uncomfortable because then they shut down and aren't learning.

Review games I think are a lot of fun and it helps to judge who much the students have learned and retained over the course of the unit.  The teacher has 4 buzzers so she divides the class into 4 teams.  Each team takes a corner of the room and for each question each team sends up one student.  She asks the question and they have to write the answer on a white board and hit their buzzer.  Once everyone has hit their buzzer she goes in order that they were hit.  If you get the answer correct you get points for your team.  The teacher can see how the students are doing with the unit because they have to come up with the answer on their own.  The remaining team members talk about the question and come up with the answer together so there is some team building and learning going on with the other students.  The kids love to play this game and it can work with any subject which I like.