Using Four Questions to Assess Engagement

 Using Four Questions to Assess Engagement 

In looking at our Panorama Survey results, one area that caught our attention at both the elementary and secondary levels was around student engagement. In their book The Highly Engaged Classroom, Robert Marzano and Debra Pickering offer the following strategy to plan and execute specific strategies to enhance student engagement around four questions. 

  1. How do I feel? 
  2. Am I interested? 
  3. Is it important? 
  4. Can I do it? 

By focusing on these four questions in lesson design, implementation and reflection we can increase student engagement. 

 

Explanation

Tips 

How do I feel? 

How students feel in the moment affects how likely they are to engage in classroom activities. 
  • Start class with a high energy activity and a positive tone 
  • Get students up and moving at the beginning and throughout class  
  • Share your enthusiasm, passions and persona stories at the beginning of the class
  • Student-teacher relationships have a profound effect on students 
  • Minimize time lost on administrative tasks. 
  • Group work 
  • Responsive classrooms 

Am I interested? 

Situational interest (is the student interested in the learning at that moment in time) 
  • Stories and hooks 
  • Effective questioning strategies with wait time or responses from everyone (frequent use of the chat feature, for example) 
  • Gamification of learning 
  • Friendly conversations
  • Find the appropriate pace of class with several state changes (teacher led > group > individual, for example) 
  • Smooth transitions from activity to activity 

Is it important?

Research students find learning important when they can relate to it in the following ways. First, is it relevant to the student’s personal goals. Secondly, are the tasks complex with real-world applications? 
  • When given choice by teachers, student perceive classroom activities as more important  and are more likely to be engaged
  • Have students create their own learning goals 
  • Connect learning to previous learning and future learning. 
  • Create lessons with higher-order thinking at the heart of student learning. Solving problems, debating decisions and investigations. 

Can I do it? 

Students must  feel they can be successful (self-efficacy). Even if the students answer affirmatively to the first three questions, a no answer to this question stops learning. 
  • Are there structures in place for when students are struggling? 
  • Is feedback provided in a timely and actionable manner?
  • Are students able to track their learning and their progress?
  • Do students understand the learning goal and criteria?
  • Do students have an opportunity to reflect on their effort and learning? 

 

As you think about your strengths as a teacher, how do these four questions help you advance learning for your students? How can you use these four questions to improve your teaching? 

 

Elementary Announcements 

Monday: https://youtu.be/gw243tk1kPY 

Tuesday: https://youtu.be/FWqxUe2-52k 

Wednesday: https://youtu.be/KFUswPHnrUs 

Thursday: https://youtu.be/aK5QbyyOZic

https://youtu.be/sSXYNsSYxhs 

 

Secondary Announcements 

Monday: https://youtu.be/fVyZTpUNswE 

Tuesday: https://youtu.be/jC_h1o9EEBI 

Wednesday: https://youtu.be/zQQE7mDEZyw 

Thursday: https://youtu.be/axJ5gfI97g0

Friday: https://youtu.be/o8FGH0a4vYc 

 

Secondary Information 

 

Middle School Advisory Lessons  https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1ZgfcR5DU4Yh7BkoZtMZo6Sm669e6bm0twyGk9T1XG_0/edit?usp=sharing (will take place over several days)

 

Phone Calls and Conferences 

Spreadsheet https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1Ndm9ArbhtCihWEKoWgUVMLGsYhyn0C3tmwyTMsXz6BA/edit#gid=0 Please complete tier 1 and 2 process by Thursday. 

 

Video explaining how to use the spreadsheet: 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1G9PasTa3BKejNaGfEQt2cvcXgieayNe1/view?usp=sharing 

 

B-day on Friday 

 

Monday and Tuesday: Grades 9-11 WPA. To track students who are taking the test and their completion, please see this spreadsheet

 

Wednesday and Thursday: Grade 8 Writing SOL at their base school in AM

 

Secondary PLC March 4

 

Elementary Information

Elementary PLC March 4 

March 22 Conferences 

 

Mindful Messages 

 

Mindful Message 

Possible Discussion and Reflective Questions 

Monday

Really if you work hard, you can do anything--even win a state championship without legs.

What do you do to give yourself a pep talk 

Tuesday

Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow has not yet come. We have only today.

– Mother Theresa

 

Don’t count the days, make the day count 

How can you make sure each day counts? 

Wednesday 

Mistakes help you grow. 

What’s a mistake that you’ve made that you’ve learned from? 

Thursday

Kindness fills the world with light

What is a little thing that you can do to make a difference? 

What is the reward for an act of kindness? 

Friday

I take action every day towards my goals.

What is an action you took yesterday/today toward your goals? 

 

Michael Jordan talked about small, incremental steps in goal setting. Why is this important? 

 

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