As a teacher, one of my greatest challenges was trying to find a way to maintain student engagement day-in and day-out. Where I finally found success with engaging students was when I learned to create opportunities for students to take control of their own learning. I know how that sounds…super cliche’ and definitely one of the many overused education phrases. But, in spite of that, it is true. When I would trust my students and provide them with structure and guidance, they would always go above and beyond my expectations.
A little competition never hurt either. Diana Laufenberg, a long-time teacher and presenter on TedTalk, learned a similar lesson early in her career. “I put in front of them an authentic experience that allowed them to learn for themselves. I didn’t tell them what to do or how to do it. I posed a problem in front of them” and they ran with it. And, they truly did. Their goal was to learn about the American political system. Her challenge was for the students to put together a political forum for their community.
The end result…they raised the bar. Through this experience, her students learned far more about elections than ever before. Now I know not every lesson leads to some big, fancy project. No one expects that. But, with a little creativity and the willingness to take a risk, your students will surprise you.