STRENGTHENING
STUDENT
ENGAGEMENT
John Thomas, Jr.: CTE Director/Assistant Principal CHHS
Betty Ware: CTE Supervisor Hopewell Public Schools
What is Your Idea of Student
Engagement vs. The Students
Engagement-Based Learning and
Teaching Approach - EBLT

Three domains of student engagement:
 Cognitive
 consists
Domain
of beliefs and values
 Emotional
 Consists
Domain
of motivation and feelings
 Behavioral
 Consists
Domain
of habits and skills
With this approach, teachers and parents work together across all
three domains to cultivate and support student engagement at the
highest level.
The Key Elements of
How to Implement EBLT


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Cultivate one-on-one relationships
Learn new skills and habits
Incorporate systematic strategies
Take responsibility for student engagement practice
Promote a school-wide culture and engagement
Professional development as an important part of
increased student engagement
Pre-Classroom Conditions

Factors that must be in place before classroom
instruction begins:
 Learning
relationships
 Creating the Ideal classroom environment
 Rewards and incentives
 Guiding principles
 Fundamental skills
 Habits
How Can Teachers Create an Environment where
Rigorous and Relevant Learning Takes Place


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Create a design for rigorous and relevant learning
Personalize learning
Use active learning strategies
Focus on reading
Learning Relationships Taxonomy


Strong positive relationships are critical to the education process.
Think about that one teacher you will never forget and how they
impacted your learning experience.
Classroom Management vs.
Learning-Based Relationships

The teacher’s responsibility for teaching and learning in the
classroom often is divided into instruction and classroom
management.
How to Improve Relationships

Relationships in school always can be improved.
Schools can engage in specific practices to improve
the quality of those relationships that influence
student learning and operation of a school.
 Supportive
behaviors are ways in which teachers act
and interact with students to support learning and good
relationships.
 Supportive Initiatives are social initiatives that
contribute to learning and good relationships.
 Supportive structure constitute major organizational
changes that contribute to learning and good
relationships.
Adult & Peer Behaviors Greatly
Influence Learning Relationships





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


Showing respect
“Being there” for students and frequent contact
Active listening
One-on-one communication
Encouraging students to express opinions
Avoiding “put-downs”
Writing encouraging notes
Students praising peers
Celebrating accomplishments
Supportive Initiatives Influence
Relationships


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Social activities to start the year
Team building
Mentoring
Rewards, recognition, incentives
Student advocacy
Advisory programs
Peer mediation
Students as teachers
Character education
What Can the School Do?

Schools can also implement major changes to their
structures that can make it easier to develop
positive learning relationships, such as:
 Small
learning communities
 Alternative scheduling
 Team teaching
 Team continuity
 School-base enterprises
 Professional learning communities
References