STUDENT ENGAGEMENT - STUDENT CHOICE - DIFFERENTIATION
When lessons are designed to meet students' interests, learning styles, passions, real-life experiences, and students have choice in the learning process, student engagement is 100%. Not only is student engagement at its peak, but intrinsic motivation is also increased, students become more inquisitive and inspired and they develop a deep passion for learning and applying knowledge gained. Differentiating instruction allows us to meet the learning needs of our students and to heighten student engagement. It is as simple as incorporating different content and sources, different learning activities, and different tasks that occur simultaneously in the same learning environment to ensure that all students’ learning needs and styles are met. When instruction is differentiated, planning is made easier since a distinct emphasis is placed on incorporating instruction that focuses on content, process, product and combinations of strategies in which students have choice in selecting tasks that meet their styles, interests and abilities.
STUDENT CHOICE
Providing students with choice has numerous benefits which impact teaching and learning tremendously. When students are given choice, they take ownership of their learning and become more interested and engaged in the task at hand. Choice enhances intrinsic motivation and students have the inward desire to work extremely hard on the task they selected.
Student choice also makes the learner feel excited about the task at hand, therefore increasing the production of dopamine, a neurotransmitter that strengthens the neural connections. Additionally, when students are interested and relaxed while learning, information is sent to the long term memory instead of the reactive brain. Student choice also attends to students’ learning styles, interests and learning pace, and produces autonomous, responsible and passionate learners as students engage in learning that is deeper and more enduring.
Choice not only benefits the learner, but the teacher and classroom settings as well. Choice in learning is one of the best forms of differentiation as students are working on different products, processes and content that are aligned to their abilities, learning styles and interests. Student engagement is also at its peak when stu-dents are provided with choice in learning as students are extremely focused on the task that they choose and ensure that they give it their best. When students are passionately engaged in learning, classroom manage-ment is heighted and the learning environment is one in which learning is consistent, collaborative and endur-ing. When students have a sense of increased personal control, choice, and initiative they can experience high-er academic engagement and motivation (Buck, Carr, & Robertson, 2008).
Providing students with choice in Math can start off as easily as having them select two questions from a work-sheet of 6 word problems that you would have had them do during the class period. Simply make copies of the 6 word problems that align to the daily objectives and lay them out on the table at the front of your classroom, and have students select two to represent their learning. However, a focus must be placed on then transitioning to allowing more choice and creativity in the classroom. One way of doing this is by providing students with a choice board that consists of tasks that are progressively more rigorous. Another way for providing choice and allowing creativity is by creating a learning menu which is very similar to a choice board. I have created a general learning Math Menu that can be used to have students represent their learning daily, weekly, at the end of units or during multiple units.
Student choice also makes the learner feel excited about the task at hand, therefore increasing the production of dopamine, a neurotransmitter that strengthens the neural connections. Additionally, when students are interested and relaxed while learning, information is sent to the long term memory instead of the reactive brain. Student choice also attends to students’ learning styles, interests and learning pace, and produces autonomous, responsible and passionate learners as students engage in learning that is deeper and more enduring.
Choice not only benefits the learner, but the teacher and classroom settings as well. Choice in learning is one of the best forms of differentiation as students are working on different products, processes and content that are aligned to their abilities, learning styles and interests. Student engagement is also at its peak when stu-dents are provided with choice in learning as students are extremely focused on the task that they choose and ensure that they give it their best. When students are passionately engaged in learning, classroom manage-ment is heighted and the learning environment is one in which learning is consistent, collaborative and endur-ing. When students have a sense of increased personal control, choice, and initiative they can experience high-er academic engagement and motivation (Buck, Carr, & Robertson, 2008).
Providing students with choice in Math can start off as easily as having them select two questions from a work-sheet of 6 word problems that you would have had them do during the class period. Simply make copies of the 6 word problems that align to the daily objectives and lay them out on the table at the front of your classroom, and have students select two to represent their learning. However, a focus must be placed on then transitioning to allowing more choice and creativity in the classroom. One way of doing this is by providing students with a choice board that consists of tasks that are progressively more rigorous. Another way for providing choice and allowing creativity is by creating a learning menu which is very similar to a choice board. I have created a general learning Math Menu that can be used to have students represent their learning daily, weekly, at the end of units or during multiple units.