3 Tools to Help Build Student Engagement
Let's talk about what really makes students tick. Intrinsic motivation is like the secret sauce that makes learning deliciously rewarding—without needing a prize at the end. It's about getting students to love learning for the joy of it. Imagine a classroom where students dive into projects, not for the gold star or 5 minutes of free time, but because they're genuinely curious and excited. That's the power of intrinsic motivation.
At Youth Engagement Project, we’ve spent more time than we’d like to admit learning about youth engagement at key developmental stages. What we all know is that engagement isn't just about keeping students and young people busy; it's about inspiring them to want to learn and grow on their own…no easy feat in this day and age when we are competing with technology, social agency, the mood they’re in, what they had for breakfast, their previous experience of the subject you’re teaching and everything in between, right? It's all about engaging them in a way that lights up their internal drive, or as we like to refer to it, their intrinsic motivation.
Educators already have enough on their plate, and student engagement shouldn’t be something that generates more work or some kind of mystical, far-away concept that feels quite low on your to-do list.
Intrinsic motivation sounds simple enough…but how do we get there? It's about creating a classroom environment that celebrates exploration and curiosity. When students feel they have a say in their learning journey, they're more likely to get on board. This is where autonomy comes into play. Autonomy means giving students choices, whether it's picking a book for a reading assignment or choosing a project topic. When they feel in control, their engagement skyrockets.
Next up is building what we like to call optimal challenge. This is all about helping students feel capable and successful by giving them opportunities to experience tasks that aren’t too easy but aren’t too hard either - the perfect balance of challenge. Small wins go a long way in building confidence. Think about tailoring tasks to ensure everyone can experience success at their level. It's like levelling the playing field so every student gets to score a goal - remembering that learning isn’t a competition, and every young person deserves to feel a sense of success.
Lastly, and perhaps most crucially, is fostering a sense of belonging and connection in your classroom. When students feel like they're part of a team, they're more engaged and motivated. Group projects, class discussions, and peer feedback are great ways to build this sense of community.
Bringing intrinsic motivation into your classroom doesn't have to be a puzzle. It's about creating an environment where students feel free to explore, capable of succeeding and connected to one another. What we know is that when students are intrinsically motivated, they're not only more engaged in learning but also develop a lifelong passion for discovery.
Picture this: a classroom buzzing with students who are deeply involved in their work, not because they're eyeing a reward, but because they're genuinely interested in what they're doing. This is the essence of youth engagement and is a game-changer in education. When students are engaged, they're not just present; they're active participants in their learning journey, eager to explore and take on challenges.
So, how do we make this happen? It starts with connecting the dots between students' interests and classroom activities. This could mean integrating technology in creative ways, like using apps for interactive storytelling or virtual field trips to bring history to life. It's also about thinking outside the box—maybe a math lesson becomes a quest to solve a mystery, or a science class explores the principles of physics through the design of a roller coaster.
Engagement isn't a one-size-fits-all. It's about personalisation and offering choices. Let students have a say in how they demonstrate their understanding, whether it's through a traditional test, a creative project, or a presentation - this also allows us as educators to be attuned to differentiation continually and where we’re consciously using this in our classroom preparation. The key is to make learning relevant and exciting, demonstrating to students how classroom concepts apply in the real world.
It all sounds simple in theory, but sometimes, having the time to go through your lesson plans, or even to lesson plan at all, can feel like an unachievable additional load of work. We’d love to remind you that you’re already doing an incredible job and that the more you can build choice, optimal challenge and a sense of belonging in your classroom, the easier your job will be.
Key questions to ask yourself when considering youth and student engagement strategies:
How can I give students choice in my classes?
How can I provide an experience of optimal challenge?
How can I foster a sense of belonging and inclusivity for all students?
Any time spent pondering these questions will not only help bring student engagement to the forefront of everything you do but make your life as a teacher easier as you’ll find engagement skyrocketing in every class.
We’d love to leave you with one of our favourite quotes at Youth Engagement Project by Maya Angelou: “...people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.”
To learn more about youth engagement, head over to youthengagementproject.com
