SAMPLE PACK

ENGAGEMENT

Jobs

Create authentic classroom jobs. Job charts

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Classroom jobs should be more than just busy work. Christopher Simmons, a fifth-grade teacher, has students apply and interview for positions such as Class Captain (takes care of morning attendance), Archivist (manages lesson materials), Fire Chief (leads during fire drills), and others including Mail Carrier, Zookeeper, Tech Specialist, and Social Committee Members.

Why This Works

• Research base. Johnson and Thomas (2009) indicated that jobs that matter promote a sense of community.
• Student involvement. Facilitates the highest level of student involvement; students can actively apply and evaluate job performances.
• Reasonable use. Initial training may take more time but diminishes as students teach each other.
• Expectations maintained. Students are expected to maintain responsibility and contribute, learning lifelong skills.

IF...THEN

IF classroom jobs are used to assess student skills, THEN this can also be a strategy for responsibility.

Meetings

Hold regular class meetings.

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Class meetings, such as morning meetings, help engage students. They can consist of greeting, sharing, a group activity, and a morning message.

Why This Works

• Research base. Described by Kriete (2002), class meetings develop a sense of belonging and empowerment.
• Student involvement. Prepares students to facilitate their own meetings.
• Reasonable use. Implementation requires predictable routines but is relatively simple.
• Expectations maintained. Upholds expectations for collaborative sharing and decision-making.

IF...THEN

IF meetings are used for social skills demonstrations, THEN this can also improve engagement.

Games

Collect board and card games.

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Playing games can reinforce academic and social skills. Adapted games can meet various needs.

Why This Works

• Research base. Games build skills like negotiation and patience (Lavoie, 2005a).
• Student involvement. Students manage the games and engage in self-reflection on their experiences.
• Reasonable use. Games are inexpensive and require minimal setup.
• Expectations maintained. Games should be seen as productive learning experiences.

IF...THEN

IF games help gather formative assessment information, THEN this could also be a strategy for engagement.

Grouping

Use various grouping.

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Changing grouping provides engaging learning situations. Prearranging groups can save transition time.

Why This Works

• Research base. Cooperative learning has positive effects on various outcomes (Success for All, 2012).
• Student involvement. Students reflect on their grouping preferences.
• Reasonable use. Creating grouping cards takes some time initially.
• Expectations maintained. Accountability in group work is essential.

IF...THEN

IF groups are used for presentations, THEN this is a strategy for output.

Schedules

Create classroom schedule variations.

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Agendas help frame the day. Utilize visual schedules to assist all learners.

Why This Works

• Research base. Clear schedules help reduce anxiety (Kamps, 2002).
• Student involvement. Students should engage with their schedules actively.
• Reasonable use. Little cost is involved for making schedules.
• Expectations maintained. They enhance self-management skills.

IF...THEN

IF schedules relieve stress about daily agendas, THEN this can support productivity.

Syn-naps

Take Syn-naps.

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Periodic mental breaks help replenish cognitive functions. Activities like stretching or moving can serve as breaks for students.

Why This Works

• Research base. Resting prevents decreased focus and cognitive overload (Willis, 2006).
• Student involvement. Assign a student to signal for breaks.
• Reasonable use. Breaks are free and enhance learning quality.
• Expectations maintained. Breaks can increase productive time.

IF...THEN

IF syn-naps maintain positive emotional states, THEN this can also be a strategy for engagement.

Social Stories

Use purchased or self-created Social Stories.

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Social Stories help students understand social contexts. They can address temporary or long-term situations.

Why This Works

• Research base. Gray (2010) detailed the advantages of Social Stories.
• Student involvement. Students can identify which stories are needed.
• Reasonable use. Resources available online can help in creating these stories.
• Expectations maintained. Tailor responses to support individual needs.

IF...THEN

IF Social Stories support better responses in class, THEN this can enhance comfort levels.

Social Skill Autopsy

Implement a social skill autopsy.

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Analyze social interactions to teach recovery and improvement strategies for social skills.

Why This Works

• Research base. Lavoie (2005b) emphasized the structured problem-solving aspects of this technique.
• Student involvement. Students identify problems and develop solutions.
• Reasonable use. Minimal training is required.
• Expectations maintained. All students are expected to develop social skills.

IF...THEN

IF social skill autopsies offer solutions for social interactions, THEN it encourages positive behavior.

Integrative Movement

Include integrative movement.

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Movement helps engagement and expression in learning. Integrative activities can include walking or yoga.

Why This Works

• Research base. Movement enhances cognitive functions.
• Student involvement. Activities should be suited to all physical needs.
• Reasonable use. Minimal resources required for some movements.
• Expectations maintained. Students are expected to actively engage in every activity.

IF...THEN

IF integrative movement helps learning capacity, THEN it can aid cognitive processing before tasks.

Transition Areas

Provide a transition waiting area.

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Designated transition areas can help manage focus during transitions between activities.

Why This Works

• Research base. Well-managed transitions lead to better classroom climates (Wong and Wong, 1998).
• Student involvement. Students can contribute ideas for smoother transitions.
• Reasonable use. Simple materials can be used to create the area.
• Expectations maintained. Keeps student attention during transitions.

IF...THEN

IF transition areas help students with direction, THEN they can reinforce learning during transitions.

Response Scales

Use response scales to teach social skills.

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Response scales help students navigate social situations and understand appropriate behaviors.

Why This Works

• Research base. Scales guide self-management for social skills (Buron & Curtis, 2012).
• Student involvement. Students participate in developing the scales.
• Reasonable use. Resources may have nominal costs.
• Expectations maintained. Mistakes are seen as teachable moments.

IF...THEN

IF response scales improve social interactions, THEN this can enhance engagement.

Mix-Freeze-Pair

Use Mix-Freeze-Pair for peer conversations.

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The method encourages students to discuss ideas with various classmates.

Why This Works

• Research base. Increases opportunities for discussion (Candler, 2000).
• Student involvement. Partners decide how to complete tasks cooperatively.
• Reasonable use. Simple and easy to implement.
• Expectations maintained. Students should complete assigned tasks.

IF...THEN

IF Mix-Freeze-Pair promotes diverse interactions, THEN it can aid overall classroom communication.