As teachers we spend countless hours putting together various lessons. Keeping it as real as possible, we all are guilty of putting more time, energy, and effort into certain lessons, over other lessons. There is absolutely nothing wrong with this. I mean we only have so many hours in a day, and only such much time we have to prepare before the lesson must be delivered.
There are tons and tons of articles and research surrounding student engagement strategies. Some districts even go so far as to hire consultants to come in and help their teachers improve their engagement techniques.
I am here to save you both time and money. There is one golden rule of lesson creation. That if followed will never steer you wrong. No matter how much education and technology evolves, this is a rule that will stand the test of time.
What is the golden rule for creating highly engaging lessons?
The golden rule for creating highly engaging lessons is: If you are Bored Teaching It, They are Bored Learning It. No matter the subject area, each of them have topics that are simply not as interesting to teach as others. Or even the flip side of it, where the teacher enjoys the content, but the students usually are disinterested.
The Science Behind It
How about I throw in a bit of sociology to go with this golden rule for creating highly engaging lessons. There is a theory of mirroring that talks about the transference of energy. We subconsciously imitate the attitude of others that are close to us. If someone approaches you with a low, sad voice, you are most likely to respond to them, matching their energy. Vice versa applies in this instance as well. If someone approaches you with a high, excited voice, you are most likely to respond, matching their energy.
How exactly does this apply to teaching your students content? Easy, if you are energized, excited, motivated about the content you are teaching, or about the activity you have prepared, then your students will match your energy too. That is the science behind if you are bored teaching it, they are bored learning it.
How I use the golden rule for creating highly engaging lessons
I will not leave you hanging with such good advice, but no tips for application. I have been stamped with the ADD/ADHD superpower. Well, I consider it a superpower. By tapping into what many consider handicaps of the disorder, I make them work for me. More on this in my post, How I made my A.D.D./A.D.H.D My Adult Superpower.
I create every lesson for my students with this in mind. Admittedly there are times when I am well aware that the lesson is less than desirable. However, due to my physical, mental, or emotional wellbeing at the time, it may be all I can feasibly give to them..
When I am operating as my normal self, the lessons I create, are with me in mind. What can I put in this lesson to keep my own A.D.H.D engaged? I also have to think about what activities, tools, and strategies fit the desired style of delivery.
There is a way to abuse the golden rule for creating highly engaging lessons. Yes, there is a such thing as doing too much. You may not be bored teaching it, and your students may not be bored learning it, but sometimes engagement strategies and tools can become more of a distraction than a means to peak student interest.
Games
Have you considered creating a game of some sort for your content? Students usually are all in from beginning to end. Simply be sure that your game provides minimal penalties for wrong answers. Even provide multiple opportunities for them to keep trying until they are successful at getting the correct answer (or steps). This is especially crucial if it is math content.
If neither of these are possible, try allowing students to have a choice of how many points they want to try to earn or that they are willing to risk. Similar to a Jeopardy style game. Throwing in a hidden twist (if landed on, or if that card is picked etc.) that allows a team to swap points with another team is great as well. For more tips on playing games with your students, check out my post The Rules to Rule Playing Games in Small Groups.
Themed Activities
Another way to use the golden rule for creating highly engaging lessons is to use themed activities. They are super cool and captivating for students. Some of my favorite are digital escape games, or WhoDunnit type mysteries. They both require students to correctly answer questions in order to get more clues. They can use clues to either escape, or to eliminate people, places, and things, until the mystery is unfolds.
Very rarely do I spend my own time and energy creating these type of activities. Very regularly, I do visit Teacher Pay Teachers. I end up spending a few dollars rewarding another teacher who did all the hard work for me. In the end I get to pat myself on the back because my students enjoyed themselves and I didn’t have to sacrifice sleep or time with friends and family.
If those types of activities do not suit your fancy, there are tons of other creative activities, simply search your topic and go from there. Some stores even provide some really great freebies if you are hesitant to jump right in and start spending.
Incorporate different learning styles
Another brilliant way to use the golden rule for creating highly engaging lessons is to appeal to the different learning styles. You are guaranteed to avoid the pitfall of, if you are bored teaching it, they are bored learning it. Reason being, is you are being intentional about targeting each style, which means, you won’t risk leaving out any of your students.
Below are questions you can ask yourself as your are planning out your lessons and activities. These will help you find ways to incorporate multiple, if not all learning styles into what you are conjuring up.
Auditory – The Hearers
Can you incorporate a video or audio clip ?
Is there a song that helps explain the content or that will help students remember important information?
Can you build in time for student to student communication?
Is there a place where whole group discussion fits?
Visual – The seers
Can you play a video clip?
Will creating a graphic organizer be useful?
Can you create a sort on paper or digitally?
Will the use of colors to color-code, or coloring for creativity, making things stand out?
Would the use of colorful paper enhance key components?
Can they write on miniature whiteboards?
Is there an opportunity for them to draw their own images?
Is there an opportunity for them to use clipart/images from the web?
Kinesthetic – the doers
Are there any manipulatives you can incorporate?
Are students able to cut and/or glue?
Can you create a paper or digital sort?
Are there hand, or body gestures, or any dances you can use to represent key components of the content?
Are students able to create a skit or act out their understanding?
Would a carousel walk be fitting?
Can they rotate to different stations, and do something different at each one?
Are they able to build, construct, or put something together?
Can they draw, color, or write?
Is there a constructive reason for them to get out of their seat?
Technology – all encompassing
The most obvious way to ensure your students are engaging in your lesson, is to incorporate technology. Find a way to put a screen in front of them. For more tips on effective ways to use technology in your lessons, check out my previous post: Use a Screen, So You Won’t have to Scream.
Questions you can ask yourself if you are considering using technology are:
Can you convert your PowerPoint to an interactive digital presentation using tools such as Quizizz or Nearpod?
Are you able to pre-record the entire lesson, or part of it?
Is there a video clip that you can play to introduce or supplement your content?
Is there a Teacher Pay Teachers digital product that fits your needs?
Conclusion: using the golden rule for creating highly engaging lessons
Some students dislike school in general. Other students dislike your specific subject. Some of us teachers have been teaching the same content for years in a row. Regardless of the situation students and teachers both have the potential to be bored and disinterested in scholastic content.
Keeping in mind that if you are bored teaching it, they are bored learning it. Find different ways to spice things up. It is not realistic that everyday is going to be as exciting as Mrs. Frizzle’s random field trips in the Magic School Bus. However, being intentional regarding how engaging most of your lessons are, can help both you and your students look forward to your class.
Utilizing the golden rule for creating highly engaging lessons creates a mindset that allows you to stay flexible, reflective, and open to trying new ideas. All of which coupled with creativity and enthusiasm, you can surely say goodbye to boring lessons. Comment below which questions to ask yourself when creating lessons, sparked some ideas for what you want to use in your upcoming lessons.
