An area that is difficult for me as a teacher, and one that I would like to master is keeping learners engaged, challenged and motivated. I have been able to keep students engaged extrinsically by motivating them with prizes or group points or a free time etc, but the area that I would like to master is how to keep students just as engaged and motivated intrinsically. This can be valuable in the classroom, because of course any teacher wants their students actively engaged all the time. In an ideal world this would happen, but the reality is that students are not always engaged and motivated by what is being taught. The constant question for some students is "why do I need to learn this" and what I have found is it needs to be connected to their life in some way. Even at the elementary level, different concepts can still be attached to students lives . On the CAST website an example that is provided is having active participation, exploration and experimentation. Allowing students to be involved in their own goals, evaluations and the design of different classroom activities and academic tasks. This will be area that I will practice in the future when adding, changing or making new classroom decisions and possible assignments.
UDL Guidelines: Examples and Resources
CAST Resource
Recognition Networks
The "what" of learning
How we gather facts and categorize what we see, hear, and read. Identifying letters, words, or an author's style are recognition tasks.
Present information and content in different ways
Multiple Means of Representation
Strategic Networks
The "how" of learning
Planning and performing tasks. How we organize and express our ideas. Writing an essay or solving a math problem are strategic tasks.
Differentiate the ways that students can express what they know
Multiple Means of Action and Expression
Affective Networks
The "why" of learning
How learners get engaged and stay motivated. How they are challenged, excited, or interested. These are affective dimensions.
Elyse, I too have used prizes to keep learners engaged. I think it works, but it is important for learners to become intrinsic learners. I think this is the hardest part of teaching. I try to make the material relelvant in hopes that they will want to learn.
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