8 Exercises to Get to Know Your Students Better and Increase Their Engagement

Last Updated on 2 years ago by Nicky Johnson

Every teacher’s dream is for their students to thrive in class. Most will spend hours doing research, finding materials, and other activities that will help that cause. Something that you need to keep in mind though is that no matter how interesting the activity is the engagement has to come from you.

Turning your classroom into a place where your students will want to spend most of their day is an achievable goal. Getting to know your students better can be challenging but there are always ways to approach it. Here are some of the best exercises that will help your class bond easily.

8 Exercises to Get to Know Your Students Better and Increase Their Engagement
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Gamify your Classroom’s Rules

A great way to help your students become more interested in your class and stay on track of responsibilities is through gamified activities. One of the things most students don’t enjoy is following rules. Gamifying this can be very simple.

All you will need is a few packs of your favorite stickers and aboard. There, you will need to write each rule, along with the names of the students. When a student follows a set of rules for a week, they gain a sticker. At the end of the month, they can redeem that for a small prize from you such as a candy or a stationary item.

Help your Students Build a Routine

This is something a lot of students struggle with, especially if there is little to no help from home. You can start this as a group activity, where the students will share activities, they do daily. Then, you can ask them to create a list prioritizing each activity. These can include studying, doing homework, and even extracurricular activities.

Make sure that you offer children help, as not everyone can understand activity prioritization the same. You can check back with them at the end of every week and see if they need help with adding or removing activities from their lists.

Differentiate your Learning Options

Not every student learns the same way. Some learn through writing, reading a piece of text out loud, or watching a video. All of these options are great, and you can offer them to your students. Allow them to choose how they want to learn about something new and have them help you with organizing a class.

Each part of the class can consist of a different learning method. This will cater to everyone’s needs and teach your students that not just one way of learning is the right way.

Follow an Active Learning Technique

An easy and effective active learning technique to try is called the pause procedure. While teaching your class something new, pause every 10-20 minutes and allow your students to discuss the lesson with a partner.

This will allow them to solve questions and listen to a different perspective. In addition, they will be much more likely to follow your class if they have to be a part of a discussion with a fellow student.

Motivate your Students to Journal

Not every student feels comfortable when it comes to asking questions. They can feel rather exposed and vulnerable asking something they didn’t understand. Journaling can offer a simple solution that can help your students participate without problems.

Have all your students write down ideas, questions, and thoughts during the class. They can use the best essay review services to have their essays and notes proofread and formatted before presenting them in class. Then, in the end, go through the notes randomly and have the class discuss them. This will raise their confidence and allow everyone to participate actively.

Allow Flexible Seating Options

Allowing bean bags, stools, cushions, and even soft blankets as seating options can be beneficial for your classroom. Children with ADHD for example might not have an easy time staying in the same chair the entire day.

Instead of punishing them for their different mannerisms, you can offer them some freedom by choosing where to sit. This will help them feel more relaxed and make it easier for them to follow your classes. As a result, they will be more inclined to engage with your study lessons and materials given their increased comfort.

Promote Class Activities Outside the Classroom

Volunteering at local animal shelters and spending time outside the classroom can be great activities. It can help children bond with you and one another.

In addition, you can use this as an opportunity for visual learning, where they will see what information, you present them with. This is bound to increase student engagement and make them more interested in your class.

Experiment with New Strategies and See What Works

Each classroom is made up of students with different personalities and learning abilities. This means that as the teacher you will have to experiment with different teaching styles ad activities. While there are a lot of activities that won’t help you achieve your goals, just as many will help you do that.

Finding these will require a lot of positive energy from your part and your students. Keeping them engaged will become a lot easier if you know how to approach them. This means that you will have a better relationship with your students and be able to teach them in a much more productive environment.

Hello, My name is Nicky Johnson. I am glad to welcome you to my Site. At StyleBuzzer, we pride ourselves on delivering hot and new content daily related to fashion Trends.