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In the PSI (Preschool Intervention Class) that I teach engagement varies from day to day. Teaching children with Autism is a challenge and the level of engagement depends on many factors. Those factors include their mood when they come in, did they get enough rest the night before, or are they feeling well. It can also depend on rather they want to participate. The level of engagement ranges from disrupting to avoiding to participating. On most days my kiddos participate with no problem. If they like the activity they will do the work, pay attention and respond to questions. When they don't like the activity I can always tell because their level of participation is lower. I try to plan activities that keep my students engaged and active. I monitor their engagement by watching my students and paying attention to how they are responding to the lesson or activity. This helps me to shift gears and implement something else if need be.

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In my classroom engagement varies on a day to day basis. Many factors play a role in engagement, such as, willingness for participation, mood of student, and observation of peer behaviors. Looking at the engagement continuum, the two levels of enagagement that my students display are withdrawing and participating. With my students sometimes it is hit or miss. The littlest thing can snowball and throw off engagement for the entire group of students. One way I try to increase engagement is through songs and music. My students are sensory oriented and music tends to be one of those mechanism that drives them to want to learn or even participate in activities. Typically the tune has to be in rhythm to something they are familiar to (like a nursey rhyme or childrens song). This will usaully increase participation and create a unique way for them to retain certain information. When I have students who disengage or withdraw, I investigate to see why the student is withdrawing. If the issue is able to be resolved quicly with simple solutions we address it and move on, but if the issue tends to be more severe, then that student is given some time to break and regroup. This A) allows the student to refocus and joing back with the anticipation of wanting to engage and B) decreases the distarction from the students who are enagaged and participating and discourages those engaged students from demonstrtaing the behaviors of the disengaged student, causing a ripple effect of disengagement.

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With me being an elementary school PE teacher I see many levels of engagement. It all depends on what the kids are learning that day but I see disrupting, avoiding, participating, investing and driving. Many of my students love PE which makes me very happy but I have a select that can be very difficult to work with. When some of the students don’t want complete the task given I mostly see avoidant.

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In my classrooms I have varying levels of engagement. However, thinking about the majority, I would say they are on the active pathway. Most are willing to participate and engage. These students are generally task-oriented and complete assignments as directed but lack deeper enthusiasm or connection to the material. They do what is required but often need prompting to go beyond surface-level understanding. This type of engagement often aligns with students meeting expectations to earn grades or avoid negative consequences rather than intrinsic motivation. I use various OTR methods, like chorale response, finger scales, and thumbs up/down to observe their engagement.

Other ways that I monitor engagement, is by using a variety of strategies:

1. Observation: I actively watch for cues like body language, facial expressions, and participation levels during discussions. Engaged students are typically more animated, make eye contact, and respond without hesitation.

2. Formative Assessments: I incorporate quick, low-stakes activities like exit tickets or online polls to gauge how much attention and understanding students are demonstrating.

3. Student Feedback: I periodically ask students to reflect on their learning process through surveys or journal prompts. Their responses provide insight into their interest and emotional connection to the material.

4. Interactive Tools: I use digital tools like Kahoot or Nearpod to see which students are interacting and how actively they participate in lessons.

By identifying where students are on the continuum, I can adjust my approach—whether it’s introducing a more hands-on activity for authentic engagement or having one-on-one conversations to understand disengagement.

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In looking at my classrooms overall, I would say I have 15% of students fall into Avoiding or Withdrawing, 75% Participating or Investing, and the last 10% Driving. While my students mostly are actively engaging in class, at time the 15% we aren't can be discouraging. Some of the 15% I give some grace, for a lack of better terms, because they are ESOL or have 504 plans. The rest I use as motivation to find new ways to get them engaged.

I judge their engagement by facial expression, body language, inappropriate use of technology, and overall engagement when I ask questions during my presentations. To help prevent this I will call on students randomly to read a PowerPoint slide in the presentation to help them focus since they never know when they will be picked. The method isn't perfect, but it has increased a bit of the engagement in the past.

As far as my students who fall in the 75% range, I believe part of the reason their engagement is so high is for two reasons if nothing else. One being, they're seniors and want to hurry up and graduate so it's a means to an end. Can't say it's what I prefer but they actually ask questions, like to read, take notes and some will even come to my class after school is out to get help. The other reason I believe they engage is because I teach them how economics relates to their lives once they get jobs and graduate.

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As a gym teacher, most of my students come to class invested and ready to get active. There are some students whom can be challenging, this is when I have to find ways to engage the student. I incorporate all the positions of the sport i am teaching such as the time keeper, score keeper, referees, and stat keeper to keep the students engage with the other student whom are playing. This keep all of my student in the invested stage of engagement.

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In my classroom, I see the majority of my students at the participating level of engagement on the continuum. They show interest in learning and willingly follow along with activities, completing tasks as expected. However, while they’re actively involved, they’re not always fully invested in making deeper, self-motivated connections with the material.

To monitor their engagement, I make it a priority to observe their body language, facial expressions, and interactions during lessons. I ask open-ended questions to gauge their understanding and enthusiasm, and I use quick check-ins like thumbs-up/down or response cards to see how they’re feeling about the material. For students who seem less engaged, I try to connect the content to their interests or real-life experiences to spark curiosity. Using ClassDojo helps me track positive behaviors and participation, creating a feedback loop that encourages them to stay involved.

I know engagement isn’t one-size-fits-all, so I also reflect on how my teaching strategies are working and adjust them to meet their needs. My goal is always to help them move from just participating to being truly invested in their learning journey. Now that we’re getting to the middle of the school year, I still see the majority of my students at the participating level of engagement. They’re actively involved in lessons, following directions, and completing tasks. However, I’m starting to notice some students showing signs of withdrawing. It’s subtle—maybe a lack of excitement during discussions, slower responses to prompts, or choosing to disengage from group activities. Recognizing these signs, I’m trying to re-ignite their curiosity by incorporating more of their interests into lessons, offering choices in how they demonstrate learning, and creating hands-on, collaborative activities to keep them connected.

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I'm not sure why it is not allowing my name to show up but this is N. Johnson. It will not allow me to re-log in to my SCCPSS account. It is denying my access.

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In my experience, most of the students tend to fall into the ‘Participating’ stage. They are actively involved in classroom activities, contribute to discussions, and complete their assignments. However, they may not always show the deep investment or enthusiasm.

To effectively monitor student engagement, I use a combination of qualitative and quantitative methods:

Observations: Regularly observing students during class activities helps identify their level of participation and interest.

Feedback: Collecting feedback through surveys or informal conversations provides insights into students' perceptions of their engagement.

Performance Data: Analyzing grades, assignment completion rates, and participation in class discussions offers quantitative data on student engagement.

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Engagement is so important in my 6th-grade ELA class because it helps my students connect with what we’re learning and makes the process more meaningful for them. In ELA, engagement isn’t just about completing tasks, it’s about getting excited about reading, thinking deeply, and expressing themselves.

For example, when we read stories or poems, behavioral engagement shows up in how students join group discussions about characters or themes. Emotional engagement happens when they relate to a story, poem, or essential question on a personal level, like when we explored the HMH essential question, “What are the ways you can make yourself heard?”They’ve really enjoyed this and love sharing their thoughts about how the characters’ actions relate to their own lives. Cognitive engagement is when they analyze figurative language or work on essays that dig into the meaning of what we’ve read.

That said, I’d be remiss if I didn’t acknowledge that not all of my students show any kind of engagement. My SPED class, for example, is where I see about 90% of the students struggle to engage, even when I tweak lessons to match their levels. It can be both disheartening and stressful because I know how important engagement is for their success. Despite the challenges, I keep trying different approaches, hoping to find something that will connect with them.

My students who do engage remind me why it’s worth the effort. Seeing their curiosity grow and their confidence build keeps me motivated, even when it’s tough. Engagement makes all the difference, it helps my students feel confident, curious, and connected to what they’re learning!

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As a high school SPED teacher, I see a lot of disengagement with my autistic students. Avoiding is the main level where most of them fall on the continuum. It is interesting to hear elementary school students share their secrets about how to avoid a classroom when they are disengaged with the content. Those same techniques are used by my high school inclusion students! They constantly ask to go to the bathroom, refill their water bottle, and visit the nurse.  Being that they are autistic, the general education teachers and I have have worked out an agreement where we allow them out of the classroom to attend to these three needs during class when they will miss the least amount of learning- meaning they can’t go when a new lesson is being introduced or during test-taking. I found if I said no and told them they had to wait and go to the bathroom after class, they would obsess over going to the bathroom to the point where they couldn’t concentrate on anything else. I monitor engagement by closely observing their behavior. I position myself near my SPED students, and I have to keep a watch on their laptops because they will switch to a cartoon if they think they can get away with it. I encourage them to participate in the general education teacher’s discussion by rewarding  them with stickers.

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Most of my students are actively engaged in my Dramatic Writing Honors class. I would classify them and put them under the investing and driving categories on the engagement continuum. I monitor engagement by using brainstorming sessions, where students get into groups and collaborate to create scenes and characters. I also use quick writes, where students spend about 10-15 minutes creating a scene or writing dialogue in response to a prompt. Lastly, I require my students to showcase and present their dramatic writing pieces to the class.

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This is my third year teaching. I am a Health and Physical Education teacher so I will discuss two classes. When I am teaching Health the first week is where I see students withdrawing. The students just want to be in the gym. They do not want to learn Health. So during that first week I see students are withdrawing. As the Health classes develop and the students learn my teaching style now I have a class where students participate and not only answer questions, but we are able to have a dialogue.

When I am in the gym teaching Physical Education now my students are investing. They want to know why we are doing we are doing, and they ask questions about the muscle groups that they are working on. After a few weeks in my PE class the students start to be the drivers. They are able to lead the class just as the teacher does.

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In my French classroom, the majority of my students fall into participating or compliant engagement. These students are involved in the activities, follow directions and complete tasks. However, only a smaller subset are deeply invested in the materials and find joy in learning French. I have several strategies to monitor engagement. During the class, I observe student's body language, facial expressions and interactions. I incorporate strategies tlke thumbs up, exit tickets to gauge how connected students feels to the material. I ask students reflective questions and encourage them to articulate what resonates with them or what feels challenging and the Data I collect from assignments and assessments provides me with insight into where students are on the engagement continuum. My goal is to increase authentic engagement. Deondrea Jones

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As a third year Kindergarten teacher, I have observed the level of engagement fluctuating. However, this year, I noticed a boomerang effect. At the start of the school year, most of my students were fully engaged during the Whole-group instruction, now I only see about half actively listening, completing assigned tasks, and seeking feedback. On the other hand, the remaining students exhibit disengagement. often disrupting the class, struggling to comprehend the material, and avoids participation in any situation.  Most notably, engagement soars during interactive competitive learning games as “Blooket and Time to Climb.” However, I encounter more challenges during Read-Aloud, particularly with Informational Text. I find it challenging to keep the student’s interest and at the same time make sure they understand the content.  I monitor my student’s engagement by their actions. If a notice a shift in behavior or disinterest, I incorporate a game, song, or some movement to shift their focus back to the lesson. I also have a range of different learners in my classroom from ELs to Sped which I provide differentiated strategies.

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Engagement is the spark that ignites curiosity, fosters critical thinking, and transforms learning into an exciting journey. For my 3rd-grade students I have a large group who are working one grade level behind and are also ESOL students’ the engagement is even more crucial. It helps them connect with the material, build confidence, and grow both academically and emotionally.

In my classroom, I observe that many of my students fall within the "compliant engagement" area on the engagement continuum. These students’ complete tasks and follow instructions but often require additional support to move toward more natural engagement.

To monitor and foster engagement, I use the following strategies:

1. Visual and Interactive Supports: Incorporating visuals, manipulatives, and interactive tools helps my students’ better access and connect with the content.

2. Differentiated Instruction: Tailoring lessons to meet students' individual needs ensures that activities are appropriately challenging and engaging. For example, I might simplify language for ESOL students or provide sentence stems to scaffold their responses.

3. Frequent Check-Ins: I monitor engagement by observing body language, facial expressions, and participation levels. Regular check-ins help me identify when students need clarification or encouragement.

4. Collaborative Activities: Pairing students for group work allows them to learn from each other while building social and communication skills. I also use this time to observe their interactions and engagement levels.

5. Celebrating Success: Recognizing small achievements boosts students' confidence and motivation, encouraging them to stay invested in their learning journey.

By implementing these strategies and continuously reflecting on engagement indicators, I strive to create an inclusive and supportive classroom environment. Social and emotional development plays a significant role in engagement, and I am committed to helping each student feel seen, supported, and excited to learn.

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Since I am a Pre-K teacher, I think that it really depends on the activity that is being completed with my Pre-K students at the time. For example, if it's a hands-on activity or music and movement activity then I will get full participation. But, during story time or large group literacy I often see a lot of students either not paying attention or getting easily distracted. I usually monitor my students by observing their body language and facial expression. I also ask questions and engage in meaningful dialogue with my students. During large group and story times, I often ask open-ended questions to gauge my students understanding and interest in the topic.

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After reviewing the material, it is such a mixed bag across my 6 classes. While the bulk of the students are somewhere on the engaged side of the spectrum, there are a few classes and students that are just determined to be disengaged in spite of my best efforts to get them involved. It seems to center around a few particular students that actively hate art and no amount of trying to make the content relevant does any good. It's these few students that tend to drag down the borderline students into being actively disengaged. On the flip side, four out of the 6 classes are engaged because a lot of the students are stimulated by creativity or find the projects to be a relaxing break from the monotony of bookwork, worksheets, and exams. One 6th grade class has so many active participants that it can get overwhelming with having to try to give effective feedback to everyone when they want it.

As far as monitoring goes, it gets a bit more difficult when in the info-dump phase of a unit because I have multiple chairs around a table. So, that kind of setup can make it easier for a student to appear as though they are engaged when they're actually fiddling with their phone where I can't easily see it. But, during the work days when students are focused on their projects, it's much easier to walk around from table to table to check on students as needed. The students are definitely more engaged when they have their project to focus on rather than the beginning of the unit when they're having to absorb more information.

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In my classroom, most of my students engage in the participating stage where I make it really interesting for them to do the work. I have gotten them to pay attention by using real life situations that they can relate to. At first, I must admit that they were all in the avoiding stage. I teach a REP Math class and most of them didn't understand why they had 2 math classes, so I thought I owed them the truth because they had questions about why they were in my class. I explained it to them, and they immediately were in the avoiding stage! My continual effort to make the work meaningful for them and allowing them to make that personal connection turn their engagement completely around. I didn't realize that engagement had three dimensions until I read the article. It gave me a clear idea of what I can incorporate into my lessons to allow my students to engage freely and make that personal connection to the standard. I think that allowing the students to personalize plays a crucial role in this process. I allow my students to work at a pace that is comfortable for them and get them to buy in by letting them make choices how they would like to work thru the lesson. To monitor engagement, I walk the room, I sit in the middle of group discussion and use a writing assignment as an exit ticket to allow students to give feedback of their understanding of the lesson.

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After reviewing this material, I would describe my class as fairly engaged. Most of my students actively participate, which fosters a positive and interactive learning environment. While there are always some challenges, I find that when the majority of the class is engaged, it becomes difficult for any distracted students to stay disengaged—especially when activities are designed to capture their attention. I focus on creating activities that encourage participation, and I evaluate their engagement through their involvement, questions, and curiosity during lessons.

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On the engagement continuum in my classroom, I see many of my students between participating/Investing. High school anatomy & physiology can be interesting and/or difficult. I try to meet students where they are and place them with peers who understand the subject matter better so they can learn from a peer perspective. I can monitor engagement by continuing to use tools like classroom response systems such as Kahoot to measure how many students are actively responding. In addition, at the end of the lesson, I can ask students to complete an exit ticket that requires them to recap key points or answer reflective questions. Finally, I can use formative assessments (quick quizzes) throughout the lesson to gauge ongoing engagement.

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In my classroom, I observe most students operating in the middle to higher levels of the engagement continuum, typically in the participating and investing stages. This stage reflects students who see personal relevance in their work and take ownership of their learning processes. My intentional effort to make the work meaningful and personalized is a significant factor contributing to this. Engagement naturally increases when students recognize how lessons connect to their interests or future goals. Personalization plays a crucial role in this process. I foster a sense of autonomy by designing tasks that allow students to work at their own pace and make choices about the direction and format of their projects. To monitor engagement effectively, I rely on observations, informal check-ins, and feedback to allow students to articulate their interests and understanding. I observe behaviors and collaboration with peers as students build upon their ideas. I evaluate their work quality and progression over time, noting whether they exceed minimum requirements and show creativity or depth in their projects. This approach helps me identify areas where students thrive and highlights when adjustments are needed to maintain or elevate engagement levels.

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Previously, I had a different understanding of exactly what engagement is and how to engage students. I thought that it was about how the students responded to my instructions, but now I understand that it is more about how they respond to their own learning.

Currently, the majority of my students are in the participating phase of the continuum. They are engaged and working diligently on their assignments. When we are in the “we do” portion of the lesson, they’re answering questions and helping each other stay on track. Once we switch to the “you do” portion, they are still working. Sometimes they get a little distracted, but for the most part, I have a good bunch of students who are concerned about their grades.

In one of my classes, I have a great group of very focused tenth graders who take a proactive role in their learning. This group is definitely investing in their education and their future. They ask questions not just for clarity but for further exploration. This makes me smile. Even though it’s not the entire class, this small portion allows me to see that they are learning to engage and driving their own education. They are, indeed, taking responsibility for the process and products that they produce.

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Unfortunately, most of my students tend to fall in the area of disengagement. Maybe it's because they are all sped students with trouble focusing and staying on task. I do a lot of re-direction. My students exhibit off- task behavior and look for ways to avoid doing work all the time. Ex. They either have to use the restroom or need to go see the nurse. I do find that the assignments that peak their interest, are the ones they pay more attention too. I try to use real life examples and senarios to make the content more interesting. Giving them a chance to free write helps with monitoring their engagement. I also give them a change to tell me atleast 3 things they've learned from the lesson of the day, sort of an exit ticket.

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I started following my inclusion class to all their classes, except the Connection classes. Based on my observations, the majority of them are disengaged in Science. When I am in the class, I constantly walk and re-direct any student who is off task, and if they are too disruptive I will remove them from the class. I issue PBIS points when they are participating and doing their work.

When they are in Math, ELA, and Ga. Studies, they are participating in and sometimes investing in their learning. Classroom management is imperative in my inclusion class because it helps a majority of students participate in their learning.

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I observe that the majority of my 7th-grade math students typically fall into the "compliant” participation categories. These students complete assigned tasks and follow instructions but often do so out of obligation rather than intrinsic motivation or deep interest in the material. However, there is a small group of students who are actively engaged, showing genuine curiosity, asking questions, and exploring problems beyond what is present in the problem sets.

To monitor engagement, I use a combination of strategies such as observing during the lesson with aggressive monitoring, cold calling or asking open ended questions that require them to think critically, use the digital platforms to monitor performance, Assessment Tools and conversation.

I pay attention to students' body language, eye contact, and responsiveness. Actively engaged students tend to lean forward, make eye contact, and eagerly participate in discussions, while disengaged students might avoid interaction or appear distracted.

By asking open-ended questions and encouraging peer discussion, I can gauge the depth of their understanding and enthusiasm with the material. If they are actively engaged, they will have thoughtful answers or ask questions, while those not interested may offer minimal one-word answers.

I use tools from apps Class Link and the digital response platforms (e.g., Kahoot or Desmos), or physical strategies like whiteboards to track who is actively participating. This allows me to identify patterns in student engagement.

Quick checks, like exit tickets and short quizzes, help me gauge their level of understanding and how effectively they’re applying these concepts. Students who are actively engaged often exceed the minimum requirements and show a deeper understanding.

When I notice a student is disengaged, I try to connect with them individually to understand the barriers they’re facing. I have a relationship, and I can relate to them on a personal level and relate to things happening outside of the building. This often reveals external factors or learning preferences that I can address.

My goal is to shift more students toward active engagement by incorporating real-world applications of math, collaborative problem-solving tasks, and opportunities for self-directed exploration. Understanding where my students fall on the continuum helps me tailor my teaching to better meet their needs and foster a deeper connection with the subject matter.

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With my Pre-K babies, I have those who fall on every area of the engagement continuum. However, most of my students are engaged by participating and investing. For those of my students who are avoidant and disruptive, I provide frequent re-direction, and I also allow them time to themselves if they do need time to re-group. In my class, I use music, timers, manipulatives, rhymes and chants, to keep my students engaged. One of their favorite things is when I use my microphone during large group discussions. This works wonders as it draws their attention, and it makes them very excited to participate when I ask questions. I monitor engagement on a daily by observation. I look at body language and I listen for feedback. I am able to assess and check for understanding based on their recall and response or physical demonstration.

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In my Spanish class, I feel like my students are between participating and investing. I say that because many of them are curious about learning a new language. They ask a lot of questions, and they feel like learning Spanish will be beneficial to them one day. I often use myself as an example of being in their shoes once because I had learned English. I give them projects that will help them learn about Latin American countries. When I show videos of these countries, they begin to ask questions about life outside of the United States. The projects I give them help them to learn about students and life in Latin America. The students are allowed to select their country for the projects. These projects allow them to learn about the diversity of cultures, traditions, and histories in Latin America. Exposure to other cultures also helps them to understand global diversity, and it allows the students to use their artistic, technological, or written outputs, catering to various interests. I use games such as Booklet, and Nearpod, to help them feel like what they are learning is fun, and important. Currently, I have begun to teach the colors in Spanish, and I used several artifacts. The students were allowed to select the artifact that best suited their skill, interest, and learning needs. For example, I was teaching how to say the colors in Spanish. The students were shown a PowerPoint presentation, they repeated the colors several times. Some were shown colors without the names and were asked to go to the board and write down the color that was called. This allowed the students to use critical thinking as they tried to remember which color in Spanish was the correct one. Later, I had some students line up and asked them to find something in the room that matched the colors that I called. Other students participated in blowing up some balloons with assorted colors for the balloon color game, they later had to align the balloons in whatever color they wanted. The students took turns calling out the colors while their classmates jumped from one color to the next. These methods were ways for the students to participate, process, and retain information, leading to better comprehension and application of concepts. Also, engagement reduces class disruption and helps with positive behavior while building student confidence. One example of creating a student's confidence is when a new student from Bangladesh, India does not speak English, and because of the language barrier, he was afraid to participate in the classroom activity. I sat next to him, showed him pictures of the colors, and told him to repeat the colors with me. Once he felt comfortable, we then walked to the view board, and I pointed to the pictures of the colors written in Spanish. After repeating and touching the colors for a few seconds, he began to smile and feel more comfortable. I asked him by pointing with my finger if he wanted to participate and join the group of students who were playing the color balloon game. He was then able to follow the students and play the game. The importance of this engagement was that it allowed this student to engage in the game, collaborate with his peers in further discussions, and ask questions. Other students were given the option of learning the colors using Booklet. The competition was fierce, but they came out understanding about the colors and having fun at the same time. By Sonja Jones.

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In my Spanish class, I feel like my students are between participating and investing. I say that because many of them are curious about learning a new language. They ask a lot of questions, and they feel like learning Spanish will be beneficial to them one day. I often use myself as an example of being in their shoes once because I had learned English. I give them projects that will help them learn about Latin American countries. When I show videos of these countries, they begin to ask questions about life outside of the United States. The projects I give them help them to learn about students and life in Latin America. The students are allowed to select their country for the projects. These projects allow them to learn about the diversity of cultures, traditions, and histories in Latin America. Exposure to other cultures also helps them to understand global diversity, and it allows the students to use their artistic, technological, or written outputs, catering to various interests. I use games such as Booklet, and Nearpod, to help them feel like what they are learning is fun, and important. Currently, I have begun to teach the colors in Spanish, and I used several artifacts. The students were allowed to select the artifact that best suited their skill, interest, and learning needs. For example, I was teaching how to say the colors in Spanish. The students were shown a PowerPoint presentation, they repeated the colors several times. Some were shown colors without the names and were asked to go to the board and write down the color that was called. This allowed the students to use critical thinking as they tried to remember which color in Spanish was the correct one. Later, I had some students line up and asked them to find something in the room that matched the colors that I called. Other students participated in blowing up some balloons with assorted colors for the balloon color game, they later had to align the balloons in whatever color they wanted. The students took turns calling out the colors while their classmates jumped from one color to the next. These methods were ways for the students to participate, process, and retain information, leading to better comprehension and application of concepts. Also, engagement reduces class disruption and helps with positive behavior while building student confidence. One example of creating a student's confidence is when a new student from Bangladesh, India does not speak English, and because of the language barrier, he was afraid to participate in the classroom activity. I sat next to him, showed him pictures of the colors, and told him to repeat the colors with me. Once he felt comfortable, we then walked to the view board, and I pointed to the pictures of the colors written in Spanish. After repeating and touching the colors for a few seconds, he began to smile and feel more comfortable. I asked him by pointing with my finger if he wanted to participate and join the group of students who were playing the color balloon game. He was then able to follow the students and play the game. The importance of this engagement was that it allowed this student to engage in the game, collaborate with his peers in further discussions, and ask questions. Other students were given the option of learning the colors using Booklet. The competition was fierce, but they came out understanding about the colors and having fun at the same time. By Sonja Jones.

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Depending on the day and class, I feel most of my students fall between participating and investing. They give good eye contact while I'm teaching and will ask questions along the way. For my class with the students that have IEPs and need more assistance, their engagement level usually falls between withdrawing and participating. A lot of the students struggle to "lock-in" for more than a couple minutes, will zone out, and not be very engaged. It is still a work in progress on figuring out what most motivated them to be engaged. To monitor engagement while I'm giving instruction, I ensure students are giving eye contact, they do not have anything distracting on their table such as their iPads, and take not of who answers my questions. If I get the "deer in headlights" look, I know I've lost them. I also try to walk around the room to keep students engaged.

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My kindergarteners are evolving from being passive learners to actively driving their engagement. They arrive in the classroom full of curiosity, recalling information from previous lessons, and setting personal goals. They enjoy our warm-up activities and are eager to explore how they can deepen their understanding of the content. They truly act like "sponges," soaking up all they can.

My first graders are budding investigators. They thrive on asking each other questions during lessons and greatly enjoy working with their peers. They also love the element of competition and take pride in teaching the class once they grasp the material.

Second graders are transitioning from being participators to becoming investigators themselves. They enjoy interactive activities like "Good Behavior Games" which get their minds working. Like first graders, they also value peer collaboration, enjoy responding to questions, and are motivated by rewards and praise.

To monitor engagement, I gather feedback from my students about the lessons, often before I even ask for it. They tell me what they enjoyed, what they learned, and how they can apply the lessons to real-life situations, demonstrating their active involvement in the learning process.

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The majority of my students are in the "Investing" phase of engagement, where they are actively participating in the learning process and beginning to make personal connections to the content. I monitor engagement through observation, formative assessments, student reflection, and group work dynamics, which provide me with a comprehensive view of how engaged students are. To keep students in this zone of active investment, I will continue to encourage deeper questioning, foster student-led discussions, and adjust the lesson flow based on real-time feedback to make the learning experience more meaningful and connected to their own interests.

Monitoring engagement in the "Investing" phase involves observing both qualitative and quantitative signs of student involvement. Here's how I track engagement:

Active Observation and Participation:

I circulate the classroom during group and independent activities, noting who is asking thoughtful questions or exploring related topics. I look for signs of curiosity, such as students seeking more information or actively engaging in discussions. If students are offering ideas and showing a desire to understand more deeply, this indicates investment.

Exit Tickets and Reflection Prompts:

I use exit tickets to prompt students to reflect on what they've learned. These brief written responses help me gauge whether students are thinking critically about the lesson and moving from surface-level understanding to deeper engagement.

Formative Assessments:

I monitor student engagement through tasks like labeling maps, analyzing bathymetric data, or interpreting satellite images. When students make connections or express curiosity beyond simply completing tasks, it shows they're truly engaging with the material.

Student-led Discussions and Group Work:

During group work, I listen for moments where students ask each other thoughtful questions and push one another to clarify or expand on ideas. This is a clear sign that they are beginning to take ownership of their learning.

Self-assessments and Goal Setting:

I encourage students to reflect on their progress and set goals, such as identifying areas of confusion or topics they'd like to explore further. This self-reflection helps them engage more deeply with the material.

Student Feedback:

I regularly check in with students, asking how they feel about the lesson and whether they find the content engaging. If they express interest in learning more or feel confident about the material, I know they're investing in their learning.

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In my ELA classroom, I observe that the majority of my students fall within the "compliant engagement" zone of the engagement continuum. They generally complete assignments and participate in class discussions when prompted, but their motivation is often extrinsically driven, such as earning grades or teacher approval. While this is a solid foundation, my goal is to move more students toward "intellectual engagement," where they actively seek connections between the material and their own lives, fostering intrinsic motivation and deeper critical thinking.

To monitor engagement, I use several strategies:

1. Observation and Interaction: I pay attention to body language, participation levels in discussions, and the depth of questions or comments during activities.

2. Formative Assessments: Quick exit tickets or reflective journal prompts help gauge their understanding and emotional connection to the material.

3. Student Voice: Regularly soliciting feedback on what interests them in texts or assignments provides insights into their engagement levels.

4. Project-Based Learning: Assignments like reimagining a story’s setting or creating digital presentations encourage creativity and higher-order thinking, signaling intellectual engagement.

By continually adapting my teaching methods, including technology integration and culturally relevant texts, I aim to create a more engaging and meaningful learning experience that moves students further along the continuum.

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I believe the majority of my Health and P.E. students are on the "Investing" stage of student engagement. When introducing or expounding upon a skill I always try to make sure the information is relevant and easily applicable. Last week we did a lesson on chasing and evading. In addition to discussing tangible things we chase and evade I asked to discuss intangible things that we chase and evade and how the skills for tangible chasing and evading apply intangible chasing and evading. From the open discussion I was able to see how students processed the information and applied it to their own situations and aspirations. While close, the majority of my students have not broken into the self assessment and goal setting phase of the engagement process but they know why the information I taught may be considered important and how to apply it.

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