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I try to switch the ways that I'm presenting vocabulary for the kids so we are not doing the same thing every time. For example, I have done Vocabulary Bingo as an review, a Gallery Walk so they can make connections to the vocabulary words we are learning and doing an weekly or bi weekly Word Sort so they are constantly seeing the vocabulary words we have learned.

I also try to make real world connections to the different topics we are learning. Doing more project based learning so they can make those personal connections.

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In Tech Ed, I have a set routine for when students come in the class and begin. There is no "Day to Day" assignment, but one unit that is broken down into weekly benchmarks to help student pace themselves and check if they are keeping on pace or not. While students do need redirection sometimes, for the most part students stay on task and demonstrate engagement.

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Truly, slideshows are the worst. We survive with stickers. Whenever I have to do vocab on a slideshow we all want to pass out. If the kids know there is a quiz, often they shut down completely. Instead, I tell them that students that answer questions I ask at the end of the video get a sticker. The whole class gets the review as they answer questions without the testing anxiety. Kids also learn that the students that voluntarily take notes remember more content and therefore get more stickers.

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In Math Seminar, my enggement strategies do not work for 100% of my students or 100% of the time, but a good 85-90% is better than what I would get if I did not try to make math funner for them.

Strategy Examples

Problem-solving challenges: math escape rooms or timed puzzles where students work together to solve problems.

Math bingo

Math Jeopardy: To review concepts or practice problem-solving, where teams answer questions to earn points.

Technology- such as Kahoot! and Gimkits as well.

With partners work they may work together on an assignment.

I also have them be peer teachers.

I try to provide real-world problems, such as budgeting for a trip or planning a business venture, can make math feel more relevant and engaging.

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For General Music, I try to have them using as many online resources as they can to create music. They are a great way to let the students level of knowledge show and not just teach to the low level knowledge students. Having the students sit where they want in the room while we work is also helpful for them to be on task (most the time).

For Band, I think the best luck we've had with our 7th & 8th graders recently, is to keep our pacing up It's a work in progress but getting started with class right away and minimizing transition times has helped keep the classes on track.

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I enjoy watching students write a script with their group, then make their props and costumes. They can get very creative with ordinary supplies from home or school!

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I typically try to make student engagement more hands on and table group discussions. Even though it can be at times hard to keep them engaged, especially 8th grade. I have recently started to do more moving for my questions such as 4 corners, this or that, etc.

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In General Music I sometimes have the students go to the board and draw the symbols for what ever part of music we are learning at the time: different notes, rest, clefs and ect. I have them match the symbols with the vocab.

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For my 8th graders: The main reason most are engaged is because they build their own robot. They then get to drive them around with our hand held controller. We do get to code the robot so that it can autonomously complete tasks or "challenges" (the student video above is the robot using code to sweep the bucky balls off the field. - later we use sensors to help us with the same task) Each class is very competitive. Near the end of the 9 weeks then it dies down as we are getting done.

6th and 7th graders create different things.

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I try to make as many things as possible hands on in life skills. Some things led themselves better to hands on while others are a challenge. I ask the kids at the end of every module what they would like to change to make things better and more interactive, I've gotten some good ideas from them also.

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I'm definitely better about remembering to do this during different parts of the year than others, but one thing that is fun for the kids in band is to have a student step up to the front of the room and give feedback about what they're hearing (just like a band director would) and the rest of the students often focus more and are very respectful of their peer's feedback. Another thing to tag onto this that's band specific is to allow a student to conduct the band on something the band knows how to play already.

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I love when we do 'Gallery Walks' where we post our work around the room and move in groups to examine and comment on each other's ideas. It gets us moving physically while staying mentally engaged with the content.

You can see our "Gallery" in the 500's Hallway.