Creating Student Engagement for Virtual Learning

One of the major components of a classroom is student engagement. As a middle school teacher, I have always tried to be cognizant of student engagement. Whether I’m in the front of the class making a fool of myself, creating content about the most recent “dopest thing ever,” or giving assignments that require watching TikTok (<<insert face plant here>>), I want my students engaged. For the most part, middle school students want to be with their friends, but don’t want to be at school. Now, let’s add virtual learning to this equation and we have a Whole. New. Ball game. But I’m telling you – you’ve got this! Here are some quick ways to try and increase middle school student engagement while you are in the virtual setting.

Tips for Student Engagement

1. First, as always with teaching, give your students choices. That includes the use of the camera! How will you know they are there? You can still hear them! If you really still want to see your kiddos’ amazing faces, make some aspects of virtual learning camera required and some camera optional. Some kids don’t like staring at themselves and certainly don’t like other people staring at them. If you want your students participating they need to be comfortable. Not all students will always be with the camera on them. At least do me a favor and try this: tell students you’re doing an experiment and reduce your camera-on time requirements for a week. See what happens!

2. Next, communication is key with student engagement. Just as we, as teachers, have a lot on our plates, so do these kids. CHECK IN ON THEM, and NOT just about school. Depending on how many students you have, set up a time for a Zoom, Google Meets or whatever platform you use to have a video conference with them at least twice a month. Make sure they know in advance this is a no pressure meeting and is for no other reason other than to check in on them. Ask them what they are enjoying about distance learning, what they hate about it, what they had for breakfast that morning, anything! Students will appreciate your personal interest in them and you will get to know them a bit better with every meeting. Remember students won’t learn from someone they don’t like.

3. Third, be flexible. Teaching through a pandemic is something administration, teachers and students have never done before. Don’t put a crazy amount of pressure on yourself or students to get through something if it’s just too much. Everything will get done in due time. We are all doing the very best we can, so give yourself (and everyone else) some grace!

4. Lastly, be creative. More than ever, you need to put on your creative hat, and choose activities that are going to engage your students in the online environment. Teach and engage your students with creative games like digital escape rooms. Your students can review and learn while playing a game. They will be hooked! Here are some of my very popular Digital Escapes™-

Below are some question stems you may also want to try out with your middle school kiddos to help with student engagement. I have created them just for the topic of this post – promoting engagement! I would love to have you try them out and let me know what you think!