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Hi, 

I am currently a pre-serivce teacher at Wartburg college. I would like to know some resources to use to help students stay on-task? Also, making sure that students are paying attention?

Thanks-

Connor Neuroth

Wartburg College '20 

Pre-Service Teacher 

Hi Connor,

I am a student at the University of Northern Iowa, and there are several things we have been taught that I think will answer your question! The first thing that is important is to make sure students are engaged in their learning. Students who do not care about, or are not interested in the topic will have no desire to learn it. Taking brain breaks consitantly throughout the lesson and allowing students to participate in the lesson are two good ways to make sure students are on-task and paying attention. There are several other ways to ensure students are on-task and paying attention though. One way is to have students fill out a Predict, Observe, Explain (P.O.E.) chart. While participating in the lesson, students will fill out what they think is going to happen, then what they observed. After the lesson is nearly over, students will fill out the explain part of the POE chart. This will help check for student's understanding while also keeping students on-task. Something similar to the POE chart is the KLEWS (Know, Learning, Evidence, Wondering, Scientific Concepts) chart. The concept is the same as the POE chart, but it is asking for some different information from the students. Both of these charts keep students on-task and paying attention; they also help you to understand what your students know and don't know!

Hello Connor,

This is a struggle for all teachers.  My name is Kristine Pasker and I am a senior at UNI studying elementary education and in a sciency inquiry program.  My minor is special education, so I have some insight on behavior such as this that will hopefully help.  Like I said, the struggle is real.  Some things that might help include: make the class, lesson, activity engaging.  Step out of your normal pedigogy and do something different.  You, I am sure, don't like to be lectured at and would rather not have worksheets to do all class.  Get the students involved. Go outside and explore, do a scavenger hunt, make up a silly wakey relateable game, something that is other than the standard lecture worksheet process.  Do check-in every few minutes to see how students are doing, see if they have any questions or comments, then proceed with the lesson.  A token system might be a good thing to start at first and then fade out as the year goes on.  It gives them incentive to do their jobs.  Hope these help.

Best,

Kristine Pasker