6 Clues to Capturing Kids' Attention in the Classroom

Foster an environment where learning is exciting and asking questions is the norm. Find challenging yet attainable goals for your students, then concoct creative ways to help your kids achieve these goals. For instance, if you're teaching a unit on ancient Egypt, have students compete in a Jeopardy!-style trivia contest. 

The type of instructional strategy influences student engagement. Students are more invested in their learning when they are actively involved in the process and their interest are actually incorporated into their education. This could involve hands-on activities, longer-term projects, or group assignments. Student engagement is further increased when students are able to relate to the material. Teachers should help their students draw connections between the material and real life situations.

Students are able to increase their academic achievement and engagement in school when they experience teacher support. Teachers care about their students' success, but it is more than just telling students how great they are. Teacher support should not be solely focused on the highest achievers. Encouragement needs to be given to those who show academic growth and improvement. Teachers should also work on gauging their students’ strengths and weakness and finding areas to improve.

Schools and teachers should work on increasing parental involvement in their child's education. Parents are much more willing to be involved if they see the school as a welcoming and inviting environment. Parents can easily be integrated into the school atmosphere, but can also offer support in the home by monitoring homework assignments and encouraging class attendance.

Students need to see schools as their safe haven. Students who do not feel safe a school have difficulty concentrating in class and absorbing any of the material. Schools can create a safe environment by consistently enforcing school disciplinary action, having a support staff that is accessible to students, and providing violence prevention programs.

Extracurricular activities allow students to form strong support systems among their peers and teaching staff. Students who are more exposed to these structured activity setting are more likely to be engaged in class. These can include sports teams, volunteer activities, or clubs.