What promotes high levels of student engagement in learning? How do you foster and strengthen a high level of student engagement in learning? What does student engagement look like, sound like, and feel like? Educators are asking these same questions and the Fox Hill staff is no exception! The Fox Hill School Improvement Plan is focused on main four goals, curriculum, communication, technology and building and grounds. At a recent Fox Hill School school improvement council meeting, our discussion focused on curriculum and student engagement. At our meeting we asked ourselves the aforementioned questions and we wanted to ask the Fox Hill staff those questions and participate together in a discussion at an upcoming Fox Hill staff meeting about student engagement. At our staff meeting, the focus was to strengthen our understanding about the importance of student engagement using research and by listening to student voices. Staff watched a video created by Kelly Elementary School students from California that shared their voice about what engages them in learning. After staff watched this video, staff met in small groups to share their understanding about what student engagement means to them and ideas/ways they engage students in learning in their classroom. Our staff meeting was inspiring and highly collaborative as staff shared their thoughts about student engagement and many wonderful ideas regarding how they engage students successfully in learning. We then discussed the possibility and the value of asking Fox Hill students about what they believe engages them in learning. A student survey was developed and Fox Hill students were encouraged to complete this survey online to share their voice about what engages them in learning. 315 students completed this survey and the results were interesting and informative. As a staff our next step is to review and discuss information obtained from students and then integrate their voice into our daily teaching practices. I share a sample of the work we have done together and the work we hope to do in the future to further engage students in learning. I am also excited and enthusiastic about learning and future learning at Fox Hill School because our teachers and our students love teaching and learning and are excited and engaged in that learning!
Click here to view Fox Hill School Student’s Voice on Engaging Students in Learning.
