In the classroom, there are many things that teachers must spend their personal time trying to figure out. I have been working for the Guam Department of Education for nearly ten years and can honestly say that I still come across new situations very often. I spent a lot of time reflecting on the things that I have come across in order to come up with a problem in the classroom that I would want to actively research. As an educator, I strive to reach every one of the children that I have the opportunity to teach. However, I have long since realized that this is not as easy as it seems. There are many factors that I have had to work through in order to reach my personal goals as an educator.
During my reflections of the lessons that I have taught I have had to think about why my students could not keep their eyes on me during instruction or why I have had to repeat myself – sometimes more than once – when giving directions. There have been times when I would ask a question and the only response I get is a room full of blank stares or a response that has nothing to do with the lesson. Another thing that I have experienced are what I like to call my “frequent fliers”. These students are the ones that consistently ask to use the restroom, drink water, or go to the nurse – usually around the same time every day. When thinking about all these factors, I realized that these factors may all be connected to one thing . . . they are bored. So I came up with this Action Research question: How can I ensure that all my students are engaged in the lesson?
I believe that if I could get all of my students to be engaged in the lesson, they would not become bored. Engagement leads to a more positive view about their classroom and school environment. Being engaged would make it easier for them to focus, which would make it easier for them to understand the lesson, which would lead to them being able to answer questions about the lesson. Having the students engaged in the lessons may also prevent my “frequent fliers” from leaving the room because they would not have the opportunity to think about something other than the lesson or they would not want to miss any part of the lesson.
During my reflections of the lessons that I have taught I have had to think about why my students could not keep their eyes on me during instruction or why I have had to repeat myself – sometimes more than once – when giving directions. There have been times when I would ask a question and the only response I get is a room full of blank stares or a response that has nothing to do with the lesson. Another thing that I have experienced are what I like to call my “frequent fliers”. These students are the ones that consistently ask to use the restroom, drink water, or go to the nurse – usually around the same time every day. When thinking about all these factors, I realized that these factors may all be connected to one thing . . . they are bored. So I came up with this Action Research question: How can I ensure that all my students are engaged in the lesson?
I believe that if I could get all of my students to be engaged in the lesson, they would not become bored. Engagement leads to a more positive view about their classroom and school environment. Being engaged would make it easier for them to focus, which would make it easier for them to understand the lesson, which would lead to them being able to answer questions about the lesson. Having the students engaged in the lessons may also prevent my “frequent fliers” from leaving the room because they would not have the opportunity to think about something other than the lesson or they would not want to miss any part of the lesson.