There are many reasons that 13-year-olds could be disengaged in school. Usually those reasons take place outside of school: the prevalence of cell phones and video games; lack of sleep or food; and it is often their hormones at that age. Whatever the reason, it is our job as teachers to offer the most engaging environment possible. If students are comfortable and given choices at school, they are most likely to be in school.
Gone are the days of sitting in rows, lecturing and silent classrooms. Students learn best in collaborative groups, solving problems with their peers, and they need flexible seating to do that. The look of the science classroom changes every day. Bean bag chairs and yoga ball chairs allow students to move around the room, make their own peer groups and work together to do science projects and hands-on activities. Sometimes students need to work independently and focus so they can think critically. Stand up desks, yoga ball chairs and headphones allow students to concentrate when they need to, and choose the best setting for themselves.
Flexible seating, technology, and headphones (to reduce distractions) have been proven to increase student engagement. Engaged students participate, retain information, and enjoy learning. This flexibility is especially important for 8th grade students who want to exercise their independence and are still figuring out how they learn best. All of this is necessary for them to succeed in high school and college.
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There are many reasons that 13-year-olds could be disengaged in school. Usually those reasons take place outside of school: the prevalence of cell phones and video games; lack of sleep or food; and it is often their hormones at that age. Whatever the reason, it is our job as teachers to offer the most engaging environment possible. If students are comfortable and given choices at school, they are most likely to be in school.
Gone are the days of sitting in rows, lecturing and silent classrooms. Students learn best in collaborative groups, solving problems with their peers, and they need flexible seating to do that. The look of the science classroom changes every day. Bean bag chairs and yoga ball chairs allow students to move around the room, make their own peer groups and work together to do science projects and hands-on activities. Sometimes students need to work independently and focus so they can think critically. Stand up desks, yoga ball chairs and headphones allow students to concentrate when they need to, and choose the best setting for themselves.
Flexible seating, technology, and headphones (to reduce distractions) have been proven to increase student engagement. Engaged students participate, retain information, and enjoy learning. This flexibility is especially important for 8th grade students who want to exercise their independence and are still figuring out how they learn best. All of this is necessary for them to succeed in high school and college.
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