Student engagement is so important to learning. Engaged students do not need prodding or coddling. They get into the work and often exceed my expectations. I know a unit is a hit when students become engaged. It is also obvious when a unit is not a hit. So why don’t I make all of my units engaging? This is where the moving target comes in. Student engagement is a moving target.

For several years I have been doing a car buying unit in my economics classes. It has always been a great hit. This year it was okay, but there was nowhere near the enthusiasm. What happened? My students this year are just not that interested in cars. I don’t know why the big change. These students see cars less as status symbols and more as utilitarian transportation vehicles. I guess that’s good for them, but it did not help my unit be a smashing success.

My home buying unit had the opposite effect. The students this year were really into it, more so than ever before. They wanted to know why prices per square foot so different in Oakley and Orinda, or Oklahoma City for that matter? So many questions from home amenities to the Subprime Mortgage Crisis. Most seemed worried about being able to afford buying a home. I could find no other reason for this high interest level. Whatever the reason, this was the best year ever for teaching this unit. Students have always liked this unit but this year was a notch above the rest.

Much to my chagrin, women’s rights has never been a captivating topic for my students. Year after year I have tried to find the magic ingredient that would make it a hit. This year my students are really into it, girls and boys alike. I did nothing different. Pow, there it was out of the blue. Maybe it’s the news coverage, but that’s been around for awhile. Whatever made the change, my students are finally with me on this one. I had no clue until the first lesson. For my next three lessons, I made some changes to focus on their interests and doubled down on the difficulty level. The summative assessment assignment is looking great.

What I have learned from this is that, if I want to engage my students, I must always be alert to their interests. These interests are a moving target and liable to change from year to year. I must be ready to adapt by changing units and modifying lessons, sometimes at the last minute. I have also learned that I can make the lessons more challenging when they are engaging. I can focus on the higher level thinking skills that make all learning easier. What I have not learned is how to predict what will engage my students each year. 

I think this is what makes teaching so fun. Along with the students, with their endless unpredictable and entertaining behavior, teaching is never the same. From the small tweaks to the total revamps, you just never know what the new year will bring. And, if you know how to predict what will engage our students, will you please give me a heads up. It will help me spend more time sleeping and less time making those last minute changes.