Student Engagement
When asked to describe their ideal school students respond as follows, “my ideal school is where …
When these conditions are fully present (at least temporarily) then we find that students are fully engaged in learning
We also observe that in this state – “students …
Children are right, safety is an absolute pre-condition for them to thrive.
When we feel unsafe, anxious, stressed then our brains shift resources to the more primitive parts of the brain – the “Red Zone” - the part designed for survival of the organism
In this state little higher order learning can take place, we are optimised to do simple tasks very well and we are very sensitive to threat
Once safe, our brains are able to shift ‘disposal resources’ around to parts of the brain that are more socially oriented and that engage higher order cognition.
What causes us to shift resources to the “Blue Zone” is the presence of another human being who respects us, who believes in us, who listens to us.
This is a key outcome – it is humans who engage humans.
The mind state a teacher needs to be in to engage a student is also well-defined.
When a teacher is fully engaging students the following behaviours are observable in that teacher:
The third builds the cognitive ability of students, and specifically engages them through content.
Cognition plays a particular role:
I.e, if we are not aware of something we cannot value it or be concerned about it
Cognition – literacy, numeracy amongst many other forms– is necessary but NOT sufficient for the full range of higher order learning, to become fully human.
In short, to develop cognition I can engage with a CONTENT, to develop along many (if not all) of the other lines I must engage with PEOPLE.
We know that from our extensive research, about 10% of teachers combine CONTENT/PEOPLE skills and are quite outstanding. Such teachers are found everywhere in our education systems, even in otherwise mediocre schools
Yet most teachers respond to system imperatives and focus on delivery of CONTENT - they don’t emulate the outstanding teachers but are often frustrated and time poor.
What do teachers need for this to change?
To be effective and satisfied in their work teachers need to be in an environment that provides:
clear moral purpose: engaging every child in their own learning
clarity around how to behave based on mutual respect
interesting and challenging work
This explains how outstanding teachers can act independently of their local cultures and how an outstanding principal can transform a school
To create these conditions for most teachers means a shift in school culture: moral purpose and behaviour are heavily influenced by the attitudes and behaviours of senior leaders to change a culture leaders need to change themselves, and this change needs to be visible and experienced by other staff.
Cognitive coaching is a solutions-focused, self-directed methodology that engages coachees with their own thinking and learning in determining both the nature and the scope of their next point of professional growth.
Training leaders as cognitive coaches is an effective way of providing short-term benefit whilst making a long-term shift in culture.
Cognitive coaching is an effective way to:
Summary of Points:
Development of cognition is necessary for higher order learning, the proper goal of numeracy and literacy development
Growth of other “developmental lines” comes from engaging students in the “blue zone” that optimises higher order learning. This also reduces poor behaviour (further enhancing development of cognition)
and works for teachers too!
Teaching professionals can do both:
The key is a change in the culture of schools (“how we do things”) to accommodate both dimensions, this can only be achieved by the exercise of leadership at both school and system levels.
Cognitive coaching is an ideal vehicle for engineering this shift.
When asked to describe their ideal school students respond as follows, “my ideal school is where …
- I am safe”
- I am respected by teachers”
- I am believed in by teachers”
- I am listened to by teachers”
- my teachers are knowledgeable in their subjects”
When these conditions are fully present (at least temporarily) then we find that students are fully engaged in learning
We also observe that in this state – “students …
- have confidence in themselves”
- respect their teacher”
- have the desire to go out of their way not to disappoint or let down their teacher”
Children are right, safety is an absolute pre-condition for them to thrive.
When we feel unsafe, anxious, stressed then our brains shift resources to the more primitive parts of the brain – the “Red Zone” - the part designed for survival of the organism
In this state little higher order learning can take place, we are optimised to do simple tasks very well and we are very sensitive to threat
Once safe, our brains are able to shift ‘disposal resources’ around to parts of the brain that are more socially oriented and that engage higher order cognition.
What causes us to shift resources to the “Blue Zone” is the presence of another human being who respects us, who believes in us, who listens to us.
This is a key outcome – it is humans who engage humans.
The mind state a teacher needs to be in to engage a student is also well-defined.
When a teacher is fully engaging students the following behaviours are observable in that teacher:
- fully present in the moment
- unconditional respect shown to students
- a deep knowledge of subject and instructional practice
The third builds the cognitive ability of students, and specifically engages them through content.
Cognition plays a particular role:
- other lines cannot develop if cognition does not
- can have high cognition and low moral intelligence but not low cognition and high moral intelligence
I.e, if we are not aware of something we cannot value it or be concerned about it
Cognition – literacy, numeracy amongst many other forms– is necessary but NOT sufficient for the full range of higher order learning, to become fully human.
In short, to develop cognition I can engage with a CONTENT, to develop along many (if not all) of the other lines I must engage with PEOPLE.
We know that from our extensive research, about 10% of teachers combine CONTENT/PEOPLE skills and are quite outstanding. Such teachers are found everywhere in our education systems, even in otherwise mediocre schools
Yet most teachers respond to system imperatives and focus on delivery of CONTENT - they don’t emulate the outstanding teachers but are often frustrated and time poor.
What do teachers need for this to change?
To be effective and satisfied in their work teachers need to be in an environment that provides:
clear moral purpose: engaging every child in their own learning
clarity around how to behave based on mutual respect
interesting and challenging work
This explains how outstanding teachers can act independently of their local cultures and how an outstanding principal can transform a school
To create these conditions for most teachers means a shift in school culture: moral purpose and behaviour are heavily influenced by the attitudes and behaviours of senior leaders to change a culture leaders need to change themselves, and this change needs to be visible and experienced by other staff.
Cognitive coaching is a solutions-focused, self-directed methodology that engages coachees with their own thinking and learning in determining both the nature and the scope of their next point of professional growth.
Training leaders as cognitive coaches is an effective way of providing short-term benefit whilst making a long-term shift in culture.
Cognitive coaching is an effective way to:
- develop leaders to model systematically the key attitudes and behaviours that underpin a learning culture
- reframe the basis of relationships amongst adults in a school from managerial/transactional to professional/developmental
- engage adults deeply in their own learning, where learning occurs at the edge of the comfort zone
Summary of Points:
Development of cognition is necessary for higher order learning, the proper goal of numeracy and literacy development
Growth of other “developmental lines” comes from engaging students in the “blue zone” that optimises higher order learning. This also reduces poor behaviour (further enhancing development of cognition)
and works for teachers too!
Teaching professionals can do both:
- subject knowledge and instructional practices to build cognition
- attitudes and behaviours to engage students and build other developmental lines (self, interpersonal, moral, etc)
The key is a change in the culture of schools (“how we do things”) to accommodate both dimensions, this can only be achieved by the exercise of leadership at both school and system levels.
Cognitive coaching is an ideal vehicle for engineering this shift.