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Students from poverty can be one of the most difficult populations to motivate and inspire. The consequences of living in poverty often result in increased transience, absenteeism, and high drop-out rates. The conditions and daily stress of living in poverty can leave students hopeless and disaffected. While engaging any student can improve academic achievement, students from poverty are some of the most vulnerable among us and engaging them will not only improve their academic achievement, but may very well change their futures. In this 3 credit hour course, participants will learn exactly how to motivate, energize and focus their students from poverty to improve engagement, cognitive skills and achievement.
Organization
Participants are encouraged to access the course regularly and make reasonable progress, but there are no due dates attached to individual assignments. Instead there are 2 absolute due dates (mid-term and the last day of class) to provide flexibility and to better accommodate participants' busy schedules. Work for this course will be posted in forums allowing participants to discuss material and share knowledge and experience. In addition to the required text, course goals will be met using a combination of discussions, activities, supplemental readings, videos, and a comprehensive assignment. Participants will have opportunities to discuss, reflect and put into practice new information. The instructor will monitor all discussions and offer feedback and coaching on activities and assignments.
Course Objectives
By the end of the course, participants will:
1. Know the 7 factors that have the biggest influences on engagement
2. Know the 5 most effective approaches for facilitating engagement
3. Be able to implement strategies for creating a positive environment
4. Be able to implement strategies for building cognitive abilities and deepening learning
5. Be able to implement strategies for cultivating motivation
6. Be able to implement strategies for energizing and focusing students
Course Topics
1. Teaching approaches that affect engagement
2. Conditions that limit student motivation
3. Creating a positive culture
4. Improving attention and teaching problem solving
5. Effects of poverty on working memory and language processing
6. Risk-taking, feedback and deep understanding
7. Movement, music and energy
8. Structure and teamwork
9. Implementing an engagement plan
Grading
Grading is the same whether the course is taken for graduate credit or for license renewal. Students are required to participate in
all discussion forums and to complete all assignments and/or activities. A=90%-100%; B=80%-89%-Because this is a graduate level course, scores must be 80% or better to receive credit.
Required Text: Engaging Students with Poverty in Mind: Practical Strategies for Raising Achievement (2013) by Eric Jensen. It can be purchased through local bookstores or ordered online.
Participants are encouraged to access the course regularly and make reasonable progress, but there are no due dates attached to individual assignments. Instead there are 2 absolute due dates (mid-term and the last day of class) to provide flexibility and to better accommodate participants' busy schedules. Work for this course will be posted in forums allowing participants to discuss material and share knowledge and experience. In addition to the required text, course goals will be met using a combination of discussions, activities, supplemental readings, videos, and a comprehensive assignment. Participants will have opportunities to discuss, reflect and put into practice new information. The instructor will monitor all discussions and offer feedback and coaching on activities and assignments.
Course Objectives
By the end of the course, participants will:
1. Know the 7 factors that have the biggest influences on engagement
2. Know the 5 most effective approaches for facilitating engagement
3. Be able to implement strategies for creating a positive environment
4. Be able to implement strategies for building cognitive abilities and deepening learning
5. Be able to implement strategies for cultivating motivation
6. Be able to implement strategies for energizing and focusing students
Course Topics
1. Teaching approaches that affect engagement
2. Conditions that limit student motivation
3. Creating a positive culture
4. Improving attention and teaching problem solving
5. Effects of poverty on working memory and language processing
6. Risk-taking, feedback and deep understanding
7. Movement, music and energy
8. Structure and teamwork
9. Implementing an engagement plan
Grading
Grading is the same whether the course is taken for graduate credit or for license renewal. Students are required to participate in
all discussion forums and to complete all assignments and/or activities. A=90%-100%; B=80%-89%-Because this is a graduate level course, scores must be 80% or better to receive credit.
Required Text: Engaging Students with Poverty in Mind: Practical Strategies for Raising Achievement (2013) by Eric Jensen. It can be purchased through local bookstores or ordered online.