Dr. Floyd Williams, Chicago, on Keeping Students Engaged

As the holidays and break approach, it can be challenging for any educator to keep their students focused on school. Your students are looking forward to time off, as are you. It can be difficult to keep them on task when you’re also thinking about vacation and making a mental checklist of everything you need to get done before the holidays are actually here. You’re going to need to put in some extra effort to keep students focused, but you can use these tips to make it easier.

Work on a project

A great way to keep students focused and involved in class is to assign a project. Make sure it’s something that allows them to be creative; working in groups can be even better. They’ll have time to socialize while also working on an assignment for class. Allow time during your regular class periods for them to work on this project and make it as interesting as possible while also relevant to what they’re doing for class.

Incorporate holidays into class

Incorporating holidays into your classroom can be as simple as allowing students to decorate the class in ways that represent whatever holidays they celebrate at home. If you have the time, you can do a short lesson on the history behind certain holidays and the various traditions that go along with them. Being festive in school can help the students stay focused instead of feeling like school is in the way of celebrating.

Move around

Your students are going to have a lot of excess energy, which can lead to distractions in class. If you want to get rid of that energy without disrupting class, take some time each day to move around. Find a few minutes to play a quick game that gets students moving. Having them work in groups gives them time to move around the room and work in different locations. If you have the time and space, take your students for a short walk around the school.

Reward your students

Finding ways to reward your students can keep them engaged in your lessons and working hard. Something simple as offering a day you bring in snacks or giving out small prizes to students who accomplish certain tasks can help avoid distractions near the holidays. Some students are motivated by grades, but having something tangible that they can see can often be even better motivation.

Stay relaxed

The best way to keep yourself engaged and make the time around the holidays go smoothly is simply by staying relaxed. You might not get all the work done that you need to and there might be days when your class is totally distracted, but remember to go with the flow. Instead of stressing yourself out, staying relaxed makes these next few weeks easier for you and your students.

About the Author

Dr. Floyd Williams is an education leader who has decades of experience in his field. He's worked in many positions within education, starting as a reading and math teacher and eventually moving all the way up to the position of superintendent. Floyd recognizes that students must be the focus of a school district and it is through them that true success is achieved. Students need educators who are dedicated to helping them make the most of their potential and work tirelessly toward their goals. Dr. Floyd Williams also feels passionately about the importance of diversity and helping those students that are disadvantaged get the tools they need to truly succeed. He believes mentorship is an incredible tool as well as continuously learning how to be a strong leader.