Engagement as a Goal

When we think of goals during independent and collaborative work, we often focus on academic progress. However, in the first few days of school—and as needed throughout the year—we may need to work with students to set goals aimed at improving their engagement behaviors. Ross W. Greene, in his book Lost at School (2014), reminds us that “challenges occur because of lagging skills and unsolved problems and should be approached with precisely the same mentality, and in the same manner as academic challenges” (p. 168). With this in mind, we approach engagement challenges just as we do academic ones—through individual conferences.

If a student struggles to demonstrate engagement during learning, we use these conferences to identify specific goals, provide support, and teach strategies for success. Engagement behaviors are key to a productive learning environment, and focusing on them helps students stay on task and build habits that promote growth.

To determine if a student could benefit from an engagement goal, we reference the behaviors outlined in our independent and collaborative learning charts. These include:

• work the whole time,
• get started right away,
• stay in one spot,
• work quietly,
• ignore distractions, and
• persevere

If a student struggles with one or more of these engagement behaviors, we confer with them to identify a specific goal. Together, we select a strategy and develop a plan to support the student in mastering that behavior.

By addressing engagement as a goal, we empower students to take ownership of their learning process, build self-regulation skills, and build the independence needed for lifelong success.