Click below to hear about engaging students in lecture:
We are continuing our series on all different (and simple) ways to engage your students! In this episode, I’m going to be talking through engaging your students in lecture because lectures don’t have to be boring! In fact, they can be engaging and effective when used correctly in a classroom that is balanced with active learning experiences and direct instruction.
You may think I’m crazy, but I actually really enjoy lectures, and I’m confident that you can too! Hear me out. Lectures can still be a useful instructional strategy that can help solidify the learning our students do during active learning experiences.
There is research that shows that students often perceive that they learn more from direct instruction, like lectures, than they do from active learning experiences. Perceive is the key word because they actually retain more information when they are engaged in active learning methods.
Despite that, our high school students are still developing their cognitive muscles and their minds do get tired. They don’t always have the stamina for the intense critical thinking that the more active learning methods require. They need moments of learning inside their comfort zone and outside of their comfort zone. So, today I’ll share why I still lecture, and I’ll give you my five best strategies for engaging your students in lecture.
You still have time to enter the January giveaway in honor of the launch of the podcast. Two winners will receive either $100 in store credit to the INRS resource shop or an INRS custom Rtic tumbler and a $30 TpT gift card! To enter the giveaway:
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The giveaway will close on January 31, 2022.
Topics Discussed in Engaging Students in Lecture:
- Why it’s important to give students opportunities to learn within their comfort zones and outside of their comfort zones and how we can do that
- How to incorporate a conversational lecture style in your classroom
- Tips for making content relevant for your students so they stay engaged during lectures
- Ways to break up lectures with active learning experiences
- Ideas for including lectures even if you’re teaching virtually
Resources Mentioned:
- Grab the Wave Behaviors Lab Station Activity
- Grab Your FREE Anatomy of a Class Period Lesson Plan
- Check out Nearpod
- Download your FREE Classroom Reset Challenge.
- Follow, rate, and review on Apple Podcasts!
Related Episodes and Blog Posts:
- Episode 5: Engaging Your Students – Without Exhausting Yourself
- Make Lectures Engaging: 4 Tips for Lectures that are Effective and Engaging
- Everything You Need to Know About Using Stations in High School Science Classes
- How to Use Cornell Notes in High School Science
- 4 Ways to Hit the Reset Button and Reclaim your Class (and Life)
- 5 Teacher Organization Ideas on a Budget for Secondary Teachers
- Balancing Multiple Preps
- How to be a GREAT teacher – and only work 40 hours a week
Connect with Rebecca:
- Join the list
- Follow me on Instagram
- Like us on Facebook
- Join the Secondary Science Simplified Course Waitlist
- Shop my TpT Store
More about Secondary Science Simplified:
Secondary Science Simplified is a podcast specifically for high school science teachers that will help you to engage your students AND simplify your life as a secondary science educator. Each week Rebecca, from It’s Not Rocket Science, and her guests will share practical and easy-to-implement strategies for decreasing your workload so that you can stop working overtime and start focusing your energy doing what you love – actually teaching!
Teaching doesn’t have to be rocket science, and you’ll learn exactly what you need to do to simplify your secondary science teaching life so that you can enjoy your life outside of school even more. Head to itsnotrocketscienceclassroom.com/challenge to grab your FREE Classroom Reset Challenge.
