In Part 4 of this series, we continue to look at various hooks that teachers can use to engage their students. I warn you that the list might seem overwhelming, but I think that is the point. Much of what I have gotten out of the Teach Like a Pirate and Learn Like a Pirate books is that teachers have to keep building their tool kit of student engagement strategies. We will never be perfect, but we should strive to be prolific. We should take risks and keep stretching. We should continue to use the strategies that we have used successfully in the past, but we must keep trying new ones as well.
1. 10 Star Wars Posters for Educators
The next series of hooks attempts to find ways that can help students see “what’s in it for me?” These are personal hooks and ones that give some personal meaning to the students.
- The Student Hobby Hook
- How can I incorporate the hobbies and outside interests of my students into the material?
- Do I even know the hobbies and outside interests of my students? If not, how can I find out?
- How can I harness the power of connecting my content to what students are already interested in?
- The Real-World Application Hook
- How can I show my students why learning this content is important in the real world?
- How will they possibly apply this in their life?
- Can we increase motivation and engagement by offering reasons to learn that go beyond “because it’s on the test?”
- The Life-Changing Lesson Hook
- How can I use this lesson to deliver an inspirational message?
- What type of life-changing lesson can be incorporated into the content?
- What type of essential questions can I ask that allow students the opportunity for personal reflection and growth?
- The Student-Directed Hook
- How can I provide opportunities for autonomy and choice in this unit/lesson?
- Can I allow student interest to dictate our direction and learning while still covering what we need to address?
- How can I release some of my control and provide students the chance to be the experts and directors of this subject?
- The Opportunistic Hook
- What current events are related to this lesson?
- Is there a hot topic in the news or in school that I can use to capture student interest?
- What aspects of current pop culture can I it into this material?
- How can I incorporate popular TV shows or movies in order to make this relevant and engaging for my class?
- Can I put intriguing images of current events on the walls with QR codes underneath that link to more information?
- The Interior Design Hook
- How can I transform my room to create the ultimate atmosphere for this lesson?
- Can I change the lighting for mood?
- Can I cover or decorate the walls, ceiling or the floor?
- How can I rearrange the desks for this lesson to be most effective?
- If I were throwing a theme party at my house for this subject, what would I do?
- It a theme park were opening up a new attraction based on my lesson, what would it include?
- The Boar Message Hook
- What can I write on my board or have projected on my screen that will immediately spark curiosity and interest as the students enter the room?
- What type of message will create a buzz and provoke students to point it out and begin to talk to each other about it before the bell even rings?
- Can I just put a QR code on the board or screen and see what happens?
- The Costume Hook
- What can I wear as an outfit or costume for this lesson?
- Is there an existing character I can impersonate?
- Can I invent a superhero or super villain for this subject?
- What accessory can I wear to enhance my presentation?
- The Props Hook
- What physical items can I bring to add to my presentation?
- What image can I show?
- Instead of just talking about a book, can I bring it?
- Instead of just mentioning a person, can I show their picture?
- What can I bring that students can actually hold in their hands and pass up and down the aisles?
- The Involved Audience Hook
- How can I consistently keep the audience feeling involved?
- Can I cue them to make certain motions or sounds at key points?
- Can I, unknown to their classmates, cue certain students to play a pre-arranged role?
- Can I bring students to the front of the room as volunteers?
- The Mystery Bag Hook
- How can I gain engagement by openly hiding something from the class?
- Can I have a closed box or package on the front desk?
- How can I build up the suspense of the unveiling?
- Can I give hints and open the floor for guesses?
- What can I put into the mystery box or bag that would tie to my lesson?
- After displaying the item, how can I get students to try to figure out the relationship between it and the lesson?
- The Storytelling Hook
- What captivating story can I tell that would draw students into the lesson?
- What techniques of the master storytellers, such as dramatic build, can I use to enhance this presentation?
- How would speaking in character, using accents, changing intonations, and varying volume for effect (even whispering) have an impact on the class?
- How can I use facial expressions, dramatic pauses, and gestures to improve the power of my presentation?
- The Swimming with the Sharks Hook
- How can I enter the audience and break down the barrier between teacher and class?
- Can I participate in the activity?
- Can I storm up and down the rows?
- Is there a different place, or multiple places, that I can present from for the sake of novelty?
1. 10 Star Wars Posters for Educators
Links to Interesting Web Tools:
Quote of the Day:
1. “Education is not to reform students or amuse them or to make them expert technicians. It is to unsettle their minds, widen their horizons, inflame their intellects, teach them to think straight, if possible.” -- Robert M. Hutchins
2. “Teaching kids to count is fine, but teaching them what counts is best.” -- Bob Talber
3. "Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn." -- Benjamin Franklin
2. “Teaching kids to count is fine, but teaching them what counts is best.” -- Bob Talber
3. "Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn." -- Benjamin Franklin
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