Engaging Students Must Be Present To Win

 by Robert "Bob" Lewandowski

Engaging students equals successful students. Until we make school the best part of every student's day, they will struggle with attendance, achievement, and graduation rates. Failure to engage students has resulted in students tuning out and dropping out. Finding new ways to connect with students is difficult. Getting them to choose to connect, engage and be present takes thinking outside the box.

Sacaton Elementary School District wants students and parents to know that good things can happen to those who participate and engage in learning. Building trust is key in this process. Even more so, being present in mind and body are keys to learning engagement. This initiative compliments our School Mission to "engage students to take ownership of their learning, embrace the culture, and contribute to the world around them."

RESEARCH SAYS: Brain based learning tells us that working memory is stored in the brain's prefrontal cortex during instruction of SIGNIFICANT INFORMATION, SPECIAL EVENTS or information that is REPEATED. Working memory only stays in the prefrontal cortex for 3-7 days. If information is not SIGNIFICANT, SPECIAL or REPEATED, it will not be converted to long-term memory. Our goal as educators is to capture and hold working memory. 

This year our school has developed a student engagement initiative: MUST BE PRESENT TO WIN! Our goal is not only to get kids to come to school, but be present while doing so. It is important to do this consistently to capture working memory; therefore, we are asking kids to begin making school a habit of consistency (thus 10 days in a row). Coming to school consistently results in presence of mind as well as body. Hence MUST BE PRESENT TO WIN!

We are "kicking this initiative off" at the Middle School by offering students the chance to win a "preseason" experience and attend the Arizona Cardinals vs Kansas City Chiefs game on Saturday, August 19, 2023, with several of our staff members through an initial engagement exercise. The teachers and students interested in this engagement exercise must email their principal, Mr. Don Shopp the following message: "My name is (first and last name) and I want to be present to win in the 2023 and 2024 school year." Do get me wrong, we can't possibly buy tickets for every middle school student and teacher, but have purchased 12 tickets. Engaging in this activity only gives our teachers and students a chance. Like in life, there are no promises or assurances of success, but if you don't engage and participate, you don't have much of a change to win!

We will draw tickets on Monday, August 14, 2023, and verify winners (get permissions) by Wednesday, August 16, 2023. There will be 8 students and 4 staff members selected. Drawings will be done via Zoom for every class to engage. There will be 8 alternates drawn incase permission can't be obtained. We will pick students up at the middle school on August 19, Sunday afternoon at 3:00 PM and bring them home after the game at State Farm Stadium in Phoenix. 

REMEMBER

People don't care what you know until they know that you care!

BE BRAVE!

MAKE A DIFFERENCE!