Engaging students isn’t always an easy task. While some students are naturally interested in and excel at maths, for example, others won’t be. So, what are some ways you can engage students and get them interested in your subject?
On top of this, what are some of the signs that a student is Disinterested or unengaged in school work due to personal reasons, such as issues at home or bullying?
In this post, Anglicare Victoria covers these topics of engaging students and spotting the signs of disengaged students.
Target what interests them
Some students may not naturally find particular subjects interesting. For example, there might be a student who has never found mathematics very engaging, so they tend to fall behind on maths homework or fail to pay attention during maths class.
But what if there’s an aspect of mathematics which they do find especially interesting, such as budgeting? While long division on its own may not be interesting to the student, it may become quite engaging through the lens of create a budget for an event.
This is just an example: there are many other creative ways to engage a student by targeting what they personally find interesting about the subject.
Get interactive
If students are failing to pay close attention to your subject, it might be time to get interactive. Interactive learning offers an alternative to passive learning. Where passive learning involves listening, observing and memorising subject content, interactive learning is about getting students to actively participate and think critically. Many students find interactive learning more stimulating and engaging than passive learning.
Other reasons a student may not be engaged at school
If you sense there’s a different reason a student is not engaged in your subject, they could be experiencing personal issues. Anglicare Victoria’s Meridian Youth and Family Therapy program is available for students in Victoria. This program aims to identify and address issues such as:
- Adolescent violence in the home
- Anxiety
- Behavioural problems
- Bullying
- Couple and parenting conflict
- Depression
- Family breakdown
- Gaming & internet misuse
- Grief and loss
- Parent-adolescent conflict
- Parenting and co-parenting issues
- Sexual identity & gender issues
- School refusal
- Social isolation
- Step–family issues
Signs to look out for in Disinterested students
If a student has suddenly or gradually become disengaged in school subjects, look out for:
- Decline in school attendance
- Signs of isolation from peers
- Signs of anxiety and depression
Get in touch with Anglicare Victoria if you’re struggling to engage a student in your subject. The Meridian program strengthens relationships and improves family functioning while also focusing on the evolving needs of the young person. Many of the families referred to the Meridian program want to find solutions to their problems and we know that each person in the family is impacted differently when there are worries, problems or conflict and communication difficulties. Contact Anglicare Victoria to learn more about how we can assist you.
