How to generate meaningful involvement in the classroom

Sit down, keep quiet, do your work, be still, get involved, concentrate, do not do that!

Teachers often resort to managing their group of learners by giving instruction after instruction, which creates military style obedience that is due to fear rather than respect. At the end of the day, is that what we would like for our learners?

It may be more difficult and require more creativity, however allowing learners some leeway in the classroom and approaching situations in a positive and encouraging manner will not only show them that you respect and trust them, but will stimulate their involvement in class.

Military style management of a classroom or even a school will make learners fearful of stepping a toe out of line or giving an incorrect answer. When teachers are strict and set boundaries for creativity, learners immediately shut off and hide their true opinions and thoughts. Teachers often then get frustrated when none of the learners feel free to open up or give their opinions, but the teachers have created this environment themselves.

I truly believe that if we want to get our learners involved in a lesson, we ought to create a positive environment and allow them a degree of freedom. This will in turn lead them to respect you as an educator and they will not take advantage when given space to be creative. You can form a mutual trust, where the learners respect you, because you have shown them trust.

This will produce a classroom where learners feel free to get involved and speak openly. Learners will be willing to participate and communicate with the teacher their peers.

This should be the goal of all teachers, to make their pupils involved, not by forcing them but rather by making them want to be involved.

When a learner has chosen, on his or her own accord, to contribute to the lesson, this is when meaningful involved in attained.