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<\/figure>\n\n\n\nCan we all agree that presently, there is so much competition for students\u2019 attention both during and beyond the school day? It is a striking reality, and realities shouldn\u2019t be ignored. I recall being told over a decade ago that a student\u2019s attention to a specific task is limited to 8-12 minutes at a time. This range has been contextualized and adjusted both up and down over time.<\/strong><\/a> Regardless, I always questioned this assertion as I witnessed middle and high school relatives playing sports and video games for hours. Luckily, I came across the work of Dr. John Almarode from James Madison University.<\/strong><\/a> <\/p>\n\n\n\n As an expert in student engagement and attention, his work has greatly influenced my understanding<\/strong><\/a>. Summarized below are eight \u201clook-for\u201d he identified regarding student engagement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n When you work with schools, it is essential that you remain current on education research, policy, and practice. Not doing so can place you in an unenviable position that could be, on the low end, hard to backtrack out of. In a more severe case, touting a position or practice that is flawed runs the risk of discrediting you and your organization. For example, every time a vendor mentions the value of learning styles or how their product or services support learning styles, both of my eyebrows raise. The reason for this reaction is that \u201clearning styles\u201d have been discredited as an educational belief<\/strong><\/a> or practice<\/strong><\/a> for some time now. As you may suspect, I then share this gaff with our colleagues and beyond with the concerning question, \u201cWhat else are they getting wrong that I wouldn\u2019t be able to justify with our community?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n To return to the \u201cstudent attention and engagement\u201d topic we began with, I suggest doing some work upfront to understand the vision and work the school or district has engaged in regarding these topics. This will help get you \u201cspeaking their language\u201d and show a level of personalization that, like the topic at hand, is so important. Then, bolster your understanding with some salient articles, podcasts, and research studies that you can reference with confidence and share with your contacts. These two steps will set you apart from your competition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Written by: <\/strong>Craig Perrier<\/p>\n\n\n\n Educational Thought Leader and Practitioner<\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n Craig is the High School Social Studies Curriculum and Instruction Specialist for Fairfax County Public Schools in Fairfax, VA. He also is an online adjunct professor of education for Framingham State University and the teacher certification program, Educate VA. Previously, he taught at American Schools in Brazil for six years and for six years in public schools in Massachusetts. <\/p>\n\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n\n
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