A Note from

 

Mr Day, Director of Studies

Purposeful Engagement

When was the last time you decided to ‘engage’ in something purposefully? The answer for many of us as adults is very recently, or even daily, though studies are demonstrating that an alarming number of school students are struggling to understand this principle and are becoming disengaged in their learning.

What is purposeful engagement?

Purposeful engagement can be defined as an active decision to be part of something, or to commit or think about something at a level which demonstrates a certain level of self-control in order to achieve. This can be outworked at school by a student committing solidly to their schoolwork, homework and assessment tasks, and by also involving themselves in extra-curricular opportunities when presented.

Why is it an issue?

Students can exhibit lack of engagement due to a number of reasons. Most commonly this can surround the use (or over use) of technology in unstructured environments (free time), or social factors which can occupy the forefront of a student’s mind. Student use of technology which is not closely monitored can lead to addictive behaviours (like gaming) which can cause students to see their device as for a specific purpose rather than a tool for learning. Likewise, with social issues or factors which may be happening at home or in a student’s friendship circles, these can lead to disengagement at school if not addressed and support given where needed.

What can be done about it?

Parents and schools must work closely together with the education of young people in order to have the best outcome possible. Parents should contact teachers for advice or support if they are concerned about any lack of engagement, especially towards schoolwork. Your child’s teacher/s will be more than happy to discuss specific strategies which will hopefully lead to more purposeful engagement. Not ignoring the issues is also important, as is a parent's interest or attention toward taking note of how their child is traveling on their education journey. Ask them how they are going with a subject, that assessment task, or in preparation for the upcoming class test? It is important for parents to model purposeful engagement and interest in their child’s education.

This topic will be explored in more depth throughout the next Newsletters.