Student Engagement
Are you experiencing any of the following symptoms:
- Low or declining average daily attendance rates
- High percentage of students missing distance learning check-ins
- Increasing discipline issues
- Overall sense of apathy within student body
- Low percentage of student population involved in extracurriculars
- Poor student attendance at school events
If so, these are symptoms of an underlying student engagement issue. The Renaissance resources below can help you address the lack of and improve upon student engagement. Our top recommendations are listed first, followed by our entire library of resources for student engagement. If you would like input on how to best use these resources, check out the Implementation Plan section at the bottom of this page.
Featured Resources
Educator Summit – Student Motivation
In this session from the Jostens Renaissance Educator Summit series, multiple examples are given for how to increase student engagement in both the classroom and the hallways of your school. Show this Video on Demand to your entire teaching staff and follow the viewing with a discussion on how energy, expectation, and instructional practices can dictate student engagement.
Getting Started Kit – Rallies
This tutorial video from the Jostens Renaissance Getting Started Kit shares the importance of adding academic rally experiences to your athletic pep rally events. Show this video to your student leaders and their faculty sponsors and begin listing groups of students that could be honored and recognized in an academic rally on your campus.
On-The-Spot Awards
The best way to motivate students to engage in the behaviors you most desire is to publicly and consistently recognize and reward them when they exhibit those behaviors. The On-The-Spot awards found in the Jostens Renaissance store are a great way to do just that! Distribute them to staffulty and ask them to give one to students who show the qualities you most desire from your student body.
Exclusive Student Engagement Resources
Video on Demand sharing classroom management strategies for distance learning
Webinar Series – Student Motivation
Video on Demand webinar full of ideas for recognizing and rewarding students
The Pulse Student Recognition Survey
Scientifically validated survey tool measuring student, teacher, and parent evaluations of your school’s student recognition practices
Jostens Renaissance Virtual Conference – Everyone Matters: Student Recognition
Video on Demand providing multiple best practices for student recognition
Jostens Renaissance Virtual Conference – Renaissance Cards
Video on Demand with instruction on how to create a formalized student reward system
Jostens Renaissance Virtual Conference – Using 5-Star Students
Video on Demand describing technology platform used by other Renaissance schools for tracking student engagement
RenTalk – Harbor Homeroom
Video on Demand depicting one school’s approach to merging student leadership, peer mentorship, and character education
Harbor Episode – High School Experience
Video-based lesson with discussion prompts sharing advice on school engagement from graduating students for their underclassmen peers
Harbor Episode – School Spirit
Video-based lesson with discussion prompts with dialogue around how togetherness increases school spirit
Harbor Episode – Freshman Orientation
Video-based lesson with discussion prompts offering advice to incoming freshmen
Harbor Episode – Goals
Video-based lesson with discussion prompts interviewing students on how they hold themselves and each other accountable for reaching their goals
Harbor Episode – Finishing Strong
Video-based lesson with discussion prompts encouraging students to focus on the goals they have
Curriculum Lesson – Finding Passion and Purpose
A classroom lesson plan helping students explore the connection between their passion, purpose, and the meaning of life
Curriculum Lesson – Learning Styles
A classroom lesson plan assisting students in identifying their learning styles and strategies and tools for each favored style
Curriculum Lesson – Motivation of Self and Others
A classroom lesson plan thoroughly exploring motivation strategies and theories
Curriculum Lesson – Time Management
A classroom lesson plan teaching students how to manage their time and prioritize their activities
Curriculum Lesson – Self-Improvement
A classroom lesson plan examining how personal insecurities and fears present themselves
Idea Exchange – People’s Choice Awards
Best practice idea with instructions for how to execute a formal ceremony to recognize outstanding students
Idea Exchange – Homework Motivation
Best practice for increasing homework completion
Idea Exchange – Recognition Discs
Best practice idea for personal and public recognition of character qualities you want to encourage in students
Idea Exchange – Positive Principal Referral
Best practice submission outlining how to give students positive one-on-one time with administrators and reward them for good behavior
Jostens Renaissance Store – Tokens of Appreciation
Develop a system of simple rewards and use these tokens as immediate, unexpected recognition of good deeds seen around the school.
Jostens Renaissance Store – YASSSS Button
Use this congratulatory message for celebrating small or incremental successes
Jostens Renaissance Store – Compliment Post-It Notes
Give your students words of encouragement with these fun sticky notes
Jostens Renaissance Store – Goal Getters Tracker
This item allows teachers to track progress toward one goal for multiple groups simultaneously
Jostens Renaissance Store – Way to Lead Notepads
Recognize and reinforce positive behaviors with this fun, quick note.
ConnectEd Podcast – Engaging Student Leaders
Podcast episode sharing insights on how to keep student leaders engaged and motivated
ConnectEd Podcast – Giving Student Leaders Voice
Podcast episode highlighting opportunities for giving students voice
ConnectEd Podcast – Mobilizing Student Leaders
Podcast episode with ideas for mobilizing an entire student body to give back to their school and community
ConnectEd Podcast – Recognize
Podcast episode highlighting the link between recognition and engagement
ConnectEd Podcast – Reward
Podcast episode connecting reward systems with student motivation
ConnectEd Podcast – Reinforce
Podcast episode with best practices for reinforcing the student behaviors you want repeated
ConnectEd Podcast – Commitment to Graduate
Podcast episode sharing fun ideas for keeping students focused on their graduation goals
ConnectEd Podcast – Student Involvement
Podcast episode on how student involvement impacts your school’s brand
Courageous Conversations – Engaging Students
In this episode of Courageous Conversations, Jonathan Alsheimer shares several ideas for how to transform your existing instructional resources and practices into ones students won’t be able to resist engaging with.
Courageous Conversations – Relationships
Dr. Farah Ortega-Choate shares the impact prioritizing relationships has had on her as educator and as a person.
Courageous Conversations – Achievement Gap
In this episode of Courageous Conversations, Dr. Bell shares how parents can advocate for our children’s growth.