Compliance vs Engagement
Hola Sunday Morning Coffeeites! You probably noticed I didn’t post last Sunday. Well, I hope you noticed. Because, I didn’t notice til around Wednesday. lol! Remember all the posts I’ve made about getting a good balance in your life, not being too, too busy, etc, etc, etc? I wish I had taken my own advice, but last week was so slammed with work projects, coupled with the election craziness, training new puppies, and when Sunday rolled around I…um…ok…I can’t even remember what I did on Sunday. I think a whole lot of nothing, and then it was Monday!
This week was similar, but I’ve had something stuck in my head ever since I heard Eric Sheninger’s Unpacking the Backpack podcast episode about compliance vs. engagement in the classroom. It’s a concept educators grapple with every day. We homeschool my little grandbabies, and last week the co-op they attend twice a week had a bump in the road when an instructor finally had all she could take with behavior from one kiddo. If you’re a teacher, you’ve had this issue come up at some point: zero compliance and zero engagement from one student who makes it impossible for you to teach and for anyone else to learn. It happens. The struggle of finding what works for every student in every class is real, and some times it feels more like a battle. We want engagement, but sometimes, we’d be happy with compliance. I know you know what I mean.
In the educational landscape, distinguishing between student compliance and genuine engagement is crucial for fostering meaningful learning experiences. While compliance involves students adhering to rules and completing tasks, engagement reflects a deeper, active participation in the learning process. So this is what’s been on my mind this week, and I want to take a deeper look with you.
Understanding Compliance vs. Engagement
Compliance is characterized by students following instructions, maintaining discipline, and completing assignments even if they don’t necessarily connect with the material. For instance, a student may take notes diligently during a lecture but may not internalize the content. In contrast, engagement involves emotional and cognitive investment, where students are curious, ask questions, and apply their knowledge creatively.
An illustrative example is provided by Kate Maxlow in her article "Engaging Classrooms: Are Students Engaged…or Just Compliant?" She describes a scenario where a student appears attentive and takes notes but is mentally preoccupied with unrelated thoughts, demonstrating compliance without engagement. Conversely, another student may seem distracted yet can accurately recall and discuss the lesson, indicating true engagement.
Strategies to Foster Engagement
To cultivate a balance between compliance and engagement, Maxlow suggests educators can implement the following strategies:
Create Authentic Learning Experiences: Design lessons that connect with students' lives and interests, making learning relevant and meaningful.
Encourage Active Participation: Incorporate activities that require students to analyze, evaluate, and create, promoting higher-order thinking skills.
Foster a Supportive Classroom Environment: Build a classroom culture where students feel safe to express ideas, ask questions, and take intellectual risks.
Provide Autonomy and Choice: Allow students to have a say in their learning process, such as choosing topics for projects or selecting reading materials, to boost motivation and ownership.
Utilize Formative Assessments: Use assessments that inform instruction and provide feedback, helping students reflect on their learning journey.
Arizona’s Department of Education provides its teachers with a great comparative chart that outlines behaviors and characteristics of compliance and engagement, created by The Competent Classroom LLC and Mindsteps Inc. Both are entities focused on education, with "The Competent Classroom" often associated with a book and concept about creating effective learning environments in the classroom, while "Mindsteps Inc" primarily operates as an educational consulting firm that helps schools and districts improve their teaching practices by focusing on teacher motivation and building a strong school culture. Here’s what they say about engagement and compliance:
“Engaged learners can be needy. They're often annoyed by interruptions, they question everything, and they'll follow an idea even if it takes them outside the parameters of the assignment. Compliant they are not. So here's another truth: Real engagement is not compliance.”
When we strive to have truly engaged learners, their behavior may seem to be bordering on noncompliance. As leaders in our classrooms, we have to be aware of that and make some allowances. Butts-in-the-seat-with-closed-mouths isn’t necessarily what we should be striving for, no matter how calm it makes the room.
Here’s to all of you working towards engaged students while balancing the need for compliance. It’s a tough balancing act, and you know, now that I think about it, if you supervise people at your work, train people at your work, have children or grandchildren….you’re also doing this balancing act.
Cheers to you!
