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From Off-Task To On: What To Do When Kids Aren’t Working

1/5/2022

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Productively engaging students is a real challenge — but the solution may not be too far out of reach. 
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COURTNEY BROWN, New Teacher Specialist ​& ROBERTA LENGER KANG, Instructional Design Specialist

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How can we create a classroom situation where all our students are productively engaged?

Engaging a class of students in a lesson can feel like a daunting task, with constant disruptions and more students off-task than on-task. It can be overwhelming!  

Setting up predictable routines and rituals for our students is key, and staying in touch with each of our students to help them engage with a meaningful task is a crucial element of creating a productive, positive work environment. The challenge is real — but the solution may not be too far out of reach. Our Three Sweeps resource (download here) provides a practical approach to getting all students on track and working. 
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DOWNLOAD: THREE SWEEPS

The First Sweep 

First, start students on an independent task like a warm up or “do now” prompt. The most effective opening activities are tasks that engage students in the topic or theme of the lesson using prior knowledge. As students enter the class, we can point them to the prompt and activate our first “sweep” by circulating through the entire class and “touching base” with each student using a light touch and offering an affirmation or posing a question, such as:

Affirmations
  • Great start!
  • Thank you for working!
  • Love what you’ve begun here!

Questions
  • Do you have everything you need to get started?
  • Do you have any questions that are preventing you from working?
  • Is there anything I can do to help you?

This first sweep is designed to acknowledge the students who are cooperative and on task (early adopters) and offer those who are not yet settled a calming and supportive first “touch.” 

Let’s be real: students enter the classroom space in all different mindsets. We want to quickly and quietly acknowledge all of the students who are ready to work, and also have a personal and positive first contact with those who need more support to transition into their classwork. The first sweep communicates the expectation that you are recognizing each student in a supportive way, and it necessitates a personal exchange with each student.

After we’ve made contact with each student and either affirmed their engagement or redirected them to the task, we begin our second sweep.


The Second Sweep

Our second sweep is a second opportunity to touch base with all students, with a focus on supporting off-task or unsettled students settle into their work.

To start Sweep 2, quickly scan of the room and identify students who have not yet begun the activity. Maybe they’re talking or walking around the room, or maybe they’re distracted. Prioritize a second check-in with these students. 

Now, the contact and questions with students can include slightly more pointed questions to pinpoint what may help each individual student engage in the task at hand. Depending on the specific situation with each student, and the prior exchange, these questions and comments may include: 
  • Did you get stuck?
  • How’s it going so far? 
  • Are you struggling to get started?
  • What can we do to help you focus?

Students in Sweep 2 will benefit from a next step action: 
  • I’m going to check back in 5 minutes. How much can you get finished in that time?
  • We want to move to the next task soon; I’ll be back to check on your progress and I’d love for you to start the share out in the discussion.
  • Let’s focus for 5 minutes and then check in again — raise your hand if you need help before I get back.

Often, we lean on negative interventions with students who exhibit off-task behaviors, calling out students’ names in front of the class, asserting the rules or expectations, or publicly demanding a change in action. Unfortunately, these tactics are more likely to antagonize students who are struggling to connect with the work and can escalate tensions and increase students’ insecurities.

The second sweep more deeply acknowledges each student’s specific needs and offers them advice or a tool to get to work. It should be done as calmly as possible with the expectation that students will respond productively. As much as this sweep is about positive reinforcements, it’s also about accountability. If a student says there are no barriers to begin their work, then there are no more excuses, either. If there are barriers to beginning, we want to know so we can remove them and work with kids so they can fully access the assignment.

Now, it’s time for Sweep 3.

The Third Sweep

In Sweep 3, we return to a touch point for every student in the class. For students who have been working well for the duration, this is the time to check for understanding, affirm their progress, clarify any questions, and identify any obvious misunderstandings in their work so far. For students who are still struggling to engage in the task, we restate our purpose and return to our redirection questions. Restating the purpose is an important moment to communicate a shared expectation and explicitly outline the value of the task, and the community expectations.

Affirmations 
  • Great work so far, I love this answer! (Point to a relevant part of student work.)
  • How’s it going so far? Any questions or confusions?
  • I love the way you are putting effort into your work.

Clarifications
  • You’re making great progress — but take another look at . . . 
  • Be sure to reread the instructions, I can see you’re missing . . . 
  • Are you using all of your resources? You may get some help by using . . . 

Restating Purpose
  • I want to take a moment to clarify that we’re completing . . . within the next ___ minutes, in order to . . . (participate in the discussion, understand the reading, prepare for the exam)
  • As a reminder, our class norms state that everyone will focus on their work quietly so it doesn’t disrupt others’ thinking.
  • Can you remind me what our task is and why it’s relevant?

Redirect Questions
  • When we checked in last time, you said you had everything you needed, but I don’t see any work yet — what’s going on?
  • How’s it going? I’m struggling a bit because I don’t see any progress on the assignment and I really want you to be successful on this task — what should we do?

Notice that in these questions, we’re really focusing on asking the student to provide the solutions. When students choose to engage, or offer a suggestion for what would help them work better, they are more likely to implement the strategy they suggest, even if it doesn’t seem genuine to us in the moment. This is a key factor, because when we respond defensively to students who may show up distracted or disengaged, we can fall into exchanges that are more about power and control than they are about learning.

We want to remember that — especially when we’re striving to develop a culture of high expectations in a positive work environment — it's critical that we find the path to engage all students in meaningful work. That might mean setting aside our personal feelings, and staying laser focused on helping every student to engage in the task.

​Making the most of each sweep

Getting used to the three sweeps may take a little time and a little practice, but we’ve found that this is a highly effective strategy throughout the class period. Each sweep ensures that every student has at least two personal interactions with their teacher(s), and that students struggling to engage in the content have at least three positive and proactive exchanges with their teacher(s) — each serving as an opportunity to engage. To maximize the use of Three Sweeps, consider these quick tips: 

  • Set a timeframe for the task, and keep to it. If it takes longer to do the sweeps than to complete the task itself, we’re likely to lose momentum as some students finish the task before others begin! If it’s a short task (2-5 minutes), focus on Sweep 1, and give reminders about how much time students have to complete the task before the class moves on. Tasks that have 12-15 minutes should be enough time to get through all three sweeps.
  • Move around the room. This strategy requires the teacher to have personal and semi-private exchanges with all students. Cluttered classrooms without clear walkways, or spaces where students are inaccessible are red flags for redirecting off-task behaviors. Take time to create a positive learning environment that gives you easy access to all students. Grouping desks in pairs, or groups of 4-5 allows you to check in with multiple students at once.
  • Don’t get stuck! The three sweeps aren’t about private tutoring, engaging students in long conversations, or re-teaching the mini-lesson. We want to keep our sweeps focused on getting students working. Once everyone is working, then we can go back to students who are on task and need additional help or support directly from us. It can be hard to walk away from a student with a question, so set them up for success by offering them some steps they can take on their own before you come back.

​Three Sweeps can be a shortcut to student engagement and creating a culture of learning. When we get everyone involved and engaged, we can focus on the learning and build momentum towards deepening our students' content knowledge and skills on a daily basis.


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COURTNEY BROWN
New Teacher Specialist

Courtney's work is informed by her range of experiences as a high school and middle school teacher of English and the humanities. Grounded in the philosophies of project-based learning and literacy across the disciplines, Courtney leads the New Teacher Network and supports school leaders and teachers as they develop culturally relevant curriculum and practices in order to enable students and schools to thrive and achieve their potential.
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ROBERTA LENGER KANG
CPET Center Director & Instructional Design Specialist


Dr. Kang started her coaching career in 2006, after nearly a decade of teaching in Denver, CO and NYC schools. In her role as CPET's Center Director, Roberta cultivates partnerships with schools, districts, and organizations in critical areas of focus, such as: developing academic rigor, refining literacy in high school, creating meaningful instruction for high-stakes assessments, and leveraging city and state mandates for authentic school change. You can reach her at kang@tc.edu.

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