Last week, we explored ways to create an inclusive environment. One way we can do that is by showing interest in our students' passions. This week, we’ll dive into the first two steps for incorporating these interests into daily routines and academic activities.

By embedding student interests into learning experiences, we not only foster a more inclusive and supportive environment but also significantly enhance student engagement and motivation. When students are not engaged, they are more likely to exhibit behaviors that can prevent meaningful learning. However, connecting activities to their personal interests fosters active participation, making this a proactive, positive, and highly effective teaching strategy!

Here’s how you can easily incorporate student interests throughout the day in three simple steps:

Step 1: Discover what excites and motivates your students.

Step 2: Choose activities where you can integrate these interests.
Step 3: Create engaging, interest-based activities!

Today, we’ll focus on steps one and two, and next week, we’ll dive into using AI and other resources to create engaging, interest-based activities for your students!

For some students, their passions are easy to spot, while for others, it can be more challenging—especially when you’re building a new relationship. Here are a few tips to help uncover what your students love if they have difficulty telling or showing you:

Tip 1: Observe during choice time.
Pay close attention to your students during free choice or unstructured time. Take notes on the toys, objects, or activities they naturally gravitate toward. If they use technology during breaks, observe what apps they prefer or what videos they watch on YouTube. These preferences can offer valuable clues about their interests.

Tip 2: Ask the experts.
Caregivers often have great insight into what interests and excites their child. A simple question like 'When your student walks through the door at home, what’s the first thing they do?' can reveal a lot. You can also gather input from previous teachers, paraprofessionals, and related service providers to get a well-rounded understanding of a student’s favorite activities and motivators.

Once you have a clear idea of what sparks joy and excitement for your student, you can start thinking of creative ways to incorporate these special interests into their learning and daily activities.

You might be thinking, "There’s no way I can incorporate five different special interests into my morning meeting!" And you’d be right—trying to do so would likely lead to chaos and distraction. Instead, focus on the times of day or specific activities where students struggle the most. We all have that one student who dreads morning meeting—this could be the perfect opportunity to embed that Count von Count video from Sesame Street, the TV show you know they love. Or consider the student who immediately tears up their math worksheet—this would be an ideal time to put a sticker of their favorite superhero on their worksheet.

Reflect on the most challenging part of each student’s day. How can you bring their interests into these moments to make them more engaging and enjoyable? Next, we’ll explore creative strategies for integrating individual interests into academic tasks, daily routines, and self-regulation supports. Want to share this list with others? A downloadable PDF is available in the Resources section!

• Use books, articles, or stories related to the student’s interest.
• Create reading comprehension questions about their favorite topics or characters.
• Encourage them to write stories, scripts, or journal entries involving their interests.

Math

• Incorporate preferred themes into word problems (e.g., if a student loves airplanes, use airplane-related scenarios).
• Use favorite characters or objects as counters or manipulatives for math practice.
• Relate data collection or graphing to their passions, such as tracking statistics on a favorite sports team.

• Tie lessons to a student’s interest when exploring scientific concepts or historical events.
• Use experiments or projects that connect with their passions, like building structures if they love architecture or exploring space if they enjoy astronomy.

Writing and Language Arts

• Create personalized writing prompts involving their interest.
• Allow students to write persuasive essays, poems, or letters centered around their favorite subject.
• Use vocabulary from their favorite interests to build spelling and word study activities.

Independent Work

• Create or find task boxes or file folders that feature their interests.
• Include special interest activities as a "task."

Daily Routines and Classroom Jobs

• Assign classroom roles or tasks related to their interests (e.g., the student who loves dinosaurs can be the “dinosaur fact sharer” of the week).
• Use visual schedules and cues decorated with icons or pictures tied to their passion.

Self-Regulation and Behavioral Supports

• Offer choice boards or break activities related to their passions.
• Create social narratives and power cards with pictures of their favorite characters or activities.

Next week, we’ll explore how to leverage AI to design meaningful learning experiences tailored to your students’ unique needs and interests! Before then, we’d love to hear about your experience with Canva and AI! Take a moment to complete the quick polls below—we value your input!

Check out the Winter Sports unit in Themes First!, which includes original songs, books, and activities that support students’ skill development and generalization with content that’s fun, accessible, and theme-based. These monthly units now include an expanded Social Studies suite, containing fun, theme-related activities that reinforce cultural engagement. Included in all Themes First! units are lessons, activities, and worksheets for group and independent work at a wide range of levels.

The next Themes First! release, An Ocean of Life, is ready to prep!

💡Print all the activities you plan to use for the upcoming month as soon as they become available. Put printed activities in a "prep" area equipped with a laminator, file folders, Velcro, labels, and baggies. If you have a large laminator, laminate all the activities at once! When you and your team have a few minutes to spare, laminate, cut, and Velcro. It helps to organize activities in trays by "Needs to be Prepped" and "Finished." Don't forget to teach your team how to prep the activities and to model this new expectation. Check out the How to Prep a Month-Long Themes First! Unit below.

Count Down to Winter Break

Schedule Changes

Class Parties

Structuring Crafts

Classroom Routines

Introduction

Teaching Routines

Classroom Slide Deck

Arrival Routine

Check Schedule Routine

Expectations

Resources for the New Year Series

STAR Media Center Updates

Caregiver Survey

Home-School Communication

Reset Checklist Visuals

2023-2024 Tuesday Tips & Tricks Newsletters

Feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns via email or phone. I'm also available to chat via Zoom Mondays from 7:30-8:00 AM and 3:00-3:30 PM. If these times do not work for your schedule, please email me and we will find a time that will work for both of us.

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