Promoting on-task behavior
Help your students understand that you value on-task behavior because it helps them do better, helps you concentrate on what you need to do to help them, and eliminates distractions for others.
Be sure to clarify what you mean by on-task behavior. If your standards are different, students may feel they are working just fine when you think otherwise. You may want to let students know that you will be giving them a daily check on how well they are using their time.
Here is one idea on how to monitor on-task behavior with a checklist.
You can make a list of students who are working with extra concentration and put a plus by their names. Similarly, you can make a list of students who find it very difficult to stay on task, even after coaching from you and reminders from peers, and put a minus beside those names. Most students most days will do fine. Later, you can fill the pluses and minuses into a gradebook or daily worksheet, then add checks by everyone else’s name. Most days, there will be mostly checks.
Letting your students look at their pattern over a period of a week or month can help them see how you’re assessing their concentration. Also importantly, seeing patterns in the students’ concentration provides good assessment information for you. It may indicate a student who is frustrated because work is too hard or too easy, a student who needs a different seating arrangement, or a student who is really taking off with their work.
Remember to open the Google Doc and record your thoughts about this element.