I utilize dynamic activities to heightened classroom engagement across multiple learning styles. Here are a few of my relationality building practices that I employ in my classes.

Routine, Routine, Routine

  • Dependable Course Format. I build my classes building into an overall practice of tribal critical thinking. They engage the process inherently as part of the class.
  • Steady lesson plans. To create a sense of stability and dependability, I maintain a routine class agenda that includes check-ins with relevant icebreakers, recap of last week's work, presentation of new materials, and looking forward to the next week.

Auto-evaluation of Participation

  • Allow learners to grade their own class participation. The auto-evaluation encourages  practices of of T’aa hwo ajit’éego (Diné practices of self-direction, self-determination, perseverance, self-control). It holds learners accountable for their own engaging learning environment and that that of their peers and instructor. In this manner, we start to model what the benefits of co-stewarding contribution to the class can have.

Engaging Students 

  • Invite and respond to questions: Students are encouraged to respond and ask questions throughout the class. This can be through raising hands, participation on white boards, or communication through Chat.
  • Encourage students to reflect: Silence is a space we like to sit with, some days more than others.  Offering a short pause, and then if appropriate, consolidating feedback from from the students helps to highlight class opinions, individually and as a group.
  • Collaborative problem solving and brainstorming: I frequently utilize digital group annotations through Canvas Whiteboards and Post Note features. Students can add their input and then access the group think at a later time. Students appreciate these activities as they can work on their own with a sense of group work, without the "group work" deliverable stigma.
  • Friendly competition. I utilize web-based game platforms, such as Blooket, that combines quiz-style questions for warm-ups and recaps. Learners can easily access these areas and respond and compete. I