Stop Saying “Increase Student Engagement”

Courtney Dumas headshot

Courtney Dumas,

CEO

October 27, 2025

“Let’s all work to increase student engagement so that students can own their learning!” has been a collective rallying cry for a while now. But, if we are making it a priority and going so far as to add it to lesson planning requirements , why isn’t it translating to classroom practice or higher student outcomes? I’ve realized that giving general feedback to “increase student engagement” just isn’t good practice. Here are some feedback strategies that will get you the results you want to see.

In the past two months alone, six school leaders have told me that ‘increasing student engagement’ is a top priority. Some have even redesigned lesson planning requirements and made it a focus in collaborative planning sessions. I’m guilty of having given that advice to schools and teachers over the past several years, as well. “Let’s all work to increase student engagement so that students can own their learning!” has been a collective rallying cry for a while now. 

But, if we are making it a priority and going so far as to add it to lesson planning requirements , why isn’t it translating to classroom practice or higher student outcomes?

It’s because educators have vastly different perceptions of what student engagement actually means. It’s because student engagement is layered. No single formula works in every classroom. And honestly, planning for student engagement can seem daunting if it’s seen as “one more thing” to add to the lesson planning list. 

Teachers already know students need to be engaged. So when a leader says, ‘increase student engagement’ after an observation, it can sting. Most teachers are already trying everything they can to keep minds active and hands raised. When that effort goes unseen, the feedback can feel deflating, like no amount of trying is ever enough.

But it’s not their fault. I’ve realized that giving general feedback to “increase student engagement” just isn’t good practice. The feedback we should be giving instead is a tailored, concrete move that the teacher could use to improve instruction in the very next lesson. It should also serve as a strategy that can be replicated into other lessons with minimal preparation. 

Instead of vague directives, here are some ways to turn a broad statement into concrete, bite-sized feedback.

Try This

Example
  • Identify a quick data point to be improved.

During a lesson with 26 students, the same 5 students kept raising their hands to volunteer answers to questions. The rest of the students weren’t engaging.
  • Develop a concrete move the teacher could incorporate the very next lesson to improve that data.

“To increase the number of students answering questions, embed a 30-second ‘turn and talk’ opportunity for students to discuss the answer with a partner. Then ask the question again whole-group.”

or

“During the two most important questions of the lesson, incorporate a stop-and-jot in which students quickly jot their responses on a sticky note or whiteboard, and turn and share with a partner. This will allow you to monitor student understanding while they engage in the thinking.”

or

If only a few students are participating in a group activity, suggest something like this: “Have students jot their answer first, then whip around the table to share out. This will ensure that 100% of students are responding.”
  • Make sure the move is immediately actionable and can be easily used across multiple lessons.

The examples above can easily be transferred across lessons with minimal prep and management. 

But, if we are making it a priority and going so far as to add it to lesson planning requirements , why isn’t it translating to classroom practice or higher student outcomes?

This kind of feedback may feel too simplified when lack of student engagement is an overwhelming problem, but trust the process and watch the difference. Something exciting happens when a teacher can take a bite-sized action and see instant results in student engagement. As an added bonus, it establishes you as a partner in improving data and outcomes, not as someone giving a subjective review of their performance.

If you want teachers to increase engagement, start by increasing the clarity of your feedback. 

The impact will surprise you. Read our next blog in this series where we’ll break down more coaching moves that actually stick!

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