Drama and comedy in the classroom encourage children to listen and participate.

Teachers are constantly thinking about new and innovative ways to encourage active participation with their students. An engaged child is one who is more likely to absorb information, retain it, and make real-life associations with the knowledge.

In order to engage students, several activities or processes need to be present. In Beyond the Journal, authors and educators Judy R. Jablon and Michael Wilkinson outline the following:

Some prior understanding or knowledge of the material
An environment that fosters questions and investigation
The ability to work in a group or collaborative setting
Offering multiple choices so students can be self-directed
Independent thinking
Games, drama, and humor
It might not come as a surprise, but laughter is a great indicator of engagement. Just like tears or anger, it is a vibrancy of emotion that shows a student’s entire mind and feelings are engaged in the activity.