How do you use cross-curricular approaches to engage students?

1 Benefits of cross-curricular approaches

Cross-curricular approaches can offer many benefits for both you and your students. They can help you align your curriculum with the standards, goals, and competencies of your school or district. They can also help you collaborate with other teachers and mentors to share resources, ideas, and feedback. For your students, cross-curricular approaches can provide opportunities to explore real-world problems, apply their knowledge and skills across domains, and develop critical thinking, communication, and collaboration skills.

2 Examples of cross-curricular approaches

Incorporating cross-curricular approaches in the classroom can be a great way to engage students. For example, project-based learning can involve multiple subjects and skills, such as creating a podcast or designing a website. Thematic units can also be used to connect different subjects and topics, such as sustainability or diversity. Additionally, inquiry-based learning encourages students to ask questions and explore topics, while fostering a culture of inquiry. All of these approaches can help to integrate different subjects and skills while giving students an opportunity to pursue their own interests.

3 Tips for cross-curricular approaches

To use cross-curricular approaches effectively, you need to plan ahead, communicate clearly, and evaluate regularly. To do this, you should identify learning objectives, outcomes, and standards that you want to achieve. You also need to map out activities, resources, and assessments that you will use. Tools such as curriculum maps, rubrics, or checklists can help in planning and organizing your approach. Additionally, you should communicate expectations, goals, and instructions to your students, colleagues, and administrators. Providing feedback, guidance, and support is also important throughout the learning process. You can use newsletters, blogs, or portfolios to document and showcase your approach. Lastly, it is essential to monitor and assess students' progress with surveys, journals or peer reviews to collect data and feedback on your cross-curricular approach.

4 Challenges of cross-curricular approaches

Cross-curricular approaches may present certain obstacles, such as time constraints, resource limitations, and resistance or skepticism. Fitting a cross-curricular approach into a tight schedule with specific deadlines can be difficult. Additionally, accessing or creating resources that are relevant and appropriate for the approach may be a challenge. You may also face resistance from students, colleagues, or administrators who are unfamiliar with or unsupportive of the approach, and convincing them of its value and effectiveness can be difficult.

5 Strategies for overcoming challenges

Despite the challenges, you can use strategies to overcome them, such as prioritizing quality over quantity and seeking collaboration and support. Additionally, don't forget to showcase and celebrate success with your cross-curricular approaches. You can share your best practices, challenges, and lessons learned with other teachers and mentors who can benefit from your cross-curricular approaches. Start small and gradually increase the complexity and scope of your cross-curricular approaches. Moreover, seek support from administrators, parents, or community partners who can provide resources, feedback, or recognition. With these strategies in mind, you can successfully use cross-curricular approaches to benefit your students' learning experiences.

6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?