Random

How do you channel students' energy when they want to talk about subjects that are off topic? I have found that as the semester goes on, my students have become more comfortable with me and more willing to engage in off topic conversation. I'm sure many of you know how random these conversations may be. Pokeman, fast food, the substitute they do not like. But I like to encourage my students to speak up and have a voice in the classroom, so sometimes I am reluctant to move them towards content. I think the answer lies in trying to connect what they are interested in to what we are studying in class ... but I have to manage a sneaky way of doing so. Perhaps I just need to gain more experience in leading classroom discussion, allowing students to veer off into other topics, but still be able to get them back to content, all the while illuminating the connections. To find those connections ...