What are the elements in my classroom that keep my students engaged?

What is it that practically speaking.... keep my students involved in what they are  doing?

  - 1. Goals:   each student has a personal goal  sheet they fill out on Mondays during advisory.  Class by class they create a short term goal and  indicate 2 ways to get to that goal.
IDEA:  if on Mondays, kids know what they will be taught about...  maybe they can incorporate the teacher's goal into their own goals? 
As a teacher:  I write my goal (objective) for each class I teach. 

2. Criteria for Success:   I need to provide my students with criteria for success.  They need to know how to become better at what they are doing and what is expected of them.  This includes rubrics, verbal explanations  and so on... Visuals are important to make them understand at what level  they need to be at.

3. Ongoing evaluations:  students and teachers need to engage into short discussions to  figure out the progress made, to  discuss  what goes well and what does not...  This can be done  during closure a nd should be done about half way through the lesson.