Real Engagement: How do I help my students become motivated, confident, and self-directed learners?

by Allison Zmuda, Robyn R. Jackson

Students following directions, dutifully completing assignments, and quietly cooperating. For some teachers, this kind of compliance is a goal worth pursuing, but for you, it's not enough. You want real engagement— a classroom filled with students who ask intriguing questions, immerse themselves in assignments, seek feedback on their performance, and take pride in their progress. So even as you race to cover a demanding curriculum and address standards, you're wearing yourself out searching for the hooks that will inspire your students and make them eager to learn. It's not that you're not doing enough to motivate your students; it's that you're probably focusing on the wrong things. In this book, Allison Zmuda and Robyn R. Jackson explain the four keys to real clarity, context, challenge, and culture . Their smart, concrete strategies for improving classroom assignments, assessments, and environments will help you create learning experiences that are rigorous, meaningful, and rewarding for your students and yourself.

Genres: Education

58 pages, Paperback

First published May 15, 2015

Reviews

[Katie Hostetter · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a quick read and I highly recommend it to my teacher friends. My desire is to help students develop into independent, motivated, critical thinkers so they can carry that with them after they graduate. While I incorporate about 3/4 of what is discussed in this text, there are a few things I will be looking over this summer as I revamp my curriculum.

[Brittnay · Rating 3 out of 5]

A quick read that is quick to get to the point. I loved the advice given in order to help create more resilient and self-driven learners. Children need to learn how to be independent. This is a fact of life. I cannot wait to implement some of these methods in my classroom.

[Matt · Rating 5 out of 5]

A concise and practical resource for all K-12 educators looking to increase engagement in the classroom and school. The four tenets of engagement are laid out with clear definitions and helpful examples. A necessary primer before digging into some of the authors' other books.