Soft Technology

Teachers who understand learning intentionally plan for student engagement. They realize it's not something that happens without work, but neither is learning.

I've been doing a lot of reading lately in preparation for the first upcoming Engage Me Academy. Here's one thing I learned . . .

Since my first year as a teacher in 1997 I've been deeply interested in how to get students interested in learning what I wanted and needed them to learn. Lately I learned what I was striving for had a name that has become quite the buzz word in education; I wanted students to become ENGAGED. Eventually I developed a knack for understanding what choices left to my students would most likely lead to this state. Each educational book I read, and really each terrible staff development session I attended, helped me refine my understanding of exactly how to design engaging lessons and staff development events.  I want to help you learn to do the same, and to that end, I'm developing a new 3 1/2 day academy to help teachers learn how to get human nature working with them instead of against them. If you want to know more or sign up to get information, please visit http://www.EngageMeAcademy.org   Feel free to download this image, print it out, and use it however you want. There will ...

Today I met with a great group of teachers embarking on implementing project based learning together. I shared this sem inal article with them and we discussed their ideas. But AFTER I left their meeting, what I REALLY wanted to say hit me. As you plan your projects, consider at least one element of project design that will get (and keep) kids interested BEYOND the 8 essentials . . . 1. Serve others in need with your project. Example: Students build a grocery store via donations to fuel the local food bank. In the process, they learn about pricing, inventory control, spreadsheets, and supply and demand. High school students create books about science concepts for elementary school students from poverty with no books in their homes. Each child gets a book. 2. Serve other students by teaching them something they need to know. Example: Everyone is reading this novel in English, but my team is responsible for teaching everyone about theme in this work of literature. If we do a bad job...