Real Engagement: How Do I Help My Students Become Motivated, Confident, and Self-Directed Learners?

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 engagement: 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.