You've Got to Reach Them to Teach Them: Hard Facts about the Soft Skills of Student Engagement

Engagement is a hot topic these days among educators at all levels and in all disciplines. Standards, curricula, and assessment tools have been built and rebuilt to provide excellence and achievement, but now we're faced with the one variable that can turn all this effort into ash: the students. You've Got to Reach Them to Teach Them shows the reader how to recognize what engages students and brings out their best, and how to create an environment in which students feel confident and safe enough to take risks, make mistakes, and immerse themselves in stimulating learning experiences. Above all, this book demands that an authentic joy for learning be returned to the classroom. You've Got to Reach Them to Teach Them examines topics such as relationships, emotions, environment, and expectations, all of which have a major impact on student engagement. Each chapter is divided into three segments. "Notes From the Field" illustrates the chapter's topic in a real-life frame through mediums such as journal entries, vignettes, and student comments. "The Discussion" provides a closer look at the topic, including research and the topic's importance and relevance in the classroom. "Steps Toward Solutions" offers practical strategies for implementing the discussed ideas in the classroom. The author provides space for the reader to reflect on his or her thoughts at both the beginning and end of each chapter, and encourages the reader to set a goal of one new strategy as a result of the information given in the chapter.