Engagement

The news out of Egypt this week has been gripping and fascinating, and made me really miss my days as a classroom teacher. All week I’ve been thinking: what would I do if I were in the classroom? How would I teach these events? These were the kinds of events that I jumped to incorporate into my curriculum and instruction.
 * Turning News from Egypt into Classroom Lessons

Last week I observed a tired classroom. My English 101 class looked bored and uninterested in the discussion we were having. I observed one student intently working on a crossword puzzle. He was engaged. Another student was sneaking a peek at her mobile device every so often and then quickly looked back in my direction. She was almost engaged. Some students were simply staring at me so intently that I assumed they had painted eyes on the exterior of their eyelids. Quick. React. What do you do hot shot? What. Do. You. Do?
 * Ten Simple Strategies for Re-engaging Students