Ask Yourself: Are Students Engaged?

Educational Leadership:Technology-Rich Learning:Ask Yourself: Are Students Engaged?

In the current edition of Educational Leadership, Robert Marzano poses four rather interesting questions for all of us to reflect upon our teaching practice: Do I provide a safe, caring, and energetic environment? Do I make things interesting? Do I demonstrate why the content is important? Do I help students realize that personal effort is the key to success?

Of course, Marzano fails to ask a set of equally important questions. Do the students think I provide a safe, caring and energetic environment? Do the students feel interested in what they are learning? Do the students appreciate that the content is important? Do the students feel that their personal efforts are appreciated and understood? 

Answering both sets of questions will make for a more collaborative and meaningful learning environment for every learner in a classroom.