What does it mean to be engaged?

Three weeks ago I had the opportunity to sit down with @legrandeurdm and plan out a video coaching program. This idea was brought to us by our district AISI leader @neillangevin. The plan, is that we record our classes, and then review the video individually and together, in a coaching role. Great idea right? I think so. In my athletic experience it always was more effective to see what I was doing on video and then adjust; so why not in my classroom?

Well, this week I recorded three of my classes, and the answer is obvious…I sound and look funny up there. Seriously, I think I got more out of watching myself for 20 mins than I could have in an hour following an admin visit. I believe this was the case because as individuals we are inherently harder on ourselves than others.

As an educator committed to improving my teaching, and more specifically the learning of my students, I appreciated the opportunity to see myself in action, and as a result, my students inaction.
I want my students to be engaged, but in all three of my videos there was a common obstacle in the way, me. It was about me, not them. Maybe because I was conscious of the recording, or maybe it was because I wanted @legraduerdm to think I was a good teacher. Regardless, I now know what I want to change, and only after watching one class!

So I ask myself now, what does it mean to be engaged? Dave and I developed a pretty spiffy checklist, complete with educator jargon, but will it really tell us if our students are engaged? I guess we will see, and learn, through this process.

Wait…maybe I shouldn’t be asking you, maybe I should be asking THEM, you know them, right?

Yes, the 65 12-13 year-olds I see everyday.