Quick Student Engagement Ideas for Busy Teachers

AN ELECTRIFYING ENDING... Actually I borrowed those words from a popular romance novel. This book is all about "borrowing" from great teachers and students that contributed to this work. Discover the fascinating results of a research project in this entertaining "idea-rich" book based on 1000 surveys from remarkable teachers (and some of their students). I will share hundreds of innovative, yet easy-to-implement learning ideas and strategies. As I analyzed the responses I began to build a framework that would become a new model for student engagement. The numbers from my research told a story. Students are hungry for information and they want it now. But they want it in "snack-sized" portions and delivered in non-traditional packages. It must be engaging. This book is packed with surprising ideas, unusual instructions, encouragement and creative road-tested activities. You might find one or two things here you would expect, but most will surprise you (and some will even shock you, as they are highly contradictory to academic conventions). Get ready for a fun, inspirational, and engaging journey of discovery--exactly what we want our teaching to be!

All faculty members can substantially improve their classroom learning environments if they make a conscious choice to apply new ideas and employ the four M's (Movement, Materials, Mindfulness, and Media) of the Enterprising Engagement Model framework set out in this book. By being exposed to these results and strategies, you will discover suggestions and ideas that you can use to tweak or improve your own teaching patterns and routines. This book is meant to serve as a tool to help teachers get more out of their students and get more out of themselves. I have included a summarized description of the research findings along with the highlights. I have also presented anecdotes that first demonstrate common challenges and then reveal what others have done not only to conquer these challenges, but to connect with their students while doing so. Furthermore, this book includes topically appropriate checklists, models, and strategies--all materials that you can use to control your own, custom success plan. From one simple question I opened the door to hundreds of successful learning ideas, activities, and principles.

In 20 years of speaking, consulting, teaching and training Russ Johnson has developed a passion for “teaching and training that sticks!” Information loss is a plague that prevents much of the power of information from happening. Russ, has now become a life-long “student” of amazing learning activities and principles designed to reduce information loss! He has spent 15 years consulting, teaching at a community college and conducting corporate training. He completed his Master’s of International Management from American Graduate School of International Management (Thunderbird) where he specialized in marketing, management and international business. His Bachelor’s Degree is in Communications from Brigham Young University (Cougar) where he specialized in influence and persuasion processes. He has practiced those principles that he has learned as an entrepreneur, business consultant, educator, trainer, speaker, and innovator. He combines his real-world business consultancy experience with change management and learning transfer principles to help illustrate the power of individual and organizational excellence through knowledge and commitment. Russ has conducted recent trainings in the United States and Canada for: American Express, Disney, Weight Watchers International, Genentech, Dorel Industries, Momentum Worldwide, BHP Billiton, and others. He has pioneered programs in Change Management, Learning Transfer, Team Building, Strategic Innovation, Entrepreneurship, Service Learning and Teacher Development. His focus is on learning transfer and closing the “knowing – doing” gap in a fun and entertaining way!