Across grade levels and multiple disciplines, academic research supports a strong correlation between student engagement and student achievement. Academic engagement is often defined as students actively participating by focusing on a task or activity. In Visible Learning, a meta-study of what works in education, researcher John Hattie writes, “No manner of school reform will be successful until we first face and resolve the engagement problem.” Often as part of my coaching work, I’m requested to model teaching strategies with students, and I see disengagement that prevents learning. Colleagues frequently ask, “How do we engage younger kids who don’t want to be here or do their work?” I think it’s deeper than selecting high-yielding engagement strategies in these cases.

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