WHEN BUSY WASN'T ENOUGH . . .

As a new teacher I mistakenly thought that if students were busy, learning was happening. Indeed, I was the queen of classroom activities and students seemed to learn and enjoy my class.  In reality, however, my students were "busy," but not actively engaged and my scores proved it.  I realized that "busy" wasn't enough!  As a member of the early college system, I was challenged by these questions, Are my students reading, writing, thinking, and talking in my class everyday? Are they allowed to have experiences that include working as individuals, but also as a member of a group? Are they held accountable for their work or lack thereof?  Consider looking at your practice through the lens of active engagement versus students just being busy. If you are anything like me, you will be amazed.  The protocol below has all of the active engagement elements listed.  Enjoy!