In a recent podcast interview with Heather Lyon, Assistant Superintendent of Curriculum, Instruction, and Technology for Lewiston-Porter Central School District in Western New York, we discuss what it means to be truly engaged.
Heather starts by sharing her journey of defining engagement. Not surprisingly, she finds that the modern frameworks are not working with what she is seeing in today’s classrooms.
For example, a student who is leaning forward, with a pencil ready to take notes is not necessarily engaged. A class that is quiet while the teacher lectures does not equal engaged learners. So what does?
In Heather’s new book, Engagement is Not a Unicorn (It’s a Narwhal), she provides a deep dive into her journey. Heather has created an Engagement Matrix that shows the relationships to tasks and the level of interest the individual has. She has investigated and come up with an Engagement Continuum showing where an individual falls based on their interest. She then gives an overlay of change based on factors such as the relationship to the person and the task. Check out the Engagement Matrix HERE.
What I loved about talking with Heather is she shares how to examine levels of engagement with people based on their motivation. Additionally, she shares what “it” looks like and “feels like” to be engaged. We might feel like engagement is this mystical unicorn, but it’s not! It’s a narwhal!
To get started, listen to the podcast below. Then check out her website to explore some practical strategies that will help you make an impact. Finally, I strongly recommend getting a copy of her book for a practical and “engaging journey” into discovering methods of creating engagement for your students, staff, and community.
#1 BUOY Podcast w/Heather:
#2 Heather’s Website: HERE
#3 Read Heather’s Book: Engagement is Not a Unicorn (It’s a Narwhal)