Sometimes I think we could do a much better job listening to students.  I was at a forum on Catholic Education where leaders, parents and students responded to thoughtful questions about what we do well and what we don’t.  It was refreshing, frank, confronting, but not at all surprising.  The students assembled all love learning, love their schools, but did not unanimously love the experience as it was mediated by their teachers.  In response to a question about the teaching of Religious Education, one student said “Schools are not authentic and tend to cloud belief”.  Challenging!

What do you need from a teacher?  “I need to be engaged by someone who loves what they do.  I need an effervescent teacher.  I want to be able to see the learning fizzing out of them!” 

I don’t know about you, but there are few days when I feel effervescent in the classroom.  Maybe on a really good day I might feel a little fizzy (think asprin), but rarely would I communicate effervescence (think Verve Cliquot champagne).

So, what is the standard for student engagement these days?   I hate the thought of the new generation of teachers needing to be entertainers first: Late Show meets Early Class?!?  The related question is “will high engagement = improved learning”.  I know I may be sounding conservative (think old), but should the profession be competing for attention with popular culture?  I don’t need my doctor to deliver her diagnosis in rap just so I will pay attention: I want to know and understand what she has to say.

So maybe, just maybe, it is a combination of quality relationships and a compelling lesson.  If we place too much emphasis on engagement, we run a real risk of losing the balance and students will see the show for what it is:  froth and bubble!