What does it mean to engage? be engaged?
From Google:
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We talk about wanting students to be engaged and express dismay at those students who appear "disengaged." What is it that we want them to pledge? Why should they participate in something created by someone else? We're quick to say they don't want to learn, when we perhaps should be honest and say they don't want to 'enter into a contract' to do what we are asking of them.
Why not?
They say what we are offering "is boring" and protest, "when will I ever need this?"
What does it take to engage? Love? Passion? Purpose?
Resilience?
Engagement takes persistence and requires a heart, soul and mind prepared to get involved to the point of battle. Think of a "disengaged" student you know. To take Brene Brown's language, do they have a sense of worthiness that comes from having a strong sense of love and belonging? Not in my experience.
Engagement requires a connection of someone and someone, and/or someone and something. How do you engage with the "disengaged?"
If you are concerned about a disengaged student, engage them in a positive relationship. It's one of the best places to start.
From Google:
The word originally meant ‘to pawn or pledge something,’ later ‘pledge oneself (to do something),’ hence ‘enter into a contract’ (mid 16th century), ‘involve oneself in an activity,’ ‘enter into combat’ (mid 17th century), giving rise to the notion ‘involve someone or something else.’The word "gage" mean "to offer (a thing or one's life) as a guarantee of good faith."
We talk about wanting students to be engaged and express dismay at those students who appear "disengaged." What is it that we want them to pledge? Why should they participate in something created by someone else? We're quick to say they don't want to learn, when we perhaps should be honest and say they don't want to 'enter into a contract' to do what we are asking of them.Why not?
They say what we are offering "is boring" and protest, "when will I ever need this?"
What does it take to engage? Love? Passion? Purpose?
Resilience?
Engagement takes persistence and requires a heart, soul and mind prepared to get involved to the point of battle. Think of a "disengaged" student you know. To take Brene Brown's language, do they have a sense of worthiness that comes from having a strong sense of love and belonging? Not in my experience.
Engagement requires a connection of someone and someone, and/or someone and something. How do you engage with the "disengaged?"
If you are concerned about a disengaged student, engage them in a positive relationship. It's one of the best places to start.