Compliant Students or Passionately Motivated Students: Which Are You Seeing Most in Your Classroom This Year and Why?

01/10/22 • 11 min

Many, maybe even most, students see school as a grade game. "What do I have to do to get an A?" Many of us have been driven to see teaching as a compliance game. "What do I have to do to get my students to meet the course requirements?" In this episode, we talk about practical strategies we can use to change the game of school (at the classroom level) to cultivate more students who are passionate about learning in your class.

Follow on Twitter: @DWettrick @Rdene915 @bamradionetwork @jonHarper70bd @Definedlearning

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Don Wettrick is the founder of The STARTedUP Foundation, which hosts Innovate WithIN- Indiana's innovation and entrepreneurship programming and competition. He is also the author of “Pure Genius: Building a Culture of Innovation,” which aims to create innovation mindsets in our schools. Don is known for his award-winning work as a middle school and high school teacher; educational and innovation consultant; and educational speaker.

Follow on Twitter: @DWettrick @Rdene915 @bamradionetwork @jonHarper70bd @Definedlearning

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Previous Episode

Inspiring Distracted Students by Making Lessons More Epic, Practical and Relevant

Teaching pandemic distracted students has made it more important than ever to create lessons that spark students' imagination, curiosity, and interest at the deepest levels. In this episode, our guest explains how epic, practical, and personally relevant lessons are moving her students from distracted to inspired, engaged, and enthusiastic learners.

Follow on Twitter: @kyndra_johnson @Rdene915 @bamradionetwork @jonHarper70bd@Definedlearning

Kyndra Johnson is the executive director of STEM and Innovation at Richardson Independent School District. She is responsible for developing, planning, managing, supporting, organizing, and implementing the STEM programs within the schools and providing leadership for District-wide initiatives for STEM.

Next Episode

The Expert Effect: A Strategy to Keep Students Excited About Learning During This Challenging School Year

This conversation is timely as the ongoing pandemic makes it increasingly challenging to keep students interested in learning and actively involved in the process. Our guests share a strategy they call the Expert Effect, which we can combine with PBL, STEM, and virtually any subject to get and keep students excited about learning during this unusual school term.

Follow on Twitter: @MrRondot @Gmckinney2 @Rdene915 @bamradionetwork @jonHarper70bd @Definedlearning

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Zach Rondot is a passionate fourth-grade teacher in Troy, Michigan. His mission is to teach students the 21st-century skills, mindsets, and attributes that will help them succeed long after they leave his classroom. In 2019, Zach was named the Troy School District Elementary Teacher of the Year and the Oakland County Elementary Teacher of the Year. Zach is an instructor in the Master’s program of Learning, Design, and Technology at Central Michigan University. He utilizes technology to create learning opportunities that otherwise would not be possible

Grayson McKinney is a fifth-grade teacher from Michigan and a leader in the area of innovative teaching and learning. He has worked with learners at all levels of school from K-6 as a teacher, technology facilitator, and as a program administrator. He is a student podcaster, educational writer, and speaker on the topic of 21st-century student learning and engagement.

Zach and Grayson are the co-authors of the newly released book, The Expert Effect: A Three-Part System to Break Down the Walls of your Classroom and Connect your Students to the World which was recently released by Edumatch Publishing.