{"id":152617,"date":"2025-09-07T12:00:12","date_gmt":"2025-09-07T16:00:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/truthforteachers.com\/?post_type=podcasts&#038;p=152617"},"modified":"2025-11-29T04:49:48","modified_gmt":"2025-11-29T09:49:48","slug":"boredom-busters-that-prime-the-brain-for-learning","status":"publish","type":"podcasts","link":"https:\/\/truthforteachers.com\/truth-for-teachers-podcast\/boredom-busters-that-prime-the-brain-for-learning\/","title":{"rendered":"Engagement isn&#8217;t extra: boredom busters that prime the brain for learning"},"content":{"rendered":"<h3>Student engagement is not the same as having fun: it&#8217;s the foundation for meaningful and lasting learning.<\/h3>\n<p>In this article + podcast episode, Katie Powell, author of <a href=\"https:\/\/amzn.to\/3JaDsvQ\">Boredom Busters: Transform Worksheets, Lectures, and Grading into Engaging, Meaningful Learning Experiences, <\/a>shares simple yet powerful strategies that help teachers transform their classrooms into spaces where students thrive. Katie Powell is the Director for Middle Level Programs for AMLE, a membership organization dedicated to supporting middle school educators, and her experience as a middle school special educator deeply informs her practice.<\/p>\n<p>Whether you\u2019re trying to bring more fun into your lessons, address curriculum pressures, or manage student behavior during engaging activities, Katie\u2019s practical advice can help. You&#8217;ll discover:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Why engagement is essential for learning and how it primes the brain for retention.<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Simple strategies like \u201cdeploying worksheets differently\u201d that make learning more interactive.<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">How movement, humor, and creative activities reduce behavioral issues and improve focus.<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">How to balance the demands of standardized curriculum pacing with engaging strategies.<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">Practical ways to manage transitions and behavior during high-energy activities.<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">How engagement fosters a sense of belonging, safety, and fun in the classroom.<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">The value of empowering students to understand their own learning needs and self-regulation strategies.<\/li>\n<li aria-level=\"1\">How to start with small, manageable shifts to make your teaching more engaging and effective.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Our conversation is packed with practical tips and real-world insights to help you make learning fun, meaningful, and memorable.<\/p>\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-153204 aligncenter\" src=\"https:\/\/truthforteachers.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Engagement-isnt-extra-tall-1-333x500.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"333\" height=\"500\" srcset=\"https:\/\/truthforteachers.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Engagement-isnt-extra-tall-1-333x500.jpg 333w, https:\/\/truthforteachers.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Engagement-isnt-extra-tall-1-683x1024.jpg 683w, https:\/\/truthforteachers.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Engagement-isnt-extra-tall-1-768x1152.jpg 768w, https:\/\/truthforteachers.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Engagement-isnt-extra-tall-1.jpg 1000w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 333px) 100vw, 333px\" \/><\/p>\n<h3 style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong>Listen to episode 333 below,<br \/>\n<\/strong><strong>or subscribe in your podcast app<\/strong><\/h3>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><iframe loading=\"lazy\" style=\"border: none;\" title=\"Libsyn Player\" src=\"\/\/html5-player.libsyn.com\/embed\/episode\/id\/38084580\/height\/90\/theme\/custom\/thumbnail\/yes\/direction\/backward\/render-playlist\/no\/custom-color\/672c5b\/\" width=\"500\" height=\"90\" scrolling=\"no\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\"><span data-mce-type=\"bookmark\" style=\"display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;\" class=\"mce_SELRES_start\">\ufeff<\/span><span data-mce-type=\"bookmark\" style=\"display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;\" class=\"mce_SELRES_start\">\ufeff<\/span><span data-mce-type=\"bookmark\" style=\"display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;\" class=\"mce_SELRES_start\">\ufeff<\/span><span data-mce-type=\"bookmark\" style=\"display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;\" class=\"mce_SELRES_start\">\ufeff<\/span><span data-mce-type=\"bookmark\" style=\"display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;\" class=\"mce_SELRES_start\">\ufeff<\/span><span data-mce-type=\"bookmark\" style=\"display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;\" class=\"mce_SELRES_start\">\ufeff<\/span><span data-mce-type=\"bookmark\" style=\"display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;\" class=\"mce_SELRES_start\">\ufeff<\/span><span data-mce-type=\"bookmark\" style=\"display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;\" class=\"mce_SELRES_start\">\ufeff<\/span><span data-mce-type=\"bookmark\" style=\"display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;\" class=\"mce_SELRES_start\">\ufeff<\/span><span data-mce-type=\"bookmark\" style=\"display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;\" class=\"mce_SELRES_start\">\ufeff<\/span><span data-mce-type=\"bookmark\" style=\"display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;\" class=\"mce_SELRES_start\">\ufeff<\/span><span data-mce-type=\"bookmark\" style=\"display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;\" class=\"mce_SELRES_start\"> <\/span><span data-mce-type=\"bookmark\" style=\"display: inline-block; width: 0px; overflow: hidden; line-height: 0;\" class=\"mce_SELRES_start\"> <\/span><\/iframe><\/p>\n<h5 style=\"text-align: center;\">Sponsored by\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.understood.org\/en\/podcasts\/the-opportunity-gap\">Opportunity Gap<\/a>\u00a0and\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/rocketpd.com\/cohorts\/unlocking-teacher-productivity-with-angela-watson\/\">Rocket PD<\/a><\/h5>\n<h3>First steps toward engaging lessons: redefining worksheets<\/h3>\n<p><strong>ANGELA: Katie, you have a series of books all about busters\u2014homework busters, boredom busters. These are all tools and strategies that make learning more exciting and engaging for kids. Tell me how you got the idea for this and why it&#8217;s something you&#8217;re passionate about.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>KATIE: So my first full-time teaching position was in special education, and I was a mid-year hire because the teacher before me was being fired midway through the school year. If you can imagine what circumstances would be necessary to lead the school to fire a middle school SPED teacher partway through the school year. What had been happening in that classroom, unfortunately, was not healthy for the students.<\/p>\n<p>When I was hired into the position, I was not SPED certified at the time. I was on an emergency license to do that. The principal said, \u201cKatie, if you do nothing more than love these kids, that\u2019s what they need right now.\u201d And I was like, <em>Well, I know how to do that.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>But I inherited students who had decided that whatever school looked like, felt like, was not for them\u2014that they were not the students school was for. I found that, in order to be successful with them, I almost had to hide the learning. Because if they came into the classroom and it already felt like whatever classrooms had felt like up to this point, they would walk in and already be checked out because they had already decided it wasn\u2019t for them. So I was pushing desks out of the way. We were lying on our bellies on the floor to do things. We were playing games to learn, and it was working really well.<\/p>\n<p>And so, in all of my new teacher enthusiasm\u2014and maybe a little bit of arrogance\u2014I was like, <em>Well, everyone should teach this way.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Thankfully, part of my job as a SPED educator was to co-teach with my colleagues, and it was in those co-teaching relationships that I developed tremendous respect for their teaching styles and their expertise. I realized that expecting my colleagues to teach the way I did was disrespectful to the expertise they were bringing to the table, but that we all needed to be taking steps to more authentically engage our students.<\/p>\n<p>This was in a season where we were moving from tenure to teacher evaluation as a system in education. Overnight, a teacher who had been a good teacher because they\u2019d been teaching for 35 years was now being measured by how engaged his or her students were. And that was a tough shift for a lot of my colleagues who were used to being defined as good teachers and were now finding that they didn\u2019t fit the modern definition of a good teacher.<\/p>\n<p>And I realized that\u2019s the stuff I know how to do really well. So I started almost reverse-engineering the things I was doing and taking it back to where does this start? I began thinking about my colleagues in a zone of proximal development\u2014where are they comfortable, and where do they need to go to hit these targets of engagement?<\/p>\n<p>What would it look like if you just took one step toward more authentically engaging your students? And so I started with worksheets.<\/p>\n<p>Worksheets are universal; they\u2019re trusted. They come with every textbook series you adopt, and that\u2019s what my colleagues were using. But there\u2019s a research-based phenomenon where, the minute students\u2019 fingers touch a photocopied piece of paper, a piece of their soul dies. So, to minimize that impact, what would happen if we just deployed that worksheet differently and changed up the way we were doing something so simple and so trusted and so predictable? And it works.<\/p>\n<p>So that\u2019s really where the busters came from\u2014an attempt to really honor the fact that a teacher\u2019s teaching style, personality, and expertise is a precious commodity. We shouldn\u2019t be communicating to teachers that there\u2019s one standardized way to teach. Instead, the diversity of what we bring to the table is a tremendous asset to our profession, but all students need to be authentically engaged.<\/p>\n<p>Can we all find a starting point within, again, that zone of proximal development for ourselves and find what one step toward more authentic engagement would look like for us?<\/p>\n<p><strong>That\u2019s fantastic. And I love this idea of deploying worksheets differently. You don\u2019t have to just pass them out and have kids do them.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>There\u2019s actually really creative and engaging things that we can do with worksheets because worksheets do have value. And there are some worksheets that we\u2019re just mandated to give. It\u2019s sort of unavoidable.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Can you talk about some of these boredom busters or engagement strategies around deploying worksheets differently?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Yeah, so this is my favorite place to start when I do professional development around the boredom busters. My go-to to kick this off and really explain what this looks like is paper airplanes.<\/p>\n<p>So if you imagine, you have a worksheet that you\u2019re planning to give today, and you know, oh, there\u2019s that phenomenon\u2014a piece of a student\u2019s soul has died the minute they touch the paper\u2014and you\u2019re like, I need to be more engaging in how we do this.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s as simple as, when students get the worksheet, they put their name at the top, they do number one, and they stop. Then, after they complete number one, you have them turn their paper into a paper airplane. At your signal, they\u2019re going to launch it somewhere else in the room. They\u2019ll get someone else\u2019s worksheet to sit down and do number two.<\/p>\n<p>We\u2019re going to repeat this until the worksheet is complete. They get their original back, and now they have the answers from classmates around the room. They get some of that soft feedback\u2014<em>Does what they were thinking match what I was thinking?<\/em>\u2014and so they get to wrestle with the content a little more than if they were just turning it into a teacher and waiting for a score.<\/p>\n<p>But then you\u2019re going to have them justify, argue, refute, defend, and provide evidence for the answers on the page. So what they\u2019re turning into you then is not just answers but also evidence of their thinking.<\/p>\n<p>And it was simple. You didn\u2019t need to plan ahead or make special resources; you just changed the way you deployed that worksheet so that students had the opportunity to be more engaged.<\/p>\n<p><strong>I love that. Keep going. Tell me more.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>OK, so there are times when teachers are a little uncomfortable with students getting up and moving around the room. I advocate for it. It is a developmental need. Kids need gross motor movement. All the way through our college-age learners definitely still need gross motor movement because their brains are not fully developed yet until their mid to late 20s.<\/p>\n<p>We\u2019ve got to get kids moving. But if that makes us uncomfortable, we can authentically engage the brain even without necessarily getting our bodies up and moving.<\/p>\n<p>One of my favorite ways to do that\u2014I tend to say that regurgitation is not evidence of mastery. So when we\u2019re asking questions to check for understanding, if we\u2019re asking questions where a student could find the answer in their textbook or their notes, all that really tells us is that they know how to use their textbook or their notes.<\/p>\n<p>One of my favorite go-to strategies to get them to really think and put words to their understanding of something is junk drawer. You give students an item\u2014I have Google images I use for this, but it can be as simple as looking on your desk and saying, \u201cOK, here\u2019s a fork. How does this fork relate to photosynthesis that we just talked about in class for the last 20 minutes?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s not in their textbook or notes. They can\u2019t just regurgitate the thinking of someone else to you. They have to make those connections.<\/p>\n<p>And it\u2019s weird, so the brain lights up when something is unexpected or novel. Forcing that kind of connection means we have a highly engaged brain. It\u2019s open-ended\u2014there\u2019s not one right answer we\u2019re seeking. Students who would check out because \u201cOoh, I don\u2019t know that answer\u201d are invited into participation in a strategy like this because there\u2019s not one right answer we\u2019re seeking. Everyone can find the door.<\/p>\n<h3>Lecture busters and engaging methods of error analysis<\/h3>\n<p><strong>These are really great. Tell me about some of your favorite boredom busters that may not have to do with worksheets or anything like that, and how they can be applied in everyday lessons.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>I love what I call lecture busters in the book because they\u2019re so quick and easy to deploy, things like the junk drawer. I also have one category in the Boredom Busters book that is maybe a little less flashy: the homework busters.<\/p>\n<p>They were born out of the need. We know through longstanding research that grades aren\u2019t particularly transformative for students. If they get an assignment back and there\u2019s a grade at the top, they might say, \u201cOh well, I got 37%,\u201d but it doesn\u2019t really do anything to move their learning forward. Descriptive feedback is where the magic is.<\/p>\n<p>But what teacher has time to give descriptive feedback on every assignment all the time? That\u2019s not sustainable. So I have a series of strategies that invite students to assess themselves, glean meaning from the work they\u2019ve done, and use that as a transformative process to improve further.<\/p>\n<p>The door into that, where we usually start, is with error analysis. Error analysis has existed for quite some time. Let\u2019s say you gave a homework assignment yesterday, or you have a series of problems you\u2019ve done in class that students need to check. Instead of calling out the answers to number one, number two, number three, give them the answer key. Let them self-check.<\/p>\n<p>Teachers often gasp and say, \u201cWhat if they lie? What if they didn\u2019t even do the assignment and they\u2019re just writing answers down?\u201d Well, we\u2019ve got you. With error analysis, there\u2019s a form they fill out for every problem\u2014because if you don\u2019t, they will lie and get fewer wrong\u2014or you pre-select certain problems you want students to analyze heavily.<\/p>\n<p>Students record on that form whether they got it right or wrong. If they got it right, they have to prove it. Show the steps. What page number did your evidence come from? Support that answer so we know you got it right. If they got it wrong, explain why. What went wrong? What needs to happen differently in the future?<\/p>\n<p>Then guide students through looking at what they\u2019re getting wrong and finding patterns. For example, in math, they may have missed 12 problems, but seven of those might be from dropping negatives in multi-step problems. That\u2019s really one error repeated seven times.<\/p>\n<p>When students see that, it\u2019s much more empowering than a 37% at the top of their paper. They\u2019re able to say, \u201cI really have one thing I need to fix.\u201d That gives you so much for differentiation. Now, when you\u2019re meeting with groups, you\u2019re not just meeting with the kids who got 40% on yesterday\u2019s assignment. You\u2019re meeting with the kids who dropped negatives.<\/p>\n<p>The opportunity to transform learning and personalize it is present, but also sustainable because we\u2019re not hauling the teacher tote bag home to sit down after dinner and try to write this kind of feedback for all of our students. They\u2019re in the driver\u2019s seat, and they own it.<\/p>\n<h3>Using engagement to move beyond fun and into deeper learning<\/h3>\n<p><strong>Everything you\u2019ve said so far really emphasizes that the purpose of these busters isn\u2019t just to make lessons fun or entertaining. The deeper purpose is to help make the learning stick, to make it more meaningful and more relevant, to help kids really do critical thinking, to notice patterns. You\u2019re creating experiences that are memorable, too. How can teachers use these strategies to increase retention and deeper learning instead of just focusing on excitement for the moment?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>This is an important question because engagement is the target we\u2019re working toward, but we have to be very conscientious about what we\u2019re asking students to engage in.<\/p>\n<p>I think of a story I come back to every time I\u2019m asked a question like this. I was doing a presentation in my home state of Indiana for science teachers, and a teacher came up to me afterward and told a story about teaching solutions and mixtures. She and her class made snow ice cream together and talked about solutions and mixtures.<\/p>\n<p>She said, \u201cKatie, it was one of those core memory experiences. We were fully engaged. We loved it. We felt like a community together.\u201d But when they took the test on solutions and mixtures, especially questions specific to vocabulary, they did poorly.<\/p>\n<p>She asked, \u201cWhat happened? They were fully engaged.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>If we look at engagement as this glitter we\u2019re sprinkling on top of our lesson plan\u2014thinking, \u201cOh, if our students are having fun, then the learning will stick\u201d\u2014we\u2019ve got a half-truth there.<\/p>\n<p>The condition of the brain when we\u2019re having fun is conducive to making memories. Learning is really chemistry. Fun lights the brain up in just the right way. But for students to remember that and use it, for example, on assessments later, we have to be intentional about what the engagement focuses on.<\/p>\n<p>Does the engagement focus on the fun we\u2019re having, the game we\u2019re playing, the activity we\u2019re doing? Or does the engagement support the content students need to be mastering along the way?<\/p>\n<p>I encourage teachers to be intentional about what activities they select and why. Some activities in the boredom busters book use time limits to create anticipation for students. That wouldn\u2019t be appropriate when students are brand new to content and need protected think time to wrestle with ideas. But it\u2019s perfectly appropriate for spiral review or test prep when something should be more rote recall.<\/p>\n<p>Fun isn\u2019t the objective. Fun is the powerful tool for meaningful learning, and we have to be masters in how we utilize that tool.<\/p>\n<p><strong>How would that work if that teacher was going to redo the lesson with the snow and mixtures? What would actually make the learning stick?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Great question. I don\u2019t know that there\u2019s a singular answer, but when I think through strategies that may be important to come alongside an experience like snow ice cream, I think the snow ice cream was valid. We just needed to dovetail other experiences that kept the academic vocabulary concrete for students.<\/p>\n<p>For example, I have one in the book I call speed dating. You can give half the class a vocab word, the other half a definition, and have them pair up. They talk: \u201cDo we match? No? Then who are we looking for?\u201d Mix them up, move them on, and encourage students to use that academic language.<\/p>\n<h3>Engagement and movement strategy: Musical desks<\/h3>\n<p>Another example is musical desks. You cut a worksheet apart, put a question on each desk, and have students rotate desk to desk answering questions. My favorite way to do this is to leave a piece of paper on the desk for students to respond to. If they sit at a desk that\u2019s already been answered, they need to support the answer with evidence. What page in the textbook supports this? Can you explain this thinking another way? Can you add something to this answer or take something away to make it stronger? What vocab words or definitions would be important to understand?<\/p>\n<p>The more we make their brains work, the more likely they are to master the content. The trick is, like when I was an early SPED teacher needing to hide the learning, students can have a lot of fun playing a game while we know we\u2019re making their brains work up a sweat. Those are the magic conditions for retention.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Can you break down that particular approach, the one where students are moving from desk to desk? How does that work? How do you set that up?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>This is one of my favorites. I give some guidance\u2014being primarily a middle school teacher myself\u2014because those are large bodies moving around small classrooms. You start with modeling. Show them how you want them to move around the room. Have them practice.<\/p>\n<p>They\u2019ll say, \u201cReally?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>And you say, \u201cYes, really. We need to model this. How do you get in and out of a chair?\u201d Because otherwise, they\u2019ll \u201cparkour, parkour!\u201d all Michael Scott-style across the desks.<\/p>\n<p>My favorite approach is to put a question or prompt on every desk. I do this with essay questions, and it\u2019s beautiful because one of the things that stops a student with essay questions is the blank page.<\/p>\n<p>Turn on some music\u2014pre-screen it carefully because, Murphy\u2019s Law of Teaching, the moment an administrator walks in will be the moment a sexually explicit lyric plays.<\/p>\n<p>So you pre-screen your music, practice moving through the room, and students rotate with their writing utensil. When the music stops, they sit at a desk, and that\u2019s the question they\u2019re working on. They won\u2019t stay at that desk for the entire activity\u2014just for two minutes or however long you decide is appropriate.<\/p>\n<p>For an essay question, for example, a student doesn\u2019t have to know the whole answer. They only need to know 120 seconds\u2019 worth of the answer. This keeps them from being overwhelmed by a blank page. The next student who sits down at that desk will then see the start of an answer.<\/p>\n<p>They might not approach it the same way, which challenges them to consider someone else\u2019s thinking. They develop that perspective by supporting the existing answer with evidence and continuing that train of thought.<\/p>\n<p>So much of school is isolating\u2014a student sits at a desk with their own assignment and their own writing utensil. We tell them not to talk. Or, if we put them in groups, it often devolves into chatter about lunch plans.<\/p>\n<p>Using structures like this meets developmental needs, such as movement and resetting the attention clock. It gives students opportunities to share their thinking and consider the perspectives of others while driving the learning deeper.<\/p>\n<p>This process pushes students to think critically, argue, justify, refute, and defend. It creates the kind of brain engagement\u2014what I call \u201cbrain sweat\u201d\u2014that helps make learning stick for the future.<\/p>\n<h3>Preventing classroom management issues &amp; having alternate plans<\/h3>\n<p><strong>I\u2019m sure you\u2019ve had teachers say to you, \u201cI\u2019m afraid to do that because I\u2019m not sure I can get them settled again.\u201d That transition from moving around and having fun to sitting down and concentrating feels daunting for some kids.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Yes, that\u2019s a common concern. There are a lot of tools to manage this, and it\u2019s about finding what works for your circumstances.<\/p>\n<p>If we bring the energy way up, we need to bring it back down afterward. That might mean transitioning to a moment of chair yoga or a breathing exercise. As silly as those things might feel, they actually work with the brain.<\/p>\n<p>Students might be in a state of hyperarousal after an energetic activity. Their bodies and brains may be too amped up to focus. Breathing calms the nervous system, bringing the energy level back down while keeping the brain awake and eager.<\/p>\n<p>When it comes to classroom management, especially with getting students up and moving, I recommend tagging students in.<\/p>\n<p>For instance, if you teach multiple class periods and think, \u201cThis strategy won\u2019t work for my third-period class,\u201d go to them a few days ahead of time. Say, \u201cHey, I\u2019m trying out a new strategy, but I\u2019m not confident with it yet. Can you all be my beta testers?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Students will lean in, excited to help. Try it for just five minutes. Give them directions, let them test it, and afterward, ask for their feedback. \u201cWhat worked? What didn\u2019t? Were my directions clear? What should I watch for with other classes?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>When students help co-create the activity, they\u2019re much more likely to engage in it moving forward. Their fingerprints are on it, and they\u2019ll take pride in making it successful.<\/p>\n<p><strong>What happens if the majority of the class can handle it, but there\u2019s one or two students who can\u2019t seem to participate appropriately?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>That\u2019s such a common scenario. Unfortunately, we often let the immaturity of a 12-year-old dictate our teaching. Instead of delivering expert-level instruction to the rest of the class, we revert to saying, \u201cFine, we won\u2019t do the fun thing.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>But no student\u2019s immaturity should dictate the learning for others.<\/p>\n<p>One mistake I made early on was having a Plan B for students who couldn\u2019t meet my expectations, and I would tell them, \u201cIf you don\u2019t behave during this fun activity, you\u2019ll sit at a desk by yourself and do the worksheet.\u201d I gave them an out and communicated that I didn\u2019t expect them to succeed.<\/p>\n<p>If I had a time machine, I\u2019d go back and shake myself by the shoulders. Instead, we should communicate that we expect all students to be successful.<\/p>\n<p>Some activities may be overstimulating, particularly for neurodiverse students. Maybe that kind of noise or movement isn\u2019t appropriate for them. Offering choices can help.<\/p>\n<p>For example, you could say, \u201cWe\u2019re going to do musical desks over here. Over here, we have an alternative activity, like a sorting activity that\u2019s quieter but still engaging and active.\u201d Let students self-select based on what feels most comfortable for them, without diminishing the rigor or engagement.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s unrealistic to expect any strategy to fit all students perfectly. One size does not fit all, as we know from the world of clothing. Our job is to keep offering options and help students understand themselves as learners so they can make informed choices.<\/p>\n<p>When I had that Plan B alternative desk, I diminished the learning value for the student sitting there. That\u2019s not what I wanted. The activity wasn\u2019t just about fun; it was about deeper learning.<\/p>\n<p>Instead, create alternatives that are just as rigorous and engaging but tailored to different needs. This communicates to students, \u201cI expect you all to succeed, and I\u2019ve created opportunities for everyone to get something meaningful out of this.\u201d<\/p>\n<blockquote><p>When engaging students, think of lesson planning as a buffet line. At some point, every student will have their needs authentically met.<\/p>\n<p>Not every activity will be a perfect fit for every student. But if you provide a variety of opportunities throughout a lesson or week, all students will find something that resonates and supports their learning.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p><strong>I want to make sure folks don\u2019t miss what you just said because I think it\u2019s going to take a lot of weight off of some teachers\u2019 shoulders who feel this pressure to individualize, personalize, differentiate every single aspect of every single lesson for every single student\u2014which is not possible.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>It\u2019s particularly not possible at the secondary level when you have, like, 100 or 200 students.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>So, we can teach kids to differentiate for their own needs. We can give them choices and allow them to self-select. But also, this piece you\u2019re saying\u2014where we\u2019re offering them a buffet of things throughout the lesson, the day, the week, the quarter, or the semester\u2014some things will be absolutely perfect for that student. Some won\u2019t. And that\u2019s OK.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Not only is it reality, because we have so many students and there\u2019s only one of us, but it\u2019s also good for kids to be stretched. It\u2019s good for an introvert to have to do group work. It\u2019s good for the extrovert to have to sit and focus. Thinking about personalization and meeting every student\u2019s needs as something that doesn\u2019t have to happen in every single moment is so important for teachers to hear.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Yeah, I agree completely. One of the things I advocate for, especially through my work with <em>Frustration Busters<\/em>, is honoring the professional experience of educators and protecting them. The mindset of \u201cyou\u2019re a civil servant, so shouldn\u2019t you do everything that\u2019s good for kids?\u201d can be damaging.<\/p>\n<p>Doing what\u2019s best for kids is a good principle, but this is also a professional workplace, and educators are employees. We need sustainable expectations. Most educators are perfectionists\u2014we care so deeply about student success. We could have 99 wins in a day, but we\u2019ll go home and lose sleep over the one loss.<\/p>\n<p>If that\u2019s already the mindset of most educators, burdening them with the idea that every activity must be the perfect fit for every student is unsustainable. Instead, think about the lesson plan as a whole. Are students\u2019 needs authentically being met at some point in the lesson?<\/p>\n<p>Maybe the whole group activity gets 85% of the kids. What am I doing to ensure I meet the needs of the other 15%? Differentiation doesn\u2019t mean that every activity a student does that day has to address every need.<\/p>\n<p>For example, using error analysis to differentiate might mean targeting a specific skill during part of a lesson\u2014like helping a student who struggles with dropping negatives in math. That doesn\u2019t mean every single activity that day focuses on that issue. It\u2019s about stretching students in areas where they need growth while also meeting their unique needs elsewhere.<\/p>\n<h3>Balancing engagement with the pressure to cover curriculum<\/h3>\n<p><strong>I want to pivot away from the classroom management and behavior management issues or potential obstacles for this and talk a little bit more about what teachers might be feeling in terms of pressure from the top.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>I\u2019m especially thinking about folks who feel like they have so much curriculum they\u2019re required to cover that they don\u2019t have sufficient class time. Having kids sit down to do a worksheet is so much faster than having them do the things you\u2019re talking about.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>So they\u2019re feeling like they have to get right down to business. They can\u2019t, quote-unquote, waste time on making learning more engaging. And it\u2019s not because they don\u2019t care or because they don\u2019t want to\u2014it\u2019s because they truly can\u2019t figure out the logistics when there are so many things they\u2019re required to do.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>The curriculum is a mile wide and an inch deep. There\u2019s just so much they have to get to. What advice do you give to folks in that situation?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Yeah, it\u2019s a great question. And honestly, one of the things we started to see even before the dramatic teacher shortages post-COVID\u2014and it has only accelerated since then\u2014is the standardization of curriculum.<\/p>\n<p>You see these pacing guides where it\u2019s written out: what lesson, what page number, what time of day a teacher should be on every single day. If someone from upper admin walks into a third-grade math lesson anywhere in the district, they expect all of those classes to be in the same place.<\/p>\n<p>And man, I think these are risky mandates because meeting the needs of learners is not standardized like that.<\/p>\n<p>I think we need to honor our educators as the professionals they are. And that means more than just parroting curriculum at students. But the honest reality is, even if we are under that kind of curricular pressure&#8230;<\/p>\n<p>The way the brain works\u2014if we think about it\u2014picture your class coming back from recess, or your fourth-period class walking in after a passing period. Are most of those students walking into your classroom ready to learn?<\/p>\n<p>And some, maybe. But the vast majority aren\u2019t. They\u2019re coming in red-faced and sweaty because they just ran on the playground. They\u2019re tattling on so-and-so who bumped them out of line at the drinking fountain. They\u2019re coming in thinking about not creasing their new Nikes. Or they\u2019re wondering, \u201cWhat\u2019s for lunch today?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Or, you know, \u201cMy best friend walked down the hall and kind of snubbed me\u2014what\u2019s going on there?\u201d<\/p>\n<p>They\u2019re coming to us with other things on their minds and other things happening in their bodies that are barriers to being able to learn.<\/p>\n<p>And especially now, with young people facing these unprecedented rates of anxiety, depression, and stress, we need to be really aware of brain state.<\/p>\n<p>Even if a teacher finds themselves under a really rigorous pacing guide where they\u2019re expected to sprint through the curriculum and adhere to a standardized pace\u2014I get it.<\/p>\n<p>But if they\u2019re not doing something to honor the brain state of the students coming into their classroom, there are some students in that room who simply will not be able to learn. It doesn\u2019t matter how vetted that curriculum is. It doesn\u2019t matter how student-friendly the objective is, written nice and neat on the board.<\/p>\n<p>Because of the relationship between the amygdala and the prefrontal cortex, if our students are coming to us in a state of hypo- or hyper-arousal, the prefrontal cortex is dark. It is not ready to learn.<\/p>\n<p>In some cases, if a teacher is feeling pressure not to, quote-unquote, \u201cwaste time,\u201d it\u2019s important to acknowledge that if you just hand out the worksheet and go through the curriculum as it\u2019s packaged, then yes, some students will learn from that.<\/p>\n<p>But we are not inviting all students into that learning. In fact, we\u2019re subtly communicating that some students aren\u2019t expected to learn or don\u2019t belong because we haven\u2019t invited them into the process.<\/p>\n<p>Simple activities at the start of class can make a huge difference. Humor, for example, is one of the most effective things we can do to foster a positive brain state for learning. Showing a carefully pre-screened, really funny video at the beginning of class lights up the brain, releases positive chemistry, and helps students get into a good mindset for learning.<\/p>\n<p>Activities that engage both the body and the brain\u2014like the ones we\u2019ve discussed\u2014help wake up the prefrontal cortex. These can be incredibly beneficial. If there\u2019s concern about not getting through the whole worksheet because transitions take time, then set a timer. Pre-select the questions that are most important for students to wrestle with.<\/p>\n<p>There are boundaries teachers have to operate within, absolutely. But within those boundaries, there\u2019s still agency for teachers to make thoughtful decisions about what they do. For example, starting the class with a quick brain break activity that fosters a good brain state before diving into the scripted, pre-selected curriculum.<\/p>\n<p>These activities typically take three minutes or less to help foster that positive brain state. It\u2019s not wasted time\u2014it\u2019s flipping the switch to turn the brain on. Don\u2019t we want to turn the brain on before diving into the curriculum? Absolutely.<\/p>\n<p>If the boundary is, \u201cI have to get through this worksheet today, no exceptions,\u201d then pre-select the priority problems, set the timer, and do what\u2019s necessary to stay within those boundaries.<\/p>\n<p>But engagement isn\u2019t extra. It\u2019s not something we get to if we have time. If the brain isn\u2019t lit up and turned on, all students are doing is putting words on pages. They\u2019re not likely to remember that information or be able to use it in the future.<\/p>\n<p>I think back to times as a special education teacher when students had worksheets to write vocabulary definitions. Inevitably, every school year, I\u2019d have some students\u2014who weren\u2019t Spanish speakers\u2014copy definitions from the Spanish glossary in the back of the book.<\/p>\n<p>They were just transposing letter by letter, word by word, onto the page. They weren\u2019t paying attention to what they were writing down. We have to get past that. We have to put students in a position where their brain is sweating\u2014where they\u2019re actively working with the content.<\/p>\n<p>Whatever we need to do to make that happen within curricular expectations, while still advocating for protecting the professionalism of education, we have to do it.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Thank you for articulating that so clearly for teachers who need to be able to defend these practices. If an administrator walks into the room and it looks like you\u2019re wasting time, kids can say, \u201cWe\u2019re preparing our brains to learn. We\u2019re turning our brains on. This is how we\u2019re warming up our brains. We\u2019re stretching those muscles before we begin to learn.\u201d <\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Making that explicit for kids is key. This isn\u2019t just a fun little diversion before getting down to business. It\u2019s part of the learning. Engagement is not an extra.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>It\u2019s not an add-on or a nice-to-have\u2014it\u2019s something we have to do. Being passionate about this, being able to articulate it in depth, and also explaining it quickly to kids so they see the value is so important.<\/strong><\/p>\n<h3>Helping students understand their own learning needs<\/h3>\n<p>Yes! And helping students see the value in these activities also teaches them to self-select good strategies as human beings. Think about how many times a kid gets mad at school. Being mad isn\u2019t a behavior problem\u2014it\u2019s a natural human response.<\/p>\n<p>They\u2019re young, still developing, and we\u2019re forcing them to be in school whether they want to or not. They\u2019re around people whether they want to be or not. Sometimes, they\u2019re going to get mad.<\/p>\n<p>Anger doesn\u2019t just live in the seat of emotions\u2014it lives in the body. It creates energy. If we don\u2019t give students healthy outlets for that energy, how can they calm down and re-regulate to re-engage with the expectations they\u2019re facing?<\/p>\n<p>Helping students understand how their brains, bodies, and nervous systems work is so important. Showing them why we do activities to turn their brain on or calm their nervous system is incredibly beneficial.<\/p>\n<p>It helps them self-select strategies as they navigate their emotions, feelings, and interpersonal experiences in the future.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Yeah, so they can start to recognize, \u201cOkay, in order for my brain to be ready to learn, I need some quiet time. I need to put my head down on my desk. I need to take some deep breaths. Or maybe I just have something I\u2019m bursting to say and need to tell someone.\u201d Helping kids identify their needs, tune into those needs, and think about how to prepare themselves to learn is so important.<\/strong><\/p>\n<h3>Simple starting points to make your classroom more engaging<\/h3>\n<p><strong>I think you\u2019ve made a really strong case for creating this environment where kids are actively participating and not just passively absorbing information. What is the simple shift teachers can make to turn their classrooms into more engaging spaces?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>I think a simple shift teachers can make to invite more engagement from their students is to think about their own zone of proximal development.<\/p>\n<p>If they have a target they\u2019re working toward as professional educators\u2014whether that\u2019s, \u201cI want to bring more fun back into my classroom,\u201d or, \u201cI want to get students talking about content more,\u201d\u2014it starts with identifying where they are right now.<\/p>\n<p>One of the things I hear a lot of educators working on right now is balancing teacher do versus student do\u2014teacher talk versus student talk.<\/p>\n<p>And the number of words we use in a class period versus the number of words students use. So whatever that target is that they\u2019re working toward, what\u2019s their typical go-to on a Monday through Friday? What does that look like? And what would it look like to take one step beyond what\u2019s comfortable toward that goal? Just one step.<\/p>\n<p>And know that it\u2019s going to feel uncomfortable at first. Learning is uncomfortable. Our students are in that position full-time every day, and we often forget how vulnerable it feels to be a learner\u2014to not have complete mastery of something you\u2019re working toward.<\/p>\n<p>So, be prepared for that discomfort. When you try something new, whether it\u2019s changing the way you deploy a worksheet, offering student choice in one activity during a class period, or handling a classroom management challenge slightly differently, give yourself the time and space to feel uncomfortable with it for a little bit.<\/p>\n<p>Gather evidence about what\u2019s working, what\u2019s not, and what\u2019s behind any lingering discomfort. Then plan\u2014what would one more step look like? What does it look like to take one more step out of that comfort zone?<\/p>\n<p>That way, we honor our own personality and teaching style. What feels comfortable for us? We all have the fancy lesson plans we pull out when we know we\u2019re going to be observed, and then we have the lesson plans that happen on a regular Thursday when we\u2019re just trying to hold life together.<\/p>\n<p>What does it look like to move that regular Thursday lesson plan toward that snazzy lesson plan we pull out for observations?<\/p>\n<p>So that more of our days look like the snazzy ones and fewer of our days feel like the ones where, you know, we may not even have matching shoes on.<\/p>\n<p><strong>That\u2019s a great goal\u2014to have more of our days look like that. Not all of our days.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Yeah, it\u2019s not sustainable.<\/p>\n<p><strong>We\u2019re going to have bad days. And again, not every lesson, not every moment of every lesson. But if we think about one thing a week\u2026 and really, this is something to aim for throughout your career as an educator.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>I mean, I still feel like I\u2019m stretching and growing, even though I\u2019m not in the classroom. I\u2019m constantly learning new things, trying new things with the teachers I work with.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>The benefit of that is it keeps everything fresh for me. There are a lot of other things happening there, too, but if I just keep doing things the way I\u2019ve always done them, I\u2019ll feel stuck in a rut.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>And I\u2019ll feel like all the challenges are external. It\u2019s other people wanting me to do things. It\u2019s them saying, \u201cYou have to change this.\u201d When the change is forced on you, it isn\u2019t always motivating or exciting.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>But when you start the change yourself\u2014when you set the goal of, \u201cI want to do this to enjoy my work more,\u201d or, \u201cI want to feel more engaged,\u201d or, \u201cI want my students to be more engaged,\u201d\u2014it becomes meaningful.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>When the goal is, \u201cI want this lesson to be more enjoyable to teach,\u201d or, \u201cI want this to be memorable,\u201d or, \u201cI want this to be a fun day where I get to be creative with students and connect with kids,\u201d\u2014when you frame it like that, it\u2019s motivating. It\u2019s about doing all the things that brought you into this profession in the first place.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Exactly.<\/p>\n<p><strong>It\u2019s not about, \u201cOh, I have to keep up with the times,\u201d or, \u201cIf I don\u2019t do this, the kids won\u2019t pay attention.\u201d It\u2019s reframing the effort as a personal benefit for yourself, and I think that makes a big difference.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>It\u2019s extra effort, yes. But teaching the way you\u2019ve always taught doesn\u2019t take less effort\u2014it just creates a different kind of effort. You\u2019ll likely have more classroom management or behavior issues.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>So maybe the question is, it\u2019s going to take effort either way\u2014whether you stay the same or whether you change.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Yes. And that\u2019s the honest reality. We default to what\u2019s comfortable, but if you ask most teachers, \u201cIs this working for all of your students?\u201d the answer is often no.<\/p>\n<p>If you look at classroom management being the number one factor driving teachers from the profession, clearly there\u2019s a disconnect somewhere.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s not as simple as saying, \u201cIf you\u2019re a more engaging teacher, then you won\u2019t have behavior problems.\u201d No. The young human beings assigned to your class are wild little variables, and things are going to happen.<\/p>\n<p>But the rule of thumb that an engaged student is less likely to act out and cause a disruption? That is true.<\/p>\n<p>And when students enjoy being in our spaces\u2014here\u2019s an example. A school I worked with surveyed their students about their culture and climate experience.<\/p>\n<p>They asked, \u201cDo you feel like you\u2019re having fun at school?\u201d and \u201cDo you feel safe at school?\u201d The percentage of students who said they feel like they\u2019re having fun was exactly the same as the percentage who said they feel safe.<\/p>\n<p>For a young child, fun and safety are so deeply connected. A sense of \u201cI\u2019m liked here, I\u2019m valued here, I belong here\u201d is tied to those feelings. If we can make our classroom spaces places students want to be and where they feel like we want them there, then we\u2019re more likely to get the outcomes we\u2019re hoping for.<\/p>\n<p>Going back to the question of whether this is a waste of time\u2014it\u2019s absolutely not.<\/p>\n<p>We\u2019re making investments in the lives of young human beings. These opportunities to help them feel empowered as learners, to experience success\u2014this is meaningful work.<\/p>\n<p>It feels good for your brain to light up. And that feeling becomes intrinsically motivating. Kids will be more likely to participate in those activities moving forward because it felt good.<\/p>\n<p>So we\u2019re not just helping them be successful as learners or retain the information to do well on a test. We\u2019re giving them opportunities to grow as human beings, to benefit their overall experience. And that work is never wasted.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Awesome. I want to close out with what I call a takeaway truth. What\u2019s one thing you wish every teacher understood about making learning fun and engaging?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Great question. I think if there were one takeaway truth, it\u2019s that a teacher\u2019s time and attention is the most precious resource we have in education.<\/p>\n<p>Sometimes, in the standardization of teaching and the way we sprint through lesson plans, we lose sight of that. But our time and attention are the most precious things we can give our students.<\/p>\n<p>So in that vein, I\u2019d say I hope teachers know to be themselves.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s tempting to see someone out there\u2014an author, a podcast host, an edu-influencer\u2014and think, \u201cI wish I could be that.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>But if you\u2019re trying to emulate someone else, it will always feel inauthentic. So the reality is to love yourself, be proud of who you are as an educator, and know yourself well.<\/p>\n<p>And as I\u2019ve mentioned, take those first steps toward what you\u2019d like to do. Take the steps that make sense for you.<\/p>\n<p>Then work toward more authentic engagement, or whatever goal you\u2019re pursuing. Being brave enough to take that first step is one of the most powerful things we can do. And then give yourself the grace to not have it 100% right, right away.<\/p>\n<blockquote class=\"instagram-media\" style=\"background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);\" data-instgrm-captioned=\"\" data-instgrm-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/DQsfTZ6E5DI\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" data-instgrm-version=\"14\">\n<div style=\"padding: 16px;\">\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;\">\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;\">\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"padding: 19% 0;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"padding-top: 8px;\">\n<div style=\"color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;\">View this post on Instagram<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"padding: 12.5% 0;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: row; margin-bottom: 14px; align-items: center;\">\n<div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(0px) translateY(7px);\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; height: 12.5px; transform: rotate(-45deg) translateX(3px) translateY(1px); width: 12.5px; flex-grow: 0; margin-right: 14px; margin-left: 2px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; height: 12.5px; width: 12.5px; transform: translateX(9px) translateY(-18px);\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"margin-left: 8px;\">\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 20px; width: 20px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 2px solid transparent; border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4; border-bottom: 2px solid transparent; transform: translateX(16px) translateY(-4px) rotate(30deg);\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"margin-left: auto;\">\n<div style=\"width: 0px; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-right: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(16px);\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; flex-grow: 0; height: 12px; width: 16px; transform: translateY(-4px);\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"width: 0; height: 0; border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4; border-left: 8px solid transparent; transform: translateY(-4px) translateX(8px);\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center; margin-bottom: 24px;\">\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 224px;\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 144px;\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;\"><a style=\"color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;\" href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/p\/DQsfTZ6E5DI\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">A post shared by Angela Watson (@angela.watson)<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/www.instagram.com\/embed.js\"><\/script><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Student engagement is not the same as having fun: it&#8217;s the foundation for meaningful and lasting learning. In this article + podcast episode, Katie Powell, author of Boredom Busters: Transform Worksheets, Lectures, and Grading into Engaging, Meaningful Learning Experiences, shares simple yet powerful strategies that help teachers transform their classrooms into spaces where students thrive. &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/truthforteachers.com\/truth-for-teachers-podcast\/boredom-busters-that-prime-the-brain-for-learning\/\">Continued<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":153205,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","categories":[9,3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-152617","podcasts","type-podcasts","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-classroom-management","category-truth-for-teachers-podcast"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.2 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Truth For Teachers | Engagement isn&#039;t extra: boredom busters that prime the brain for learning<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/truthforteachers.com\/truth-for-teachers-podcast\/boredom-busters-that-prime-the-brain-for-learning\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Truth For Teachers | Engagement isn&#039;t extra: boredom busters that prime the brain for learning\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Student engagement is not the same as having fun: it&#8217;s the foundation for meaningful and lasting learning. In this article + podcast episode, Katie Powell, author of Boredom Busters: Transform Worksheets, Lectures, and Grading into Engaging, Meaningful Learning Experiences, shares simple yet powerful strategies that help teachers transform their classrooms into spaces where students thrive. &hellip; Continued\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/truthforteachers.com\/truth-for-teachers-podcast\/boredom-busters-that-prime-the-brain-for-learning\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Truth For Teachers\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/TruthForTeachers\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-11-29T09:49:48+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/angelawatson-2017.s3.amazonaws.com\/truthforteachers\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/07085224\/Engagement-isnt-extra-wide-plain.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1200\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"600\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"33 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/truthforteachers.com\/truth-for-teachers-podcast\/boredom-busters-that-prime-the-brain-for-learning\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/truthforteachers.com\/truth-for-teachers-podcast\/boredom-busters-that-prime-the-brain-for-learning\/\",\"name\":\"Truth For Teachers | Engagement isn't extra: boredom busters that prime the brain for learning\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/truthforteachers.com\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/truthforteachers.com\/truth-for-teachers-podcast\/boredom-busters-that-prime-the-brain-for-learning\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/truthforteachers.com\/truth-for-teachers-podcast\/boredom-busters-that-prime-the-brain-for-learning\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/truthforteachers.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Engagement-isnt-extra-square-for-website.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-09-07T16:00:12+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-11-29T09:49:48+00:00\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/truthforteachers.com\/truth-for-teachers-podcast\/boredom-busters-that-prime-the-brain-for-learning\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/truthforteachers.com\/truth-for-teachers-podcast\/boredom-busters-that-prime-the-brain-for-learning\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/truthforteachers.com\/truth-for-teachers-podcast\/boredom-busters-that-prime-the-brain-for-learning\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/truthforteachers.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Engagement-isnt-extra-square-for-website.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/truthforteachers.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Engagement-isnt-extra-square-for-website.jpg\",\"width\":500,\"height\":500},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/truthforteachers.com\/truth-for-teachers-podcast\/boredom-busters-that-prime-the-brain-for-learning\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/truthforteachers.com\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"Engagement isn&#8217;t extra: boredom busters that prime the brain for learning\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/truthforteachers.com\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/truthforteachers.com\/\",\"name\":\"Truth For Teachers\",\"description\":\"Real talk from real educators\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/truthforteachers.com\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Truth For Teachers | Engagement isn't extra: boredom busters that prime the brain for learning","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/truthforteachers.com\/truth-for-teachers-podcast\/boredom-busters-that-prime-the-brain-for-learning\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Truth For Teachers | Engagement isn't extra: boredom busters that prime the brain for learning","og_description":"Student engagement is not the same as having fun: it&#8217;s the foundation for meaningful and lasting learning. In this article + podcast episode, Katie Powell, author of Boredom Busters: Transform Worksheets, Lectures, and Grading into Engaging, Meaningful Learning Experiences, shares simple yet powerful strategies that help teachers transform their classrooms into spaces where students thrive. &hellip; Continued","og_url":"https:\/\/truthforteachers.com\/truth-for-teachers-podcast\/boredom-busters-that-prime-the-brain-for-learning\/","og_site_name":"Truth For Teachers","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/TruthForTeachers\/","article_modified_time":"2025-11-29T09:49:48+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1200,"height":600,"url":"https:\/\/angelawatson-2017.s3.amazonaws.com\/truthforteachers\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/07085224\/Engagement-isnt-extra-wide-plain.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_misc":{"Est. reading time":"33 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/truthforteachers.com\/truth-for-teachers-podcast\/boredom-busters-that-prime-the-brain-for-learning\/","url":"https:\/\/truthforteachers.com\/truth-for-teachers-podcast\/boredom-busters-that-prime-the-brain-for-learning\/","name":"Truth For Teachers | Engagement isn't extra: boredom busters that prime the brain for learning","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/truthforteachers.com\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/truthforteachers.com\/truth-for-teachers-podcast\/boredom-busters-that-prime-the-brain-for-learning\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/truthforteachers.com\/truth-for-teachers-podcast\/boredom-busters-that-prime-the-brain-for-learning\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/truthforteachers.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Engagement-isnt-extra-square-for-website.jpg","datePublished":"2025-09-07T16:00:12+00:00","dateModified":"2025-11-29T09:49:48+00:00","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/truthforteachers.com\/truth-for-teachers-podcast\/boredom-busters-that-prime-the-brain-for-learning\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/truthforteachers.com\/truth-for-teachers-podcast\/boredom-busters-that-prime-the-brain-for-learning\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/truthforteachers.com\/truth-for-teachers-podcast\/boredom-busters-that-prime-the-brain-for-learning\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/truthforteachers.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Engagement-isnt-extra-square-for-website.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/truthforteachers.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/09\/Engagement-isnt-extra-square-for-website.jpg","width":500,"height":500},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/truthforteachers.com\/truth-for-teachers-podcast\/boredom-busters-that-prime-the-brain-for-learning\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/truthforteachers.com\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Engagement isn&#8217;t extra: boredom busters that prime the brain for learning"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/truthforteachers.com\/#website","url":"https:\/\/truthforteachers.com\/","name":"Truth For Teachers","description":"Real talk from real educators","potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/truthforteachers.com\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/truthforteachers.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/podcasts\/152617","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/truthforteachers.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/podcasts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/truthforteachers.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/podcasts"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/truthforteachers.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/truthforteachers.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=152617"}],"version-history":[{"count":21,"href":"https:\/\/truthforteachers.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/podcasts\/152617\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":153373,"href":"https:\/\/truthforteachers.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/podcasts\/152617\/revisions\/153373"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/truthforteachers.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/153205"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/truthforteachers.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=152617"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/truthforteachers.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=152617"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/truthforteachers.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=152617"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}