ENGAGEMENT

n **// How would we define engagement? //** Perhaps the best definition comes from the work of Phil Schlecty (1994), who says students who are engaged exhibit three characteristics: **(1) they are** **attracted to their work, (2) they persist in their** **work despite challenges and obstacles, and (3)** **they take visible delight in accomplishing their** **work.**

= “Most teachers have seen these signs of engagement during a project, presentation, or lively class discussion. They have caught glimpses of the inspired inner world of a child, and hoped to sustain this wonder, enthusiasm, and perseverance every day. At the same time, they may have felt stymied by traditions of reward and punishment. // Our challenge is to transcend these very real difficulties and provide a practical model for understanding what our students want and need.” //=