Connect and Involve: How to Connect with Students and Involve Them in Learning

Connect and Involve: How to Connect with Students and Involve Them in Learning is a practical handbook of strategies and procedures for teaching at all grade levels—elementary, middle, and high school. The secret to increasing teaching effectiveness is to make small changes in what teachers think and do—and to get their students to make small changes in what they think and do. Every time teachers connect with students and involve them in learning, teachers engage them in powerful ways that make it more likely that they will choose to learn and to do quality work. This book shows how to be a more effective teacher through small changes in planning and classroom procedures. Each chapter focuses on a key strategy, and each chapter head and its subheads are an outline of how to put the strategy into practice. Teachers can preview all the ideas by reading the chapter titles, heads, and subheads. There are no prescriptions here; teachers bring their expertise on the age group, the subjects they teach, and the big ideas and key skills students need to achieve on high-stakes testing. The strategies and procedures provide ways for teachers to evaluate where small changes can make a difference in achievement for their students.

Table of Contents:
Table of Contents Foreword Preface Acknowledgments Chapter 1. Make Small Changes Chapter 2. Connect Through Getting to Know Students Chapter 3. Connect Through Helping Students Make Choices Chapter 4. Design Learning Starting from The Big Ideas and Key Skills Chapter 5. Design Lessons Starting From the Big Content Ideas and Key Skills Chapter 6. Use Scoring Guides to Increase Quality Work Chapter 7. Motivation Follows Action Chapter 8. Increase Learning by Teaching Procedures Chapter 9. Help Students Learn Through Practice and Revision Chapter 10. Use Teams to Increase Practice Chapter 11. Plan Projects that Use Teams Chapter 12. Conversation that Increases Learning and Builds Community Chapter 13. Involve Students in Your Presentations Afterword References About the Author

About the Author :
Robert J. Martin, Ph.D. is a licensed psychologist and has worked with teachers and students K-12 in the public schools and with all age groups in private practice. He has taught graduate and undergraduate students in educational psychology and counselor education, and is Professor Emeritus at Truman State University.

Review :
Martin's Connect and Involve provides an encompassing overview of foundational teaching practices at all levels. It aims to help teachers create community, build rapport with individual students, and increase motivation. The highly accessible writing style makes the text appropriate for pre-service teachers, beginning teachers, or veteran teachers needing a refresh. Each chapter includes a simulated conversation in which Martin addresses what he thinks would be commonly asked questions on that chapter's topics. Additional resources are also listed for each chapter. While none of the strategies offered are groundbreaking, the book provides a refreshing review of essential practices. Recommended. This is a great read! I initially read Connect and Involve with the idea of taking copious notes regarding the manuscript before writing my commentary. However, I became so intrigued by the message and organization of the book that I forgot to take notes, and I read the manuscript a second time. Dr. Martin presents a valuable compendium of proven techniques, ideas, and resources with a common-sense approach to active student learning. Too often educators try “to be all things to all students.” Dr. Martin reminds us to only do what we can control and to focus on what is important. I wholeheartedly believe that Connect and Involve is the quintessential primer for all educators, especially for veteran teachers who mentor new educators. I am absolutely loving it! I love how Martin’s book really hones in on key elements that all teachers should focus on. It is a great reminder to seasoned teachers and it is a fantastic guide to new teachers on motivating and involving students in their own education. I appreciate that there is the ability to choose a particular area to focus on and utilize that chapter to improve my students’ environment and education which is important for busy educators! An excellent resource for every classroom! What a prize text! I found solutions to the problems plaguing our classrooms and data teams in Martin’s procedures and strategies—simple ideas that implemented immediately will impact whole class learning and address individual struggling students’ needs. This is research and best practice translated into the ‘boots on the ground’ movement. I’ve already begun to use ideas from the text with my Building Leadership Team in building a quality MTSS, pulled out strategies and teaching procedures to help in drafting a 504 plan for a student with ADHD, worked in a student action team meeting to help build relationships through reframing teacher thinking, and worked on identifying and fulfilling student needs. Connect and Involve speaks to my heart as a teacher. I think it is the kind of book that will speak to the hearts of all educators. There is nothing trendy about the techniques—no fleeting terminology that is going to fall out of favor before the book even has a chance to be read through cover-to-cover. By the same token, there is also not a single technique or idea that is unadventurous or overly conventional. Dr. Martin lands squarely on the gold standard by streamlining universal best practice. Whether you are a pre-service teacher-in-training, a brand-new classroom teacher, or a seasoned educator, this book is full of effective strategies you can readily and simply implement in your practice. That, I think, is what all of us want as teachers…simple ideas and tools to help us do an even better job reaching and teaching our students. Connect and Involve is an accessible roadmap for teachers and others to implement highly engaging techniques into their professional practices. In this age of diminishing and even impoverished choices for students and those who work with them, the skills, strategies, and best practices throughout the book are truly welcomed. I highly recommend this book. An exceptional addition to the library of any educator who is truly dedicated to improving connections/relationships with students and thus improving not only their academic achievement but their lives and future opportunities. Martin synthesizes his more than 40 years’ experience as a psychologist and educator into one comprehensive and cohesive guide which provides timely, real-world actions and behaviors focused on improving relationships with students as a means to enhance their learning and academic achievement. The strategies and practices in this book align well the work of Chappuis, Marzano, Hattie and others regarding what works in classrooms and solidifies the position that enhanced student learning and achievement hinges not only on good teaching practice, but on positive, meaningful relationships with students. This outstanding handbook is intuitive for both beginning teachers and veterans of many years because it encourages these educators to make small, practical changes that yield big payoffs. The chapters are cohesive and connected but can also stand-alone if an educator is looking for a particular strategy. Question and Answer sections at the end of each chapter thoughtfully review the material while providing additional classroom applications. Dr. Robert J. Martin’s book draws heavily on his expertise and years of experience working with K-12 students and educators. Connect and Involve is sure to become one of an educator’s most trusted resources. Connect and Involve is content-rich and loaded with practical information that a preservice teacher or a practicing teacher can find applicable. Robert Martin’s enthusiasm for teaching and learning is clearly evident throughout the text—and he shares strategies that stand the test of time. The question and answer sections at the end of each chapter are very helpful. When reading, I found myself revisiting strategies that I had used previously, but had not articulated well. Dr. Martin’s ability to make the complexity of learning and teaching accessible to readers is extremely helpful. This is a text you will enjoy reading.