Interactive Teaching

Over many years, education reform efforts have done precious little to lift low achieving schools. This is especially true for students in low economic areas. In the main, schools continue to be controlling environments that put a premium on quiet classrooms and minimal student interactions. They are environments that feature mostly lecture and worksheets. Motivating youth to set high expectations and to participate fully remain at a low ebb.

Our book, EMPOWERING YOUTH: Accessing Positive Peer Power seeks to integrate interactive teaching/learning. Peers become active problem solvers with opportunities to work in small groups. Adults continue to teach but they also become enablers and guides who promote active student involvement.

Our book explains for adults the basic strategy for involving youth. what, why and how to integrate interactive teaching/learning with youth. It provides a rationale for why it is important to involve youth and demonstrates how to integrate interactive teaching/learning with youth. Youth then cease to become like sponges soaking up knowledge that is “poured” into them from mainly one-way teaching. Active youth involvement, especially working with peers, spurs motivation to participate and to learn. The result is higher achievement and performance gains for individuals and the organization.