📝 Episode Synopsis

In the third installment of the HEART series, Dr. Joey Weisler explores the Engagement pillar and challenges one of education's most persistent questions: How do we get students to care?

Reflecting on experiences ranging from teaching Night in middle school to designing an innovative college business writing course, Joey argues that authentic engagement isn't created through compliance or performance. Instead, it emerges when students see themselves in their learning.

This episode introduces two complementary forms of engagement—academic and emotional—and offers a practical framework for helping students connect classroom content to their own experiences while maintaining healthy instructional boundaries. Whether you're teaching literature, science, mathemat ...