Inspiring Meaningful Learning: 6 Steps to Creating Lessons That Engage Students in Deep Learning

This quote from the beginning of the book summarizes an exercise I carry out with my pre-service education students. That is, “What are the qualities that you remember most about teachers that made an impact in your life”? It is important to identify the characteristics of our favourite teachers as many educators strive to model these positive traits in their own professional practice.

As I began reading this book, I reflected on how useful this book would be in my pre-service education classes for new teachers learning about effective instructional strategies. Similarly, Inspiring Meaningful Learning may be a useful refresher for those educators struggling to develop rapport with their students. As educators, we know that relationship building is the cornerstone to teaching. An excellent quote in the first chapter states, “In school, a student is probably welcomed into learning by a peer or teacher, and/or interest in the subject. Being welcomed into learning is an important way to establish and sustain rapport between teachers and learners.” When students are hooked into and engaged in their learning, it sends an implicit message that the teacher cares.

Along with an informative introduction about the intent of the book, the content is laid out in seven comprehensive chapters, each centred on a specific aspect of creating a meaningful learning environment. For example, Chapter One is entitled, “How to Plan for Meaningful Learning” and focuses on teaching strategies that will assist teachers in creating a learning environment that fosters engagement and rapport building. In this chapter, Stein Dzaldov uses her extensive experience to share the importance of three areas she deems necessary for planning meaningful learning: content; pedagogy; and rapport. Moreover, in her explanation of each of these three key areas, Stein Dzaldov provides concrete and practical examples for creating meaningful lessons.

In Chapters Two through Seven, Dzaldov provides educators with a guided map on their journey of creating rich and meaningful learning environments. Each chapter provides a comprehensive list of criteria for consideration in planning for these inspiring learning events along with some anecdotal advice from practicing educators in the field. For example, in Chapter Two, Dzaldov states that, “The Teacher is the Heartbeat of the Classroom. …Whether the heartbeat races and promotes anxiety, or beats steadily and promotes calm, is connected to the teacher’s ability to reflect, process, and ultimately operate from a clear mind and an expansive heart.” This is an articulate expression of a sentiment held by many in the field of education. Inspiring Meaningful Learning is a wonderful resource for pre-service educators, new teachers and those looking for a refresher.