From Seatwork to Feetwork
Engaging Students in Their Own Learning
Foreword by Marcia L. Tate
The essential book on student engagement—now fully updated!
Learning is not a spectator sport. That’s the guiding principle behind Ron Nash’s bestseller, which has helped thousands of teachers transform their classroom environments by energizing and engaging their students.
In the newly revised edition, Nash offers proven strategies that involve students as active participants in their own learning. Teachers of all levels will benefit from
- The latest research on exercise, learning, and brain development
- New chapters on the value of empathy and the use of feedback versus praise
- Additional material on maximizing the use of classroom time and supporting speakers and listeners
- Even more classroom examples at both the elementary and secondary levels
- Novel teaching strategies that align with the Speaking and Listening Skills requirements of the Common Core State Standards
Discover—or re-discover—this trusted resource, combining down-to-earth wisdom with important insights on movement, memory, and learning.
“Mr. Nash understands learners, particularly today’s learners, and he effectively advises how to embrace their need for a more participatory role in their own learning. I recommend this book to all teachers those who are new and those who need to be “re-newed.” Buy a copy, buy a new highlighter, and prepare to be inspired to make sure it is the students who are tired at the end of the school day, not the teacher.”
Debbie Silver, Ed.D.
Retired teacher, author, consultant, speaker
“Looking back, I see now that I got the workout and the students got the worksheet.” – Ron Nash
"This quote reminds me of my own first few years of teaching. I tried to be energetic, entertaining, and engaging, but at the end of the day I was exhausted by my reliance on teacher-focused output. Despite overwhelming research on the importance of engaging students in active learning, I just did not see how I could increase student involvement and still cover all the material I was supposed to include. I wish I had had Nash’s newly revised From Seatwork to Feetwork to guide me.
In this teacher-friendly book Ron Nash provides a blueprint for how to flip the traditional 80% teacher/ 20% student input model by implementing strategies designed to engage students in all kinds of vigorous learning activities. He masterfully demonstrates how teachers of all subject areas and grades can shift their roles to more of a guide and to less of a gatekeeper of important information. Through his own teaching history and his countless hours doing teacher observations, Ron has gleaned expert knowledge and concrete examples for making the transition to the student-centered classroom.
Mr. Nash understands learners, particularly today’s learners, and he effectively advises how to embrace their need for a more participatory role in their own learning. I recommend this book to all teachers – those who are new and those who need to be “re-newed.” Buy a copy, buy a new highlighter, and prepare to be inspired to make sure it is the students who are tired at the end of the school day, not the teacher."
"We no longer need to manage behavior when we give the students the skills, responsibility, and accountability needed to be productive. Ron Nash fine-tunes brain-based strategies to empower today’s learner across content areas. Transitioning from teacher-centered to engaged students, this book guides you through it all. I use these strategies in K-12 and also recommend them in my early childhood professional development workshops!"
Today's teachers thirst for tools that will help them engage students, minimize disruptions, and create classrooms where students flourish as 21st century learners. Ron Nash's newly updated From Seatwork to Feetwork provides those tools and so much more. With practical, research-based advice, Ron explains how to take "typical" (boring) classroom activities and transform them into exciting learning experiences that allow students to move around the classroom, collaborate with others, reflect on their learning, and take the lead on their educational journey! Ron provides insight on setting up an active classroom, establishing efficient routines, teaching communication skills, providing meaningful feedback, and creating a safe classroom culture where mistakes are welcomed as tools for improvement, just to name a few. This book is a "must-read" for all teachers eager for effective strategies that can be used immediately to take their students to new heights!
