In highly effective classrooms, learning doesn’t always look quiet or teacher-directed. When students are genuinely engaged, you may see movement, collaboration, laughter, experimentation, and curiosity unfolding in real time. To an untrained eye, it may appear unstructured, but in reality, it is purposeful, intentional, and grounded in shared routines and ownership. I learned this lesson early in my career. One Friday, while teaching 4th grade, we were reading a chapter book
