# 10 Engagement Myths That Make Teaching Harder (and What to Do Instead)

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Podcast: [The What And Who Of EDU](https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-what-and-who-of-edu-7245179)
Published: 2026-01-28T13:33:00+00:00
Episode link: https://e69f2d88-be8f-424f-85e7-49f634dc418d.libsyn.com/10-engagement-myths-that-make-teaching-harder-and-what-to-do-instead
Audio file: https://traffic.libsyn.com/secure/e69f2d88-be8f-424f-85e7-49f634dc418d/S2_EP_1__Engagement_Myths.m4a?dest-id=4874965
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Duration seconds: 1689

## Resource

Some teaching strategies feel right—until they don't. The What & Who of EDU is kicking off season 2 with a banger, breaking down the most common student engagement myths that sound like good advice but actually backfire in real classrooms. From "just make it fun" to "you can tell who's paying attention by looking," these well-meaning myths often make teaching harder, not better. Whether you're teaching online, in person, or somewhere in between, this episode offers practical teaching strategies to help you rethink classroom engagement and reconnect with the students in your room. Brought to you by Macmillan Learning. Student Engagement Myths Myth 1: Stricter Rules = More Engagement [01:15] Myth 2: Online Students Don't Want Connection [03:23] Myth 3: You Can Tell Who's Engaged Just by Looking [06:25] Myth 4: Engagement Means More Energy [08:03] Myth 5: You Need to Fix Disengagement Immediately [10:45] Myth 6: Good Teaching Means Powering Through [13:04] Myth 7: If the Content Is Good, They'll Care [15:59] Myth 8: Start with Content, Add Relevance Later [19:07] Myth 9: Engagement Lives at the Front of the Room [20:51] Myth 10: Engagement Only Happens in Class [24:19] Featured Educators (In order of appearance) Dr. Ryan Herzog is an Associate Professor of Economics, Program Coordinator, and Faculty Fellow at Gonzaga University, where he has been teaching for 16 years. His work focuses on macroeconomics, financial markets, and public policy. Betsy Langness is the Psychology Department Head at Jefferson Community and Technical College, where she has worked for more than 20 years. She teaches general and developmental psychology courses in a virtual, asynchronous environment. Dr. Christin Monroe is an Educational Research Associate at the Center for Innovation in Teaching a…

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