I wish I were the sort of teacher who finds this sort of book helpful. I'm enthused by the ideas in this volume and no doubt they would work for 70% of my colleagues, but it just does not match how I think or plan or work. If you think it'll work for you, let me know! I would love to pass it on to a more loving home!

I really liked this book about interest-based learning. It is set up like a textbook for training teachers. It gives case studies in each chapter and guides teachers through each step with lots of trouble shooting and examples and reasons. I especially liked the menus and surveys- for example there are lists of different subjects kids might be interested in and more specific topics of study in those areas that they could pursue, and then a list of different projects that work well with those different topics. Also there are lists of ways to present topics to children- rather than the broad topic of economics, for lower elementary you could say "starting a business" with a project of planning a lawn mowing business (my own idea, not from the book).

I liked this book so well that when a high school teacher friend of mine mentioned that she was starting project-based learning with her students this fall, I insisted she had to read this book and then reluctantly let her borrow it. ( )

Want to learn how to implement Interest Based Learning in your classroom? This guide is for you! The entire process is covered in The Interest-Based Learning Coach. The goals, assessments, and templates provided in this book are student friendly. I enjoyed the prompts for when teacher and student should conference and provide feedback throughout the entire IBL process. There are even scripts to help you!

This book guides you through students determining their interests and taking those interests through the inquiry process so that students can begin their action plan. Seriously, the entire process is here with examples and templates for you to use. If you are looking for a ready-made plan for you to start using in your classroom, this is it. ( )

Having served as an adjunct professor on several college campuses for 30+ uninterrupted years, I enjoy exploring a smorgasbord of teaching concepts.
We typically associate interest-based learning models with teaching schematics used in elementary and high school classes. But after delving into “The Interest-Based Learning Coach,” I quickly realized how many applications IBL has for college-level academic pursuits.
Educators at every level understand that students learn best when the mission is launched on their terms – with their own interests at the core of the learning experience.
One of the first realizations that hit me as I read the first few chapters was that I’ve been using interest-based learning tactics in my classes – particularly my upper-level communications classes – for a few decades. Validation is always valuable.
But as I reviewed the authors’ models, case studies, worksheets, video links and other resources, I quickly realized how much more I could be doing. There were two areas in particular that jumped out in terms of what I could be doing more effectively. One involves taking a more methodical approach to actively involving my students in helping to pinpoint learning targets and success criteria. The other area involved crafting a more precise and “big picture” matrix for devising assessments of students’ projects. True, my rubrics for evaluating journalism projects are quite extensive given that I carefully weigh nearly a dozen criteria. But this book has inspired me to make a few revisions that will place a greater emphasis on long-range learning outcomes.
There’s a good reason the authors use the term “step-by-step playbook” in the subtitle. The book is organized in a user-friendly way that allows readers to absorb dozens of important concepts without feeling overwhelmed. I loved the fact the book includes quotes from a diverse group of luminaries that range from Mark Twain to Stanley Kubrick. Equally as insightful are quotes from young students who are involved in interest-based learning. One section in the appendix even includes short case studies in which students share helpful observations.
As the subtitle accurately foreshadows, the book spends some time exploring these classroom learning techniques: Genius Hour, Passion Projects and Makerspaces. While the concepts are generally geared toward younger students, I’ve been effectively using some versions in my college-level classes.
The book also underscores the importance of having “authentic audiences” to evaluate students’ learning adventures and explores challenges in this information age that provides even the youngest researchers with “a fire hydrant of information on every topic.”
Although some passages in this book might be considered a bit “wonky” for the casual reader, that’s clearly not the target audience of this specialized book. In general, the authors seem to make an effort to convey their ideas without assuming that all readers have a Ph.D (I don’t even have a master’s -- and I didn’t feel “lost” in a sea of academic jargon.
The fact that “The Interest-Based Learning Coach” inspired me to actually make two pages of notes in the “Things to Consider” section of my teaching files is proof for me that reading the book was time well spent. ( )

The authors provide teachers with clear, detailed instructions on how to design and implement interest-based learning. Topics discussed include measuring impact, helping students find and focus their interests, developing an action plan for each student, finding and managing resources, research development and design, developing real-world products, engaging authentic audiences, reflecting, debriefing, celebrating accomplishments, and more. The book includes case studies and planning tools for instructors and students. The book is written for elementary and middle school teachers, but the processes can be adapted for older students, including at the college level. ( )