Applying Cognitive Psychology to the Classroom
I fear we’re doing it wrong...education, that is. We live at a time when 21st century skills and edtech are all the rage. Creativity, coding, and active learning have become mainstays of teacher professional development. Heck, even the current US Secretary of Education incorrectly believes that we are preparing most students for jobs that haven’t... Continue Reading →
*This is basically a glorified footnote of my post earlier today -- On Being Wrong...you may want to read it first...or maybe not. Whatever. Setting the scene: You’ve worked hard at university for four, five, or maybe six years to earn your teaching degree. There was a semester of student teaching, where you were essentially... Continue Reading →
Today, I’m meeting with some pretty big names in education, technology, and social media and I’ll admit I’m a bit nervous. If you’ve followed my writing the past two years or so, you know I’m not the most progressive thinking educator. I’m of the opinion we sometimes make learning and education much more difficult than it... Continue Reading →
The following article originally featured on Edutopia January 23, 2018 at the following link: https://www.edutopia.org/article/2-evidence-based-learning-strategies Spaced and retrieval practice help students retain content and give them a sense of what they know—and what they don’t. I often say to my students, “If a test is the first time you’re made to think about or with the class material,... Continue Reading →
I’ve written a bit about this before...homework. It isn't a bad word. I see it discussed often on edutwitter. While I agree there is little point of elementary school-aged students working through copious amounts, I see a lot of purpose for high school students; especially those who are planning on attending college. I have a... Continue Reading →
I’ve been on the blogging scene for just over a year. Due to my beliefs on what education should look like, what it should represent, and how it should be conducted, I find myself generally agreeing mostly with educators in the UK. This is a little odd, due to the fact that I live in... Continue Reading →
“ ‘I didn't come here to tell you how this is going to end. I came here to tell you how it's going to begin.’ - Neo” - Tom Bennett ResearchED founder, Tom Bennett, spoke these words at the conclusion of the latest researchED conference in the United States (October 7 in Brooklyn, NYC). ResearchED... Continue Reading →
Exactly one year ago today, my first ever blog article was published by the wonderful researchers/educators, The Learning Scientists. Since that day, I’ve had the bug...the reading research-writing-learning-growing bug. It’s been an amazing journey so far. A world of education, that I never knew existed, has been exposed to me and it’s changed everything about... Continue Reading →
I’ve written at length about many learning strategies (dual coding and retrieval practice, for example) that positively impact our student’s retention of material. Perhaps one of the toughest learning strategies to ‘show’ your students so they understand its importance is spaced practice. By definition, it can take days, weeks, or months to demonstrate its positive... Continue Reading →
I recently returned from my first researchED experience in Brooklyn; perhaps you saw the hashtag #rEDNY17 floating around twitter lately. Like a lot of education conferences, speakers presented information for which they are knowledgeable. Unlike a lot of education conferences, there was no expo or product to buy. No one wanted me to purchase the... Continue Reading →
Earlier today on twitter, Tom Bennett (@tombennett71) launched a small thread on assessment. You can check it out here. Essentially, he argues that testing doesn’t have to just mean an end of unit/chapter or course assessment and courses shouldn’t exist simply to focus on or teach to the test. I completely agree. I believe... Continue Reading →
Due to Hurricane Irma, I have not seen my students in four days. We are right in the middle of the most difficult unit of study for the entire year. To combat this difficulty, I make things easier...but not in the way you may be thinking. I make it easier with more frequent low-stakes assessments... Continue Reading →
Dear Students, Please read carefully and completely before passing judgement. You’re not the #1 priority in my life. That spot is reserved for my family. I love my wife and three children more than just about anything. You’ve been in my class and heard my stories...you know. I show you our weekend excursions on... Continue Reading →
The following post first featured on the American Psychological Association's Psych Learning Curve on August 28, 2017: http://psychlearningcurve.org/learn-from-people-we-dont-like/ In a quite popular Ted Talk, Every Kid Needs A Champion, Dr. Rita Pierson says many great things about relationships and education. I have no doubt she was an incredible educator and mentor to students and teachers.... Continue Reading →
In my AP Psychology classroom, most of my students are great at memorizing facts and regurgitating them on quizzes/tests. I spend a considerable amount of time introducing learning strategies to my students and incorporating them into their studying/practicing habits. I discuss this further here and here. Under the umbrella of discussing learning strategies with my... Continue Reading →
Post 3 - Reading the Research The first two posts in this series introduce its purpose and address where to find the research. As a whole, this series intends to empower educators to take control of their professional development with research. Often times, the prescribed whole-school PD doesn’t meet the needs of all classes and... Continue Reading →
Post 2 - Finding the Research As I stated in Post 1, the purpose of this series is to empower educators to take control of their professional development with research. Often times, the prescribed whole-school PD doesn’t meet the needs of all classes and students. I believe teachers should invest in seeking out your own... Continue Reading →
Post 1 - Introduction This is the introduction to a compendium meant to empower the classroom teacher to take control of their professional development through research. So often, a teachers only experience with professional development is the prescribed whole-school PD that takes place perhaps once a month or through a school-wide book club. While these... Continue Reading →
Dear New Teacher, Congratulations on your new job and commitment to the future of the world...a bit dramatic, but whatever. I want to give you a list of advice for your first year at the helm of your classroom. This isn’t your usual list...its purpose is to be completely honest; from one educator to another.... Continue Reading →
*The following article originally posted on the American Psychological Association's Psych Learning Curve website on July 17, 2017: http://psychlearningcurve.org/learning-myths-vs-learning-facts/ Unless you’ve been under a rock, avoiding the most infamous jargon of education, you’ve heard the term ‘learning styles’. It has become quite the buzzword in the last decade or so and is almost said with... Continue Reading →
One of the most flattering compliments I’ve ever received, in reference to my teaching, came in December of 2006. I was a member of a lovely cohort, finishing up our third and final semester of our Master’s of Education degree. During our last meetings together, one of the professors who instructed us along the way,... Continue Reading →
Disclaimer: I am not asserting the brain should be worked out like other muscles of the body. Thank you. When discussing retrieval practice, it is easy to focus on the ‘retrieval’ aspect of the learning strategy. It is much more interesting, I believe, to consider the neurological and biological side of the topic in relation to... Continue Reading →
I try to make it a habit to participate in edchats whenever possible for two reasons: It helps me to stay ‘plugged in’. Most of the time, I genuinely enjoy the chat. Even if I don’t agree with most of what’s being said, the vibe of it all has a nice energy. Although, I believe... Continue Reading →
I’m not going to lie, I’m hesitant to write this article. Why? Well...I don’t really follow the fads of teaching. As a general rule, I believe the flashier the professional development, the more unneeded or gilded it probably is. I consider myself an educator whose classroom is driven by researched or evidence-based strategies. Ideas of... Continue Reading →
