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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Andrew Watson
Andrew began his classroom life as a high-school English teacher in 1988, and has been working in or near schools ever since. In 2008, Andrew began exploring the practical application of psychology and neuroscience in his classroom. In 2011, he earned his M. Ed. from the “Mind, Brain, Education” program at Harvard University. As President of “Translate the Brain,” Andrew now works with teachers, students, administrators, and parents to make learning easier and teaching more effective. He has presented at schools and workshops across the country; he also serves as an adviser to several organizations, including “The People’s Science.” Andrew is the author of "Learning Begins: The Science of Working Memory and Attention for the Classroom Teacher."
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ADHD adolescence art education attention bilingual education boundary conditions classroom advice collaboration creativity desirable difficulty development elementary school embodied cognition emotion evolution executive function exercise experts and novices gender high school homework intelligence long-term memory metacognition methodology middle school mind-wandering mindfulness Mindset motivation multitasking neuromyths neuroscience parents pre-K psychology reading retrieval practice self-control skepticism sleep STEM stress technology working memoryRecent Comments
- Marlene E Natale on Not All of Us Work Effectively in a “Memory Palace”
- Andrew Watson on Cell Phones in the Classroom: Expected (and Unexpected) Effects
- Anonymous on Cell Phones in the Classroom: Expected (and Unexpected) Effects
- landb on Research on Note-Taking: A Teachable Skill
- Beatriz Rodriguez on Research on Note-Taking: A Teachable Skill
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Blog Roll
Design Thinking: How Does It Work In The Classroom?
A careful study of design thinking finds modest successes — especially for students who have struggled in school. Continue reading
“But I Study Much Better With My Music On”
Yet another study shows that background music — especially music with lyrics — makes reading comprehension harder, not easier. We study best in silence. Continue reading
Overcoming Potential Perils of Online Learning
Typical at-home distractions can indeed interfere with online learning. Happily, researchers have suggestions on how best to mitigate these problems. Continue reading
“How You Got to Be So Smart”: The Evolution of our Brains
Evolution of the Learning Brain: or How You Got to Be So Smart, by Paul Howard-Jones, offers an evolutionary history of learning itself. Both richly scientific and fun to read, it gives teachers a helpful, fresh perspective on our work in classrooms and schools. Continue reading
Why Do “Learning Styles” Theories Persist? [Updated 6-7-19]
We’re still trying to understand why learning styles theory — although widely debunked — still persists. Could it be because schools of education still support it? Continue reading
Handshakes at the Door: Hype, or Helpful?
It’s not just cute videos! Research also shows that greeting individual students at the classroom door leads to higher levels of attention and fewer classroom disruptions. Continue reading
Constructivism: In The Brain, In The Classroom
Is constructivism a theory of learning, or a theory of teaching? Mike Hobbiss offers a provocative answer. Continue reading
But Does It Work In The Classroom? (A Hint: YES!)
A large study in five different Florida schools gives us lots of confidence that “interleaving” — mixing up different kinds of practice problems together — helps students learn. This technique takes a little extra time, but it’s highly effective and it’s free. Continue reading
More Contradictions in the Adolescent Sleep/Technology Debate
New research, contradicting prior research, shows that pre-bedtime screen use does lower adolescent quality of life. We can managing this contradiction best by focusing on the children right in front of us. Continue reading
Best Font Name Ever: “Sans Forgetica”
Australian researchers have developed a new font, “sans forgetica,” which might help students remember what they read. However, we have reason to be careful and cautious before we rely too much on this innovation. Continue reading
