-
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."
Tags
ADHD adolescence attention bilingual education boundary conditions classroom advice collaboration conference speakers creativity desirable difficulty development elementary school embodied cognition emotion evolution executive function exercise experts and novices gender high school homework intelligence long-term memory math metacognition methodology middle school mindfulness Mindset motivation neuromyths neuroscience online learning parents pre-K psychology reading retrieval practice self-control skepticism sleep STEM stress technology working memoryRecent Comments
- Holly Miller on “Explain Yourself”: A powerful strategy for teaching children cause-and-effect
- Ricardo Palenque on Meet the Keynotes: Mary Helen Immordino-Yang
- Judith VT Wilson on Let’s Get Practical: Signaling a Growth Mindset
- Andrew Watson on Why, and When, Does Music Interfere with Reading?
- Shawn Majette on Why, and When, Does Music Interfere with Reading?
ABOUT THE BLOG
POPULAR TOPICS
Blog Roll
Is “Cell Phone Addiction” Really a Thing?
I recently read a tweet asserting “the fact that cell phones are proven to be as addictive as drugs.” Of course, people casually use the word “addictive” about all sorts of things: chocolate, massages, pumpkin-spice lattes. (No doubt somewhere Twitter
The Best Way to Take Class Notes
Teachers often ask me: “how should my students take notes?” That question typically springs from a heated debate. Despite all the enthusiasm for academic technology, many teachers insist on hand-written notes. (Long-time readers know: I have a provocative opinion on
What is “Mind, Brain, Education”? Defining the Undefinable…
Here at Learning and the Brain, we bring together psychology (the study of the MIND), neuroscience (the study of the BRAIN), and pedagogy (the study of EDUCATION). That is: we bring together THREE complex fields, and try to make sense
Changing the System: Where Do We Start?
I recently spent two hours talking with a group of splendid teachers from Singapore about Mindset Theory. We talked about “charging” and “retreating.” We discussed “performance goals” and “learning goals.” Of course, “precise praise” merited lots of attention. At the
Understanding Adolescents: Emotion, Reason, and the Brain
Kurt Fischer — who helped create Learning and the Brain, and the entire field of Mind, Brain, and Education — used to say: “when it comes to the brain, we’re all still in kindergarten.” He meant: the brain is so
Let’s Get Practical: Signaling a Growth Mindset
Most teachers know about Mindset Theory: the idea that students’ beliefs about intelligence shape their success in learning. Specifically: If I think that intelligence (whatever that is) can’t change, I learn less. If I think that intelligence can change, I learn more. Once
How Do Experts Think?
Perhaps you’ve heard the saying: “To a hammer, everything looks like a nail.” It means, more or less, we see what we’re trained to see. If I bring a problem to a plumber, she’ll think about it like a plumbing problem.
Teachers’ Gestures Can Help Students Learn
Over the years, I’ve written about the importance of “embodied cognition.” In other words: we know with our brains, and we know with and through our bodies. Scholars such as Dr. Susan Goldin-Meadow and Dr. Sian Beilock have done splendid and
Handwriting Improves Learning, Right?
Here’s a good rule for research: if you believe something, look for research that contradicts your belief. So, if you think that retrieval practice helps students learn, see if you can find research showing the opposite. If you disapprove of
Why Don’t My High-School Students Just Follow My Advice?
I’ve been teaching for several centuries now. You’d think my students would believe me when I tell them how to make their sentences better. Or how to interpret literary passages. Or how to succeed in life. Why don’t they? Recent
