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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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“Doing Science” or “Being a Scientist”: What Words Motivate Students?
If teachers could boost students’ motivation — even slightly — by changing our language, would that effort be worth the time? Continue reading
Unbearable Irony: When Dunning-Kruger Bites Back…
People who don’t know much about a topic typically overestimate their expertise. We call this the Dunning-Kruger Effect. So: what happens when someone who doesn’t know much about the Dunning-Kruger Effect tries to explain it? Brace yourself for an excess of irony. Continue reading
Music and Memory: A Learning Strategy?
We know that sleep is good for learning. Is there anything we can do to make it EXTRA good? Perhaps, used strategically, music might hold the key. Continue reading
How Do Children Explain Academic Success? (And: How Do We Know?)
All students think EFFORT is important for success. Do all students — even younger students — think that SKILL matters? Recent research explores this question. Continue reading
“Seductive Details”: When Do Cool Stories and Videos Interfere with Learning?
When teachers include cool stories and funny videos in our lessons, does that ultimately help our students learn? A recent meta-analysis crunches the numbers. Continue reading
Beyond Retrieval Practice: The Benefits of Student-Generated Questions
Is it better to have students ANSWER questions or to ASK question? Recent research from Germany provides a helpfully specific way to think about study strategies. Continue reading
An Exciting Event In Mindfulness Research [Repost]
I’ve been reviewing old posts, looking for information that might be particularly helpful in today’s strange times. This post — from September — gives us greater confidence that mindfulness helps reduce stress. It’s particularly persuasive research because it studies both
Dr. Kurt Fischer: A Tribute
Professor Kurt Fischer changed my professional life. If you’re reading this blog, odds are good he helped change yours as well. Throughout most of the 20th century, teachers, psychologists, and neuroscientists had little to say to one another. Even psychology
Pure Inquiry, Guided Inquiry, and PISA
A recent study looking at PISA data gives a fresh perspective on the Inquiry Learning debate. Continue reading
The Neuroscience of Retrieval Practice
We know THAT retrieval practice helps students learn. It would be really cool to know what difference it makes in the brain. Well, we’re starting to learn… Continue reading
