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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
[A Specific] Movement Helped [Specific] Students Learn [A Specific] Thing
Research shows that movement can help kindergarteners understand the number line — an essential concept for math learning in general. We should not assume therefore that movement always benefits learning. Continue reading
Sorting Hats, Myers-Briggs, and the Perils of False Classification
The Hidden Brain podcast on the dangers of false sorting reminds teachers about the dangers of Learning Styles Theory. Continue reading
Not All of Us Work Effectively in a “Memory Palace”
Students with lower visuospatial aptitude don’t benefit much from “memory palaces.” This research finding leads to important classroom strategies…and to bigger questions as well. Continue reading
The Best Teaching Book to Read This Summer: Powerful Teaching
Powerful Teaching, by Agarwal and Bain, combines research and practical classroom strategies. The result: an ideal book for teachers who want to improve our practice. Continue reading
Pointing Out Online Mistakes Like a “Jerk”: More Misuses of Psychology Research
Despite the click-bait headlines, research doesn’t show much of anything surprising or consequential about people who correct your grammar online. Continue reading
Today’s Unpopular Research Finding: Potential Perils of Mindfulness
New research suggests that mindfulness may lead to “particularly unpleasant” experiences for many practitioners. This research is in early stages, but we should consider its implications in school mindfulness programs. Continue reading
Right Brained Language Learning (And Other Reasons to Ignore Brain Myths)
Recent research shows that right-hemisphere brain activity predicts successful language learning. For that reason (and many others), we shouldn’t think about “right-brain” or “left-brain” mental functions. Continue reading
Visual & Verbal: Welcome to “Dual Coding”
By “dual coding” — that is, by presenting information both verbally and visually — we can reduce our students working memory load. And: we can help them learn. Continue reading
Early Signs of Autism: “Joint Attention”
This video, by Simon Baron-Cohen, explains the importance of “joint attention” in early diagnosis of autism. Continue reading
A Rose by Any Other Name Would Smell as Confusing
All too often, psychology discussions use confusing — or worse, deliberately cheerful — terminology. Teachers should seek out direct and neutral terms to simplify and clarify our discussions. Continue reading
