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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 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
- Sandip Roy on Transcend: The New Science of Self-Actualization by Scott Barry Kaufman
- Andrew Watson on True/False: Grades Motivate Students to Study Better?
- Kelly Hanwright on True/False: Grades Motivate Students to Study Better?
- Amy Takabori on Executive Function Isn’t What You Think It Is (Maybe)
- Andy on Smart but Stuck: Emotions in Teens and Adults with ADHD by Thomas E. Brown, PhD
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Can We Improve Our Students’ Executive Function? Will That Help Them Read Better?
New research suggests that the right kind of Executive Function training just might help struggling readers. Continue reading
The Best Length of Time for a Class [Repost]
Quite consistently, this post has been among the most searched for and most popular on the blog. Teachers and administrators REALLY want to know: What is the optimal amount of time for our students to meet? What’s the very best
Laptop Notes or Handwritten Notes? Even the New York Times Has It Wrong [Reposted]
Which helps students learn more: handwritten notes, or laptop notes? The best-known research on the subject might surprise you… Continue reading
Growing Mindsets in Argentina? [Repost]
A study with 12th graders in Argentina highlights an important message about Growth Mindset: doing one thing once is unlikely to have much of an effect. Continue reading
Obsessed with Working Memory [Reposted]
I’m on vacation for the month of August, and so we’ll be reposting some of our most-viewed articles. We’re starting with our series on working memory: one of the most essential concepts from the field of cognitive science. When I attended
Deliberate Practice Doesn’t Align with Schooling (Well: Not Precisely)
Anders Ericsson’s model of “deliberate practice” offers wise guidance in creating expertise. But, it might not apply to the work that teachers do in schools every day… Continue reading
Retrieval Practice is GREAT. Can We Make It Better?
Retrieval practice and common sense add up to a winning combination. Which means: they help students remember more. Continue reading
Executive Function Isn’t What You Think It Is (Maybe)
As a soccer coach, I want my students to get better at soccer. As an English teacher, I want my students to get better at English. And, as a hip-hop dance instructor, I want my students to get better at hip-hop dance. To accomplish
What’s Better than Attention? Attention + LEARNING!
We know that exercise breaks help young students pay attention. Do those breaks help older students pay attention, AND LEARN? Continue reading
What’s the Ideal Size for Online Discussion Groups?
We’re all learning lots about online teaching these days: new software (Zoom), new vocabulary (“asynchronous”), new fads (teaching in pajamas). In many cases, we’re just going with our instincts here. Relying on our experience, we know to [insert technique here].
