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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
- Robin Seitz on Permission to Feel: Unlocking the Power of Emotions to Help our Kids, Ourselves, and Our Society Thrive
- Georgia Leonard on “Sooner or Later”: What’s the Best Timing for Feedback?
- Scott on The Source of Student Motivation: Deeper than We Know?
- Andrew Watson on The Limits of Retrieval Practice: A Helpful Case Study
- Andrew Watson on What’s the Ideal Size for Online Discussion Groups?
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The Source of Student Motivation: Deeper than We Know?
Usually I blog about specific research findings that inform education. Today — to mix things up — I thought it would be helpful to talk about an under-discussed theory pertinent to education. This theory helps us at least two ways:
“But How Do We Know If It Works in the Classroom?”: The Latest on Retrieval Practice
We’ve heard so much about retrieval practice in the last two years that it seems like we’ve ALWAYS known about its merits. But no: this research pool hasn’t been widely known among teachers until recently. We can thank Agarwal and
“Sooner or Later”: What’s the Best Timing for Feedback?
Given the importance of feedback for learning, it seems obvious teachers should have well-established routines around its timing. In an optimal world, would we give feedback right away? 24 hours later? As late as possible? Which option promotes learning? In
Have I Been Spectacularly Wrong for Years? New Research on Handwriting and Learning
Long-timer readers know my weakness. I’m usually an easy-going guy. But if you want to see me frantic with frustration, tell me about the superiority of handwriting for taking notes. Here’s the story. Back in 2014, two Princeton researchers did
Meet the Keynotes: Stuart Shanker
What’s the difference between self-control and self-regulation? Dr. Stuart Shanker has written and thought about this topic for years. Here’s his two-minute answer. To dig more deeply into this topic, come meet Dr. Shanker at our online fall conference. You
Meet the Keynotes: Chloé Valdary
“The Theory of Enchantment is a social-emotional learning program that teaches individuals how to develop character, develop tools for resiliency…but more importantly, to learn how to love oneself.” Intrigued? Meet Chloé Valdary in this TedTalk, at at our conference, November 7-8.
“Rich” or “Bland”: Which Diagrams Helps Students Learn Deeply?
Colorful diagrams might raise students’ interest. What do those diagrams do for their learning? Continue reading
Meet the Keynotes: Mary Helen Immordino-Yang
If you’re as excited for our November conference as I am, you might want to know more about our speakers. Mary Helen Immordino-Yang is an affective neuroscientist and an educational psychologist. That means: she studies how “children’s emotional and social
“If I Want My Students to Learn Math, Should I Teach Them More Math?”
We all agree, I suspect, that students should learn math. And reading. They should learn history. And science. SO MANY other topics. What’s the best way to meet these goals? If I want my students to learn math, is math
How Psychologists and Teachers Can Talk about Research Most Wisely
Dr. Neil Lewis thinks a lot about science communication: in fact, his appointment at Cornell is in both the Psychology AND the Communications departments. (For a complete bio, click here.) He and Dr. Jonathan Wai recently posted an article focusing on
