Book Reviews – Education & Teacher Conferences

As We Begin: Dispositions of Mind, Learning, and the Brain in Early Childhood by Tia Henteleff

Erik Jahner, PhD

May-21-2025

As We Begin: Dispositions of Mind, Learning, and the Brain in Early Childhood by Tia Henteleff

There’s a line quoted in Tia Henteleff’s As We Begin that lodged itself in my brain and hasn’t left since: “The beginning does not just matter during the beginning. The beginning matters to everything that comes next.” It’s such a simple truth, but one that, once seen clearly, transforms how you think about education—and honestly, how you think about life. At its core, As We Begin: Dispositions of Mind, Learning, and the Brain in Early Childhood is a thoughtful, research-driven, and deeply heartfelt inquiry into early childhood education. But this book isn’t just for preschool teachers or parents of toddlers. It’s for anyone invested in how we learn, grow, and become who we are. Henteleff draws from neuroscience, anthropology, pedagogy, and classroom experience. The result is a book that feels both intellectually expansive and personally grounding.

The throughline of the book is the concept of “dispositions of mind”—a term that might sound academic at first blush but is, in fact, beautifully human. These are the emotional and cognitive tendencies we bring to learning—like curiosity, persistence, and openness. Henteleff emphasizes that dispositions aren’t innate but developed through emotionally rich experiences, trusting relationships, thoughtful pedagogy, and environments that prioritize care and inquiry — through adaptive epigenesis.

What struck me most is how Henteleff keeps returning to the emotional foundations of learning—not as fluff or an afterthought, but as the scaffolding upon which all cognition is built. As quoted from Mary Helen Immordino-Yang, “Emotions are not just messy toddlers in a china shop… they are the shelves supporting cognition.” That image alone reframes so much. It reminds us that cognition is built on a foundation of emotional security and relational trust.

The book is divided into three parts: big ideas, foundational knowledge, and practical applications. This structure makes the complex research digestible without dumbing it down. There’s a section on the brain that could easily veer into textbook territory but instead feels like an invitation to understand how both kids and adults learn.

Henteleff is at her most persuasive when she invites teachers to become “teacher/researchers”—not in the publish-or-perish sense, but in the deeply human sense of observing, questioning, iterating. It’s a disposition, not a job title. And it makes the classroom feel like a site of shared inquiry rather than top-down transmission. There’s a humility in this stance that I find both rare and necessary. Teaching is an interactive dance, not a plug-and-play experience.

And let’s talk about play; an entire chapter devoted to the idea that play is not a break from learning—it is learning. She describes play as both research and rehearsal, a phrase that encapsulates her belief in its cognitive and emotional richness. In a world obsessed with achievement metrics, it’s radical to say: let them play—freely, messily, joyfully. That’s where the real work of becoming happens.

When I’m teaching Cognition or Sensation and Perception, I sometimes find myself in a state of flow—just playing with the ideas alongside my students. It’s like we’re all in this giant intellectual sandbox, testing how concepts stick together, finding joy in the rearrangement. That shared play is where deep learning emerges.

I found the tone refreshingly earnest. Henteleff isn’t offering a panacea; she’s offering a lens—a perspective that might feel ambitious or even aspirational in certain contexts. And yet, that’s part of the book’s power. It invites us to imagine what’s possible, not because it’s easy, but because it’s worth striving for. Even when the ideals feel just out of reach, they give us something valuable to aim toward.

If you’re an educator or a parent, this book might help you see your child’s world with fresh empathy. And as a curious human (my favorite kind), As We Begin is a compelling meditation on how we become who we are—together.

In the end, this book isn’t just about children. It’s about the conditions that allow any of us to learn, connect, and grow. And it’s a quiet, passionate argument for building those conditions with intention, compassion, and curiosity. Here’s to staying a little more playful, a little more reflective, and a lot more open to the developing dispositions that new “beginnings” might bring to “what comes next?”

Co-Intelligence: Living and Working with AI by Ethan Mollick

Erik Jahner, PhD

April-17-2025

Co-Intelligence: Living and Working with AI by Ethan Mollick

The first time I caught a student using ChatGPT to write their paper, I felt… cheated. Like a conversation had been skipped. I took it personally. Like an opportunity was there to be knocked on with curiosity but had been bypassed with convenience. But instead of staying irritated (actually … still dealing with moments of this emotion), I did what I always ask my students to do: I got curious.

And that curiosity has since reshaped my teaching, my expectations, and, honestly, my sense of what’s possible. That journey mirrors the one Ethan Mollick lays out in Co-Intelligence: Living and Working with AI, a book that doesn’t just explain what’s happening in the world of AI—it invites you to walk straight into the mystery with both eyes open.

Mollick, a Wharton professor and a longtime explorer of innovation, brings the gravitas of research and the warmth of lived experience. He writes not like someone predicting the future, but like someone already living in it—and handing you the map.

This isn’t a book about fearing AI or worshipping it. It’s about partnering with it. That’s what Mollick means by “co-intelligence”: not artificial intelligence, but collaborative intelligence. The kind that emerges when we stop asking “What can AI do?” and start asking “What can we do together?”

From Sleepless Nights to Syllabus Changes

Mollick begins with his own version of a tech-wrought dark night of the soul—three sleepless nights after encountering ChatGPT. That eerie sense that something has shifted, that the future is no longer ahead of us but suddenly beside us, whispering new possibilities.

Like many of us, I also had sleepless nights, then I began to rewrite my syllabus. I started teaching my students how to prompt. How to think with AI. How to use it not as a shortcut, but as a springboard. Like jazz musicians learning to improvise with a new instrument, we were learning to play off the rhythms of something alien—and astonishingly generative. If they are using it, I need to teach them to use it well!

And still, some days, it weirds me out. Like when a student turns in something more articulate than they can say aloud. Part of me marvels. Part of me wonders what this does to their voice, their confidence, their sense of authorship. Maybe that’s the point—not to land on a stance, but to live inside the question.

The Four Rules That Could Change Everything

Mollick offers an emerging way to think for teachers and students in the AI era. New skills:

Always ask for evidence. (Because AI is confident, not always correct.)
Be the human in the loop. (AI might be fast, but wisdom requires pause.)
Treat AI like a coworker. (It’s competent, but it’s not conscious.)
Learn to use it well. (Prompting isn’t a trick—it’s a literacy.)

What struck me most is how these rules don’t just apply to using ChatGPT. They apply to life in a world where knowledge is abundant, but discernment is everything.

AI as Creative, Coach, Tutor, and Companion

Mollick shows us AI not as a monolith, but as a multiplicity: a tutor, an artist, a coach, a co-writer, a companion in the fog of creative uncertainty. And I’ve seen that too. I’ve watched students ask better questions because they could test their assumptions privately. I’ve seen them write more boldly because they had a sounding board that didn’t judge.

Is it perfect? No. But it’s productive. And weirdly, it’s kind. Because AI, at its best, is a mirror—sometimes foggy, sometimes sharp—but always reflecting something back. What we see in that reflection says as much about us as it does about the machine.

The Real Magic: Partnership, Not Power

This is where Co-Intelligence really shines: not in showing off what AI can do, but in challenging us to consider what we should do with it. Mollick doesn’t hand us easy answers. He asks better questions.

If you’re a teacher, a writer, a thinker—anyone whose job involves shaping ideas—this book feels like a signal flare. Not a warning, but a guide. It says: The future of work isn’t AI or human. It’s both. And the quality of that relationship will depend on how we show up to it.

And if you’re feeling unsure? You’re not alone. Honestly, I’m still figuring it out too. Some days AI feels like a trampoline. Other days, a trapdoor. That ambiguity—that friction—is part of what makes this moment real.

Reading Co-Intelligence isn’t just about learning how AI works. It’s about learning how we work—under pressure, in collaboration, in awe. It doesn’t just give you a flashlight. It hands you the makings of a torch and says, “Build your light.”

So here’s the question Mollick leaves us with, whether he says it outright or not: If AI can think with us, can we learn to think better with it? Not faster. Not louder. Just better.

That’s co-intelligence. And I’m all in.

Book Review: Primary Reading Simplified, by Christopher Such

Guest Post

April-14-2025

Book Review: Primary Reading Simplified, by Christopher Such

Today’s guest book review is by Kim Lockhart.

Finding a new favourite book, one that checks all the boxes, is like finding a new favourite drink. You want to devour it without putting it down, while at the same time, you want to savour it so it isn’t finished too quickly. A good book leaves you feeling thirsty for more. And most of all, like all things we love, we want to share it with everyone we know so that they, too, can enjoy it and savour it as much as we do.

Christopher Such’s first book, The Art and Science of Teaching Primary Reading, was that book for me: the book that checked all the boxes, the book I didn’t want to put down, and was disappointed when it was over.

I wanted to share Such’s book with every teacher I knew because I wanted them to feel what I felt while reading it: a sense of relief that there was finally a book that contained the answers I’d been searching for throughout my career.

It was the first comprehensive, no-nonsense book on the science of reading I had come across.

Previously, most of what I knew about the reading research I had acquired from complex articles I read while working on my Masters of Education. But these research papers were not easy to read, not written in teacher-friendly language, and didn’t always make a direct connection between the research and what it looked like in classroom practice.

But Christopher Such’s book did.

Fast forward three years, and Such has done it again. He has written another can’t-put-it-down-until-it’s-finished book titled Primary Reading Simplified: A Practical Guide to Classroom Teaching and Whole School Implementation.

While Such’s first book focused on what teachers need to teach (phonemic awareness, phonics, reading fluency, spelling, etc.), his new book focuses more on the aspect of how to teach it.

In other words: teaching all the components of the reading process is not always enough. As teachers, we have to ensure that students are learning what we’re teaching. Even the most well-intentioned of teachers does not always meet this goal!

This book tells us exactly how we can work smarter, not harder, to ensure better learning outcomes for our students – making sure they ARE learning what we’re teaching.

Such’s new book includes an important aspect of teaching that is often the missing piece in other professional books for teachers. In teacher-friendly language, he shares the research and explains the reading routines, classroom habits, and evidence-based instructional strategies that are essential for learning to happen.

Take the chapter on reading fluency, for example.

Not only does Such explain why reading fluency is important for reading comprehension. He explicitly and systematically lays out the structure of an effective fluency lesson, including:

how to pair students
how to choose the “just right text”
how to model reading fluency,
when to explain new vocabulary, and even
how long the fluency practice should be each day (Such suggests less than 30 minutes to allow for repeated reading of the text; too much time could result in disengagement and not be productive).

He leaves no guess-work for teachers.

But Such doesn’t stop at developing stronger, more effective classroom routines and systems for teachers. Part IV of the book is designed for anyone interested in school-wide and district-wide implementation of science-based reading instruction.

Until now, science-based instruction has been happening in specific classrooms, with a few individual teachers, in some school districts. In other words, it isn’t consistent. Such understands that for change to be sustainable, it needs to be implemented at the district level. These changes require fidelity, teacher support, and ongoing monitoring and commitment to change.

Chapters 13, 14, and 15 carefully outline structures for systems to be sustainable across districts. He shares the 4-Phases of implementation model (Sharples et al., 2024 as cited in Such, 2025): Explore, Prepare, Deliver, and Sustain. He also makes it clear that implementation can’t happen all at once. Instead, “implementing change across a school should be seen as an ongoing process rather than a one-off event”.

In this section of the book, Such also addresses the barriers that literacy leaders may face when trying to implement system-wide change: specifically, limited human resources, and time. He also offers practical suggestions for overcoming those barriers, including:

very clear expectations and vision,
flexible adaptations,
and the need to put other, lower-priority changes aside to focus on one priority and sustain it.

Such eloquently concludes this section of the book by explaining, “implementation is most likely to succeed if all involved feel it is something being done with them rather than something done to them.” (Such, 2025, p. 136).

Echoing the format of Such’s first book, each chapter of his new book is short and dense with evidence-based information in manageable chunks. I love this format because it is practical for busy teachers like me. If I have only 10 minutes to read a snippet before I have to run outside for recess duty, I can easily read a few paragraphs in a chapter, learn something, and know exactly where to return when I have time again.

Likewise, each chapter of Primary Reading Simplified concludes with an “In a Nutshell” section that reviews and highlights key information from the chapter. Such also includes the section “Further Reading” for science-of-reading-nerds like me who want to learn more. He even includes a retrieval-practice quiz for each chapter. (To be honest, I am often too scared to quiz myself because I fear that I won’t be able to remember as much as I hope to, despite my greatest efforts.) Best of all, each chapter concludes with a section called “Questions for Professional Discussion.”

Because reading proficiency is not the sole responsibility of the classroom teacher, I highly recommend Primary Reading Simplified for all teachers, reading specialists, literacy coaches, and administrators. Reading instruction is our shared responsibility. As Christopher Such says himself, “Our pupils deserve no less.”

Kim Lockhart is a French Immersion classroom teacher and Special Education teacher in Kingston, Ontario. She holds a Master of Education (M.Ed) degree with a research focus on evidence-based practices to support second language learners with reading difficulties. Kim has her Orton-Gillingham Classroom Educator certificate, CERI Structured Literacy Classroom Teacher certification, and was a Structured Literacy coach for the International Dyslexia Association of Ontario for 2 years. In 2022, Kim worked for the Ontario Ministry of Education as a Content Contributor for the new science-based Language Curriculum and has also presented for the Ontario Minister of Education, Stephen Lecce and his team after the release of the OHRC’s Right to Read report. She is currently teaching part-time at Vancouver Island University’s (VIU) Faculty of Education in the Literacy, Language and Learning Graduate program. Kim is passionate about the Science of Reading and strives to empower educators, parents and caregivers to be more knowledgeable, stronger advocates for all children’s right to read across Canada.

Just Tell Them: The Power of Explanations and Explicit Teaching by Zach Groshell

Erik Jahner, PhD

March-25-2025

Just Tell Them: The Power of Explanations and Explicit Teaching by Zach Groshell

The sage-on-the-stage is not the enemy. For years, educators have been told that the best teaching happens when students discover knowledge for themselves. Zach Groshell, PhD, turns that assumption on its head. In Just Tell Them: The Power of Explanations and Explicit Teaching, he makes a bold case for something refreshingly straightforward—teachers should teach. Clear, explicit explanations aren’t just helpful; they’re essential. Backed by cognitive science and decades of research, Groshell dismantles the myth that “less teacher talk” means “more learning” and offers a compelling argument for direct instruction done right. His message? Good teaching isn’t about withholding information; it’s about equipping students with the knowledge they need to think critically, problem-solve, and truly understand what they’re learning.

I’ve seen many teachers, myself included, wrestle with the tension between explicit teaching and discovery learning. The belief that students learn best when they “figure it out” on their own is pervasive, but sometimes we may be asking them to construct knowledge without giving them the raw materials? Groshell’s book is a refreshing reality check, and I found myself nodding along as he unraveled the myth.

The book is structured around key principles of effective explanation, each grounded in research and practical application. Groshell starts with an overview of human cognitive architecture—how working memory and long-term memory shape learning—to explain why clear explanations matter. Students aren’t blank slates; they need structured guidance to process new material without overload.

One of the book’s greatest strengths is its focus on the worked-example effect, a well-documented phenomenon demonstrating that students learn more effectively when they see step-by-step demonstrations before being asked to apply their knowledge. Groshell explores ways to maximize clarity—eliminating vagueness, using visuals effectively, and reinforcing understanding through interaction. His candid reflections on his early teaching missteps make even the more technical discussions feel relatable and engaging.

Beyond simply telling, Groshell lays out a structured approach to explanation, covering interactive techniques like choral response and student self-explanations, alongside the power of visuals, strategic questioning, analogies, and storytelling to make concepts more memorable. His discussion of erroneous examples, where students learn by identifying and correcting mistakes, is particularly compelling.

A particularly valuable section details the Explain and Release model, which follows the ‘I do, We do, You do’ approach—gradually shifting responsibility from the teacher to the student as they gain expertise. This aligns with cognitive load theory, emphasizing that novices require structured support, while experts benefit from increasing independence. Groshell references the expertise reversal effect, illustrating how instructional methods should evolve as students grow more proficient—moving from explicit guidance to independent problem-solving.

Groshell’s writing is refreshingly candid, filled with humor and engaging insights. He reflects on his early preference for student-led discovery and how he came to embrace explicit teaching as a necessity. As I read, I couldn’t help but think of the countless times I’ve watched students breathe a sigh of relief when a difficult concept was finally explained clearly.

Another key focus of the book is creating the right conditions for explanation. Groshell discusses managing student attention by minimizing distractions, reducing classroom clutter, and banning cell phones to improve focus. He argues that classroom seating arrangements and behavior management directly impact how well students absorb explanations.

For educators who have been told to minimize their role as the sage on the stage, this book offers a persuasive counterpoint. It reaffirms the value of direct instruction while advocating for its thoughtful application—explanations should be clear, concise, interactive, and strategically designed to maximize learning. Groshell’s insights are invaluable for teachers, instructional coaches, and education professionals looking to refine their approach.

Ultimately, Just Tell Them is a must-read for educators seeking to optimize their instructional practices through cognitive science. If students could absorb complex concepts without explicit guidance, would we even need teachers? Groshell doesn’t just advocate for explanations—he makes them impossible to ignore. This is a practical, research-driven, and accessible guide that dismantles myths about teacher talk while empowering educators. After reading this book, you’ll never see explanation the same way again.

Guest Blogger

March-23-2025

Attention Must Be Paid

This guest review of Blake Harvard’s Do I Have Your Attention is written by Justin Cerenzia.

Having followed Blake Harvard’s “The Effortful Educator” blog from its very beginning, it feels especially fitting that his new book – Do I Have Your Attention? Understanding Memory Constraints and Maximizing Learning – poses a question many of us have enthusiastically answered “yes” to for nearly a decade.

Yet this book represents more than an extension of Harvard’s blog—it marks the culmination of his long-standing influence as a leading educator: one who connects cognitive science with classroom practice. Thoughtfully structured into two complementary sections, the book skillfully integrates theoretical perspectives on how memory functions with actionable classroom strategies, offering educators practical tools to foster meaningful and lasting learning.

Harvard deftly navigates the complexities often inherent in cognitive science research. His writing style is both approachable and authoritative, resonating equally with newcomers and seasoned readers alike.

Much of Part I leverages Professor Stephen Chew’s An Advance Organizer for Student Learning: Choke Points and Pitfalls in Studying. Harvard uses this foundational framework to clarify key concepts and common misunderstandings about memory and learning. Crucially, Harvard’s position as a classroom teacher lends him credibility and authenticity, grounding his insights firmly in practical experience rather than mere theory.

It’s as though we’re invited into Blake’s classroom, watching him expertly guide us through Chew’s graphic.

And this is precisely how he frames the opening of Part II, writing:

“It can be quite overwhelming to know just what is the best bet for optimizing working memory without overloading it while also making the most of moving the content to long-term memory. Compound that with the fact we are tasked with educating, not one brain, but a classroom full of them. That’s a job that only a teacher can understand and appreciate” (65).

Harvard then succinctly-yet-thoroughly guides readers through seven carefully considered strategies to maximize learning. In each case, he showcases a diverse array of tactics that enrich any skilled teacher’s toolkit—all with the ultimate goal of positively influencing student outcomes.

Throughout, he pulls back the curtain even further, transparently revealing how specific shifts in his own teaching practice improved student learning. Clearly, each change has been guided by careful investigation and thoughtful application of research.

That Harvard’s insights—long influential in the educational blogosphere—are now available in book form represents a win for educators everywhere. Rich in research yet highly accessible, this text serves as both an inviting entry point and a resource for deeper exploration.

So too does it underscore the essential role teachers can and should play alongside the research community, brokering knowledge and further bridging the unnecessary divide that sometimes impedes meaningful change. In an era rife with educational theory, Harvard’s concrete examples of classroom success help ensure that even hesitant educators find meaningful, practical guidance.

If Blake Harvard didn’t already have your attention, you’d do well to give it to him now.

If you’d like to learn more, Blake’s webinar on attention and memory will be May 4.

Justin Cerenzia is the Buckley Executive Director of Episcopal Academy’s Center for Teaching and Learning. A Philadelphia area native, Justin is a veteran of three independent schools over the last two decades, dedicating his career to advancing educational excellence and innovation. A history teacher by trade, Justin nonetheless considers the future of education to be a central focus of his work. At Episcopal Academy, he leads initiatives that blend cognitive science, human connection, and an experimenter’s mindset to enhance teaching and learning. With a passion for fostering curious enthusiasm and pragmatic optimism, Justin strives to make the Center a beacon of learning for educators both within and beyond the school.

Teaching & Learning Illuminated by Bradley Busch, Edward Watson, & Ludmila Bogatchek

Erik Jahner, PhD

February-24-2025

Teaching & Learning Illuminated by Bradley Busch, Edward Watson, & Ludmila Bogatchek

From The Science of Learning, Bradley Busch, Edward Watson, and Ludmila Bogatchek have kicked it up a notch in this fresh innovative presentation of Teaching & Learning Illuminated: the Big Ideas Illustrated.

While revamping my college course, I was given this book, and suddenly, prepping felt less like a chore and more like rediscovering the excitement of teaching—like stepping into a bookstore where every title holds the promise of a new perspective. But this isn’t a collection of gimmicks; it’s a book designed to challenge and refine your thinking, helping you sharpen your teaching practice with the most well-supported research. If The Science of Learning is the blueprint, this follow-up book is the user-friendly manual, packed with visuals that make big ideas click. Teaching is a constant process of adapting, and Teaching & Learning Illuminated acts as both a guide and a catalyst, helping you build on your knowledge while freeing your mind to think in new and innovative ways.

What makes this book unique is how it presents information. The graphics aren’t just illustrations; they are well-designed thinking tools that clarify teaching principles backed by decades of research. Each topic is covered in a two-page spread, pairing a full-page visual with a clear, concise explanation. This format simplifies complex ideas while easing the cognitive load, allowing us to imagine how these concepts playout in the classroom. The graphics encourage deeper thinking, serving as both inspiration and a framework for instructional design.

Every illustration invites reflection—from the key takeaways of retrieval, interleaving, and cognitive load theory to Rosenshine’s principles, thinking biases, and fostering motivation and resilience. These visuals do more than convey information; they prompt us to reconsider our approaches and apply insights in new ways.

One of the most practical aspects of this book is how versatile the visuals are. I’ve used them not just for lesson planning but also as quick reference points throughout the day. Even better, the book includes access to high-resolution downloadable posters, which I’ve printed and placed in my workspace. These serve as constant reminders of strategies I want to implement, keeping important ideas at the forefront of my practice.

One of the challenges of learning effective teaching practices is the sheer volume of ways to improve, which can easily lead to analysis paralysis. This book strikes the perfect balance, providing just enough challenge to keep you engaged while offering the right support to help you apply new strategies and explore with confidence.

This book doesn’t just present research-backed insights—it makes them actionable and memorable. The visuals don’t just explain concepts; they stick with you in a way that words alone often can’t. They leave a lasting impression, nudging your thinking in new directions and helping your mind wander constructively.

What stands out most about Teaching & Learning Illuminated is how it refreshes the way we think about teaching. It’s not just another book—it’s a resource that makes cognitive science visible, tangible, and usable. Whether you’re a seasoned educator or just starting to integrate research-based strategies, this book makes it easier to turn theory into practice. It’s insightful, engaging, and a must-have for any educator eager to turn research into real classroom impact and illuminate their practice.

Difference Maker: Enacting Systems Theory in Biology Teaching, by Christian Moore-Anderson

Guest Post

January-26-2025

Difference Maker: Enacting Systems Theory in Biology Teaching, by Christian Moore-Anderson

Today’s book review is by Beth Hawks.

Teaching Science is a Challenge

Science classes cover a massive amount of content knowledge, and it can feel overwhelming finding the best approach to teaching it without feeling like students are merely acquiring a set of disjointed facts.

In the introduction to his book, Difference Maker: Enacting Systems Theory in Biology Teaching, Christian Moore-Anderson sums up the challenge well, when he says, “I’m sure you’ve felt – at some point – that to grasp biology was to master an encyclopedia.”

For some time, he had taught in most of the typical ways, but he felt he was tied to creating resources and activities for students and that students still weren’t seeing the deeper connecting threads of biology.

Time for a Change

As with many things, the move to online teaching during the pandemic motivated him to make a change…because what he had been doing was no longer working.

This concern led him to the world of cybernetics and systems theory; and moved him from a sense of mass knowledge transfer to one of teaching biology from a set of unifying principles.

As he dug even more deeply, he found that he wasn’t just teaching about systems; he was enacting systems theory as a method of instruction. He co-created diagrams with students and engaged them in dialogue to reveal their understanding.

By doing so, he created an interactive feedback loop that allowed him to respond flexibly to student needs.

Model Found in Cybernetics

The book begins with a few chapters of explanation of cybernetics. (Don’t let the terminology of “cybernetics” frighten you. It is not necessary to have a deep understanding of all of these terms.)

After I set aside my mental images from Star Trek of Dr. Noonien Soong creating Data’s positronic brain (my first exposure to the word cybernetics), I was able to see his blending of two aspects of the discipline.

Conversation theory posits that – since meaning is made in the mind of the listener rather than being transmitted by the speaker – we can have a shared understanding of meaning only through dialogue. The teacher explains, but then he discovers what the student heard through conversation.

Moore-Anderson describes doing this through multiple choice questions or open-ended questions; he also acknowledges that it can be done with other methods (e.g. mini-whiteboards, written answers on paper).

The law of requisite variety – When a system is complex, it can only survive if its ability to adapt is equally complex. In other words, there must be a variety of responses to a variety of changes. If a teacher has only a small set of responses when something happens in her classroom, she won’t be able to adapt to the needs of students during a lesson.

He combines these theories into a model of instruction he calls “the recursive teaching model.”

The teacher explains, while the student interprets. Then the student explains what they understand while the teacher interprets. This cycle keeps looping back on itself until they agree on their understanding.

Moore-Anderson provides guidance by opening each section with a key idea and walking through the process of implementation in the classroom. He includes the conversations he has with his students as well as the diagrams he creates with them during those conversations.

Have Students Notice Differences by Predicting Outcomes

After setting up his foundational theory, Moore-Anderson gets to the heart of his new practice: having students perceive distinctions in the concept being taught.

He defines distinctions as “differences that make a difference to the observer.”

As teachers, we often begin with sameness – giving multiple examples of a new concept to solidify students’ recognition of the standard. This strategy, however, shows only the idea itself and not its interaction with a conceptual whole.

Having students repeat similarities in their own words might not give them a full grasp of the influence they have on the biological system overall.

Moore-Anderson argues that we should begin with variations of the concepts so that students can see what difference a change would make. He prompts students to notice these differences (and the difference they make) by posing “what if” questions.

What if someone drinks sea water rather than fresh water?
What if the predator in this ecosystem suddenly disappears?
What if this heart valve were missing?
What if the sugar concentration was increased in this solution?

When students first predict the outcome of a change, and then add those changes to diagrams they create together, they arrive at a shared understanding of each concept. This approach lets them understand in a deeper way than simply explaining how something works and having students paraphrase that explanation.

Moore-Anderson restricts the responses to keep things from getting out of hand by giving choices like, “Will a change in X make Y increase, decrease, or stay the same?” and having students defend their answers.

Practical Examples Inspire Teachers

The true strength of this book for me as a classroom teacher comes from his descriptions of using this method in his lessons.

When Moore-Anderson moves from summaries of cybernetic theories into examples of actual classroom conversations with students, he allows me to imagine implementing his method with my own students.

As a teacher, my favorite education books are those that inspire ideas outside of those mentioned in the writing, and Moore-Anderson does exactly that throughout each chapter. As I read his stories, I was able to picture myself having similar conversations with my students and thought of other topics to which I could apply his method.

Difference Maker gives me a way to think about content delivery rather than prescribing an exact method for me to copy.

Is It for Everybody?

The Difference Maker method might not be equally appropriate in all settings.

I imagined my middle schoolers might find this approach frustrating because they lack the foundational knowledge to make reasonable predictions. On the other hand, I thought my juniors and seniors would thrive with these sorts of classroom conversations.

I trust Moore-Anderson when he says he applies the method in class with eleven year old students, but I’m not sure I would. As with all techniques, success relies on adapting them to your context.

As the title makes clear, this book is intended for biology teachers. Since all biological processes have noticeable cause and effect relationships within systems, that makes sense.

I had a bit harder time recognizing topics in which I might apply it to chemistry and physics. So, I will definitely recommend this book to my biology teacher friend and suggest that he loan it to the environmental science teacher across the hall.

As a chemistry and physics teacher, I might want to have it in the back of my mind as I planned some lessons, because it would provide a way of thinking about how to explain cause and effect. However, I wouldn’t make it a regular practice as Moore-Anderson does with biology. (Did I mention earlier that it is good to adapt to context?)

Can I Be in This Class?

My biggest takeaway from reading Difference Maker is that I would have loved to be in this biology class when I was a student. I would have absorbed more, seen deeper threads, and remembered more. I would have walked away with a better understanding of myself and my relationship with my environment.

Beth Hawks taught middle and high school science for 25 years, serving as the science department chair at GRACE Christian School in Raleigh, North Carolina for 17 years. A graduate of Oral Roberts University, Beth has taught 8th grade Physical Science, Physics, Chemistry, Algebra IB, Health, Photography, and Yearbook. She frequently provided professional development to colleagues in her role as resident brain enthusiast and has now moved into consulting full time under the name The Learning Hawk.

You can hear Beth speak at our Science of Learning conference in NYC in April.

Erik Jahner, PhD

January-21-2025

Hope for Cynics by Jamil Zaki

When I first picked up Hope for Cynics: The Surprising Science of Human Goodness by Jamil Zaki, I thought, “I’m a hopeful person—why would I want to read about how to not be a cynic?” But as I made my way through the early pages, I realized cynicism had quietly become normalized in my life, and I had missed the signs. It had been parasitically pulling my hope away. Maybe it was the political turbulence of recent years, natural disasters, or the perceived decline of intellectual value, but noticed I was infected with cynicism by a thousand little cuts, unaware of the changes around me.

Reading this book was a revelation. I was surprised to discover areas of myself I didn’t even know needed to find hope again. I was surprised by the personal elevation of cynicism I had begun to imbibe from my culture. Zaki’s insights gave me a renewed sense of self and opened my eyes to the warning signs of creeping cynicism. The book helped me begin a journey back to hope and trust. Like many, I had confused cynicism with skepticism. As Zaki points out, cynicism is a lack of faith in people, while skepticism is a lack of faith in assumptions. Through stories of admiration for a close friend, Zaki found the power of “hopeful skepticism”—a blend of curiosity and love for humanity.

Jamil Zaki challenges the belief that cynicism is a mark of wisdom. Instead, he reveals it as a reaction to disappointment that ultimately harms our mental health, relationships, and society. The book explores the surprising science behind human goodness, offering evidence that people are far more cooperative and honest than we’re led to believe. Zaki shares how our negativity bias and the media’s focus on bad news distort our worldview, leaving us to think the worst of humanity.

Through his artful blend of science and personal storytelling you will empathize with his protagonists and have your curiosity and sense of exploration expanded. Zaki’s research is fascinating, but it’s his honesty and warmth that make it truly memorable. He weaves in stories of friends, historical figures, and his own life, crafting a narrative that feels both intimate and universal. His reflections on how cynicism has affected him—and how hope has transformed him—are deeply relatable.

Zaki doesn’t stop at diagnosing the problem; he provides practical strategies for change. From practicing gratitude to building stronger relationships, his advice is both research-based and actionable. One of the most impactful lessons for me was learning to appreciate the cynics in my life. I realized I could love them more deeply by understanding where their cynicism came from and recognizing their potential for growth, just as I saw in myself.

By the time I finished Hope for Cynics, I felt reinvigorated. Zaki’s hopeful message reminded me that cynicism isn’t inevitable—it’s a habit we can unlearn. While the tips are thoughtfully collected in the appendix for rapid reminders and exercises, this book isn’t just a collection of tips or research findings; it’s a deeply emotional, thought-provoking journey that will leave you questioning your assumptions and embracing the possibility of human goodness.

Hope for Cynics is an invaluable read for teachers, administrators, students, and anyone looking to foster a more positive and productive environment. The book offers practical strategies for overcoming cynicism, which can be especially beneficial in educational settings where trust, empathy, and collaboration are essential. Teachers and administrators can use the insights to build stronger relationships with students and colleagues, promote a more hopeful and inclusive atmosphere, and counteract the negativity often prevalent in modern discourse. Students, too, will find the book inspiring, as it encourages a shift toward a more balanced, optimistic view of human nature, which can enhance their emotional well-being and academic success. By applying Zaki’s insights, individuals in education can create more trusting, resilient communities.

Whether you’re struggling with cynicism yourself or simply looking for ways to foster a more hopeful outlook, this book offers a roadmap to a richer, more connected life. It’s the kind of book you’ll return to for inspiration and guidance—a heartfelt, empowering read that deserves a spot on everyone’s shelf.

Erik Jahner, PhD

December-18-2024

Honesty by Christian Miller

At first glance, honesty might seem like a straightforward, even mundane topic. When I picked up Honesty: the Philosophy and Psychology of a Neglected Virtue, I wasn’t expecting much—the title suggested a dry, philosophical dive into a concept we all assume we understand. Isn’t honesty just common sense? But from the opening chapter, the author, Christian Miller, intrigued me and continually pulled me deeper. The complications and questions offered important challenge at the individual and societal level. The author masterfully introduces honesty not merely as telling the truth but as a profound and complex character trait—an enduring virtue that influences how we think, feel, and act. What starts as a critique of common assumptions grows into a refined and compelling argument, presenting honesty as an “honest disposition”—a trait defined by consistency across different contexts. Eventually settling in as honesty perhaps as a mixed trait. This nuanced perspective elevates the discussion, moving beyond surface-level ideas to explore the motivations, reasoning, and inner consistency required to truly embody honesty as a virtue.

The first half of the book dives into the philosophical and psychological underpinnings of honesty. One section raises compelling questions about whether acting against what one perceives as morally right could also be considered dishonest. Another challenges traditional models of practical wisdom, questioning its necessity as a distinct trait for other virtues. These discussions are enriched with insights into the motivations behind honest actions—such as friendship, caring, justice, and duty—demonstrating how honesty transcends mere self-interest.

Through this exploration of honesty, the book offers a detailed examination of vices of dishonesty. It highlights how dishonesty manifests in everyday life through behaviors like lying, cheating, stealing, promise-breaking, and self-deception. Each vice has a corresponding virtue, such as truthfulness and respectfulness, which collectively frame honesty as a higher-level virtue. A unifying theme emerges: honesty involves resisting the intentional distortion of facts as we perceive them. This definition evolves throughout the book, as the author refines their argument by presenting premises and challenging them with thought-provoking examples.

The second half of the book takes a more empirical turn, exploring psychological studies on lying, cheating, and related behaviors. While the author notes a surprising lack of research on some facets of honesty, such as promise-breaking and stealing, studies on lying and cheating offer valuable insights. These range from participants reflecting on their everyday dishonest behaviors to controlled experiments involving vignettes or games where cheating and misleading are possible. While these studies don’t provide a complete picture, they shed light on how honesty and dishonesty play out in different situations and how individual dispositions influence these behaviors.

One of the book’s most striking conclusions is that most people do not fully embody either virtue or vice but instead exhibit “mixed character” traits, existing somewhere between honesty and dishonesty. These mixed traits reflect a blend of beliefs and desires that lead to inconsistent yet predictable behavior across situations. For example, a person might believe cheating is wrong but still feel tempted to cheat to avoid failure. Such traits are neither wholly virtuous nor wholly vicious but lie on a spectrum, varying in degree and evolving over time. This perspective moves beyond traditional virtue/vice labels, offering a more realistic understanding of human character.

The book also addresses how external situations can either enhance or suppress the application of honesty as a character trait. It acknowledges the significant gap between our current character and the ideal, emphasizing the importance of aligning thoughts, feelings, motivations, and actions to avoid distorting reality. The author suggests practical ways to cultivate honesty, such as reducing the temptation to cheat, minimizing our inclination to present a dishonest image to others, and fostering self-reflection and honest self-assessment.

Additionally, the book grapples with the complexities of moral decision-making, recognizing that virtues do not always align seamlessly. Honesty can sometimes conflict with other moral priorities, and this tension—along with the acknowledgment of human imperfections—makes the book relatable and profoundly thought-provoking.

In today’s world, where the rapid spread of misinformation tests our commitment to honesty, this book’s insights feel especially timely. It challenges readers to think deeply about how they consume and deliver information, urging us to reflect on the broader implications of honesty in our lives.

Honesty offers a rich, multi-dimensional exploration of this often-overlooked virtue. By blending philosophy, psychology, and empirical research, it provides a compelling framework for understanding and cultivating honesty. Whether you’re interested in moral philosophy, psychology, or personal growth, this book is a thought-provoking and rewarding read that will leave you reflecting long after the final page.

Erik Jahner, PhD

November-21-2024

Awe by Dacher Keltner

We often center our lives around familiar emotions like joy, sadness, anger, anxiety, or disgust, using them to shape our narratives and interpret experiences. Yet, there’s a whole spectrum of more complex and often overlooked emotions that deeply enrich our lives. Take for instance—that profound mix of humility, wonder, and connection you might feel while gazing at a breathtaking sunset or witnessing an act of pure altruism. In those moments, you’re reminded of how small you are in the grand scheme of things, yet deeply connected to something much larger.

In his thought-provoking book, Awe: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How It Can Transform Your Life, Dacher Keltner explores the transformative power of awe and how it can elevate our lives. He invites us to transcend beyond routine and mundane limited attention, helping us find meaning and richness in everyday moments. Through awe, we can reconnect with the beauty of our own story and discover a more expansive, fulfilling way of living.

Keltner, a psychology professor and expert on emotions, defines awe as the experience of encountering something vast and beyond our understanding. Through a blend of personal stories, scientific research, and cultural insights, he reveals how moments of awe—big or small—can reduce stress, spark creativity, deepen our connections, and foster a greater sense of purpose. Research shows that awe lowers cortisol levels, boosting emotional well-being and promoting a sense of calm. It even has physical benefits, like reducing inflammation, improving heart health, and enhancing overall resilience.

At the core of the book, Keltner delves into eight primary sources of awe—universal experiences that resonate deeply with us all:

Moral beauty: Witnessing acts of courage, kindness, or strength that inspire us to be better.
Nature: The breathtaking vastness of mountains, oceans, or a starry sky that makes us feel small yet deeply connected.
Collective effervescence: The electrifying energy of a concert, a sports game, or a shared moment in a crowd.
Music: Those goosebump-inducing melodies that stir our emotions and remind us of life’s depth.
Art and architecture: The beauty of great paintings, sculptures, or awe-inspiring buildings that showcase human creativity.
Spirituality and religion: Moments of transcendence found in mindfulness, prayer, or meditation.
Life and death: The raw emotional power of witnessing birth or contemplating the end of life.
Epiphanies: The sudden clarity of a life-changing idea or realization.

While these categories capture the essence of awe, the emotion itself is profoundly personal and can emerge from countless unexpected moments

Keltner’s writing feels like a heartfelt conversation with a wise friend. He doesn’t just present data; he shares personal reflections, including how awe helped him through moments of grief and loss, making his insights feel real and relatable. Yes, awe can be found in death and grief and we are taken on a journey with the author as he experiences this himself. It was in fact the death of his brother that brought him to appreciate this colorful emotion.

Importantly, Keltner doesn’t shy away from awe’s complexities, exploring how it has been used throughout history to manipulate or dominate. This balanced perspective adds depth to his exploration, reminding us of the need to approach awe responsibly.

One of the most inspiring takeaways is that awe is accessible to everyone. You don’t need wealth or extraordinary experiences to feel it. Awe lives in the everyday: the beauty of the clouds, a powerful piece of music, or a stranger’s small act of kindness. These moments remind us of life’s vastness, offering perspective and a renewed sense of purpose. Teachers, parents, and anyone looking to enrich their lives will find practical ideas, from encouraging kids to explore nature to fostering a sense of wonder in everyday moments.

Ultimately, Awe is a powerful invitation to slow down, pay attention, and savor the beauty and mystery all around us. Whether you’re a teacher hoping to inspire students, a parent looking to create meaningful family moments, or simply someone wanting to feel more connected to the world, this book offers a practical and uplifting guide to living a richer, more awe-filled life.

So why not pause today—step outside, lose yourself in a favorite song or appreciate the beauty of everyday human interactions? As Keltner beautifully illustrates, those moments of wonder aren’t just fleeting joys; they’re transformative experiences that can shape how we see ourselves, each other, and the world.

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