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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 book review boundary conditions classroom advice conference speakers constructivism/direct instruction creativity desirable difficulty development dual coding education elementary school embodied cognition emotion evolution executive function exercise experts and novices gender high school homework intelligence long-term memory math methodology middle school mindfulness Mindset motivation neuromyths neuroscience online learning parents psychology reading retrieval practice self-control skepticism sleep STEM stress technology working memoryRecent Comments
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ABOUT THE BLOG
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Battles Worth Fighting: “What the Academy Taught Us”
A recent book on changing school systems offers valuable advice to teachers interested in psychology and neuroscience research. Continue reading
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How to Find Happiness
At this time of year, we can easily get distracted by things. If I have…
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A Holiday Present for the Teacher/Skeptic (in Beta)
A new website helps us confirm — or disconfirm — research findings that (perhaps) ought to guide our teaching. Continue reading
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Understanding (False) Learning Styles Beliefs
When people say they “believe in learning styles,” what exactly do they mean? Recent research helps answer that question…and thereby offers strategies for helping change their minds. Continue reading
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Introducing Our 2020 Education Conferences
The first of our 2020 education conferences will focus on Educating Anxious Brains. Scholars, teachers, and community leaders will describe the effects of stress and trauma, and share proven strategies for improving lives and school. Continue reading
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Balancing Direct Instruction with Project-Based Pedagogies
Tom Sherrington’s essay on direct instruction and project-based pedagogies is now available on his website. And: it prompts important questions about the novice/expert continuum. Continue reading
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Dangerous Fluency: Performance Isn’t Always Learning
Cognitive science research helps teachers understand learning better than our students do. We should be confident in offering wise counsel. For instance: based on research, should be ban technology from classrooms? Continue reading
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A Hidden Strength of “Concreteness Fading”
Upbeat, perky brand names for teaching methods distract from sensible conversations about their real merits. Continue reading
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Concrete + Abstract = Math Learning
Should math instruction focus on concrete examples (frog puppets and oranges) or abstract representations (numbers and equations)? This research suggests: a careful balance of both. Continue reading
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When Good Classroom Assignments Go Bad
Classroom assignments often sound like great ideas, until they crash into working memory limitations. Happily, we’ve got the strategies to solve this kind of problem. Continue reading