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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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ABOUT THE BLOG
When You Want Higher Brain Entropy, Add Caffeine
Taking caffeine increases your level of “brain entropy,” a measurement of the “different neural states that a brain can access.” High brain entropy just might be good…and so it might also be good for caffeine to raise it. Clearly, the relationship between caffeine and cognition is complicated. Continue reading
3rd Graders Beware! The Perils of Mindfulness Research
Despite suggestive research about its benefits, teachers should know the perils of mindfulness research. In this study, for example, yoga might have helped 3rd graders improve their emotional quality of life…but the study lacks an active control group. We can hope that the mindfulness helped, but we can’t be sure. Continue reading
Solving the Nap Research Problem (BTW: Naps Help!)
New research from China shows that daytime naps improve several cognitive functions — like sustained attention. Just as important, those naps don’t make it harder to sleep at night. In fact: frequent nappers sleep better than non-nappers. So, grab a pillow! Continue reading
Look Here Not There: The Limits of Psychology
Daniel Willingham argues that we should acknowledge the limits of psychology education and research for teachers. Although empirical generalizations give us useful guidance, most theories and epistemic assumptions are simply to broad to be helpful. Continue reading
Brains in the Classroom: Research-based Advice for Students
Rather than nag students by telling them to give up their bad study habits, we might instead help them use their current study strategies more effectively. This new study shows students how best to reread, underline, take notes, and use flash cards. Continue reading
How Would You Like Inventing a New Math?
Five years ago, I had lunch with a 13-year-old who was thinking about attending my…
Understanding Scanning Technology: When and Where in the Brain
The good folks over at TedEd have produced another helpful brain video — this one…
Chronotype Influences Grades. Owls Are Sad…
Sleep researchers distinguish between morning “larks” and night “owls.” These chronotypes influence grades, because school schedules favor morning larks over night owls. If we want to help all our students learn, we should create schedules that work for as many of them as possible. Continue reading
Can You Resist the Seductive Allure of Neuroscience?
The seductive allure of neuroscience often blinds us. In fact, the image on the right…
Daring to Flip the Public Health Classroom
“Flipping the classroom” has been around long enough now to have its own Wikipedia page….
