Hispanic student wearing a blue shirt raising his hand to ask a question in class

Starting Class with “Prequestions”: Benefits, Problems, Solutions

Andrew Watson
by: Andrew Watson
Posted on: February 5, 2023

We’ve known for many years now that retrieval practice works. That is: after we have…

A graphic of two heads facing each other in conversation: one with a lightbulb inside, the other with a question mark.

The Trad/Prog Debate Gets Weird

Andrew Watson
by: Andrew Watson
Posted on: January 30, 2023

Few debates rage hotter in education circles than that between educational progressives and educational traditionalists….

chatter

CHATTER BY ETHAN KROSS

Erik Jahner, PhD
by: Erik Jahner, PhD
Posted on: January 26, 2023

The founder and director of the Emotional and Self-Control Laboratory at the University of Michigan,…

Book Cover for The Hidden Lives of Learners by Graham Nuthall. The cover shows a mountain range in front of a blue and cloudy sky.

The Hidden Lives of Learners

Andrew Watson
by: Andrew Watson
Posted on: January 23, 2023

Many times over the last several years, I’ve heard enthusiastic reviews of a seemingly-magical book…

Photograph of the author, wearing a blue shirt, pink tie, and glasses, smiling at the camera

To 600, and Beyond…

Andrew Watson
by: Andrew Watson
Posted on: January 17, 2023

WordPress informs me that this is the 601st article I’ve posted on this blog. That’s…

Man wearing Virtual Reality goggles, making gestures in the air

My Detective Adventure: “VR Will Transform Education”

Andrew Watson
by: Andrew Watson
Posted on: January 8, 2023

A friend recently sent me a link to an article with a click-baity headline: something…

An image of a brain in a human head, with EEG waves in the background

How Teachers Can Use Neuroscience in Education

Andrew Watson
by: Andrew Watson
Posted on: January 2, 2023

I recently saw two very different looks at neuroscience and learning, and I thought they…

Downside to Oxytocin

Warning: Misguided Neuroscience Ahead

Andrew Watson
by: Andrew Watson
Posted on: December 27, 2022

I recently ran across a version* of this chart: As you can see, this chart…

thrivers

Thrivers by Michele Borba

Erik Jahner, PhD
by: Erik Jahner, PhD
Posted on: December 19, 2022

Michele Borba begins this book by making a very important distinction: we have sought to…

African American student wearing a bow tie, hand to forehead, looking frustrated and disappointed

The Limitations of Retrieval Practice (Yes, You Read That Right)

Andrew Watson
by: Andrew Watson
Posted on: December 18, 2022

Last week, I wrote that “upsides always have downsides.” That is: anything that teachers do…