Remember Tetris? Of course you do! Who could forget that classic game where you rotate and fit shapes together to clear lines? If you played it enough, you might have found yourself seeing those shapes everywhere—even when you weren’t playing. I know I did. I’d catch myself daydreaming about how the boxes on a grocery […]
Use the Tetris Effect to Become a Happier Teacher Read More »
Let me share a strange little story that perfectly illustrates why developing a positive mindset for teachers is so important—not just for us, but for everyone around us. Back in the day, a researcher named Robert Rosenthal conducted a fascinating study. He administered IQ tests to students in an elementary school and then did something
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I remember many mornings when I walked into my classroom, feeling the weight of long weeks and days on my shoulders. My enthusiasm for happy teaching was buried under a pile of stress, and as I greeted my students, I noticed their responses were a bit more subdued than usual. The energy in the room
Harnessing the Happiness Advantage for Better Teaching Read More »
As teachers, we know that how and when we present information can make all the difference in how well our students understand and remember it. That’s where the concepts of recency and primacy effects come into play, straight from cognitive psychology. The recency effect tells us that students are more likely to remember what they
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I’ve seen education fads come and go. Too often, educators (or perhaps administrators) want to rebel against traditional teaching methods in hopes of finding some kind of pedagogical golden egg. But there isn’t a golden egg. What we have are some great methods that have been rigorously tested and studied. Right now we’re caught up
Why Traditional Teaching Methods Still Matter in Modern Education Read More »
It’s the end of the school year, and my patience is wearing thin. Looking around at other teachers, I envy their seemingly calm demeanor. But when we chat, I realize they feel the same end-of-year fatigue as I do. It seems the summer itch has struck early this year, or perhaps it’s just my perception.
Can Classroom Priming Activities Boost Student Focus? Read More »
I get it. I’m an old, boring English teacher—the kind that kids will look back on when they’re older and think, “Wow, that guy was bor-ring!” But listening to To Kill a Mockingbird on an audiobook isn’t very thrilling for fifteen-year-olds. It’s not even my fault; I’m told to teach that sleeping pill to students
How to Wake Up a Sleeping Student: 10 Fun & Funny Methods Read More »
Lately, I’ve become fascinated by the idea that seemingly irrelevant activities at the beginning of a class might lead to improved student outcomes. Two ideas have stood out so far: using some variation of a hypnotic script and psychological priming activities in the classroom. In this blog post, we’re going to explore the latter. The
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Teaching for almost two decades brings a lot of changes and reflections. Some things get better, some… not as much. Like many teachers, I’ve been shifting towards a differentiated approach over the past few years. The traditional skill-and-drill had its place, but I felt like something was missing – a way to make deeper connections
Why Differentiate TKAM? For Better Student Engagement! Read More »
The Center for Applied Special Technology (CAST) recently announced that it is updating the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) guidelines. The CAST team has spent years researching and receiving input from various stakeholders and has finally released its proposed UDL updates. These changes reflect the understanding that educational environments must evolve to support every learner
Embracing Inclusive Education: Understanding the UDL Updates Read More »
