The Student Mind
"We can’t solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them." — Albert Einstein
In the article below, Willingham discusses why our brains do not like to problem solve and the applications of brain research for teaching and learning.
Check out teachers insights about the article via CorkBoard.
In the article below, Willingham discusses why our brains do not like to problem solve and the applications of brain research for teaching and learning.
Check out teachers insights about the article via CorkBoard.
willingham_2009_thestudentmind.pdf | |
File Size: | 542 kb |
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Principles of Mind
Willingham advises teachers not to spend much time studying the various models of so-called “learning styles” and determining which students might fit which models. Below are his nine “principles of the mind” that he touts as ideal for most teachers in most situations:
- People are naturally curious, but they are not naturally good thinkers.
Think of to-be-learned material as answers, and take the time necessary to explain to students the questions. - Factual knowledge precedes skill. Instill important facts, and encourage students to read as much as possible.It is impossible to think well on a topic without factual knowledge about it.
- Consider carefully what a lesson will make students think about; that is what they will remember.
- We understand new things in the context of what we already know. Guide students toward the information’s deeper meaning and structure. Use lifelike examples whenever possible as comparisons.
- Proficiency requires practice. Think carefully about which material students need at their fingertips, and practice it over time.
- Cognition is fundamentally different early and late in training. Strive for deep understanding in your students, not the creation of new knowledge.
- Children are more alike than different in terms of learning. Think of lesson content, not student differences, driving decisions about how to teach.
- Intelligence can be changed through sustained hard work. Always talk about successes and failures in terms of effort, not ability.
- Teaching, like any complex cognitive skill, must be practiced to be improved. Monitor your own teaching, and seek regular feedback from a peer, to find ways to improve it.
willingham_principlesofmind.doc | |
File Size: | 38 kb |
File Type: | doc |