We don’t talk enough about relevance. In one study of more than 300 teachers, motivation researcher Jere Brophy found that only 1.7 percent of them clearly explained the relevance of their lessons to students. The rest may have assumed that relevance doesn’t matter; after all, the students are required to learn this stuff. But it…
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We can get better
Every hour of the day, teachers need to provide meaningful content, build relationships, inspire young minds, maintain order, assess learning, correct for mistakes, help kids in crisis, respond to parents, follow IEPs, tolerate interruptions, ensure equity, manipulate technology, interpret data and manage frustration. Doing this job well requires passion, energy, organization and the ability to…
Read MoreA thoughtful response to trends
Teachers: How do you react when a new trend sweeps through schools? Are you one of those enthusiasts who can’t wait to try whatever is new: fishbowl discussions, project-based learning, standards-based assessment, blended learning, formative clicker quizzes… or whatever comes next? Or are you the type to sit back and wait, figuring this is just…
Read MoreThe myth of learning to learn
Too many teenagers – and adults – are under the impression that they don’t need to learn facts anymore. Ask them a question, and they can just look up the answer. It’s all right there on the internet. Unfortunately, the idea that you can “learn to learn” and pick up facts on a need-to-know basis…
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MARTHA RUSH 