90 years ago, Alfred North Whitehead used the term “the inert knowledge problem” to describe an issue he faced while teaching. I’ll bet you’ve seen the same thing…
All AboutBetter Teaching
Ode to the Non-Example
Providing high-quality exemplars is only half the battle. Serve up a nice and terrible non-example, and you’ll highlight just what makes that great version so great.
Knowing Our Own Mindsets
I continue reading my friends’ dissertations and stumble across how very “fixed” a teacher’s mindset can become. What do we do?
Narcissistic Teaching (and how to change it)
I’ve been reading my friends’ dissertations and writing up my discoveries. In this episode, I encounter the term “narcissistic pedagogy” and it rocks my world.
Abundance or Deficit Thinking?
It’s easy to be miserly and hold onto every resource, thinking it might be the last. But I’ve learned that what I have can grow – when I use it well. The same is true of our classroom resources.
Expectations and Scaffolds
When I see successful lessons, I’m almost always most impressed with how the teacher has set the stage for success. When I look back on my biggest failures, it was almost always a lack scaffolding that caused the problem. Expectations and scaffolds are vital to classroom success.
Better Questions: Wait Time
Asking good questions is one thing, but do we give students the space to formulate a good response? Let’s talk about wait time.