If much of what we learned in teacher training was not very useful once we got to the classroom, and if some theories we were taught, like learning styles, were just plain false, it's tempting to conclude that theory has little to offer the busy teacher. Having used cognitive load theory to streamline my teaching, I can't agree.
S1E4: Group Work for the Good by Tom Bennett
Zach Groshell and Bradley Arnold discuss "Group Work for the Good" by Tom Bennett (@tombennett71). Both agree that group work should be highly structured, but disagree on the extent that it should be used.
Teach First, Ask Questions Second
Somewhere along the way I developed the habit of using an unproductive questioning pattern called "guess what's in my head." This is when I ask questions that the students couldn't possibly respond to because they haven't yet learned the material required to answer the questions.
S1E3: Teaching digital media in a systemic way, while accounting for non-linearity by Teodor Mitew
In this episode we discuss "Teaching digital media in a systemic way, while accounting for non-linearity" by Teodor Mitew (@tedmitew)
The Sad, Sad Story of the Hollow Curriculum
When I first started teaching 4th grade, I inherited a social studies unit on Ancient Egypt, a topic that is universally adored by students at this age level. Over the years of teaching this unit, the 4th grade teachers had developed a document - what we'd now call a knowledge organizer - of all of … Continue reading The Sad, Sad Story of the Hollow Curriculum
Upcoming Webinar: Cognitive Load Theory – What it is, and how to apply it to your teaching
Be sure to register for my webinar with Bradley Busch and InnerDrive on cognitive load theory and its many applications to classroom teaching.
S1E2: 5 Meanings of Direct Instruction by Barak Rosenshine
In this episode of Progressively Incorrect, Zach Groshell and Bradley Arnold discuss "5 Meanings of Direct Instruction" by Barak Rosenshine.
Beliefs, Evidence, and Educational Technology
Frequent readers of this blog will know that I am the Director of Educational Technology at a 6-12 independent school. My role is to design and implement the strategy around online learning and train teachers how to integrate various online tools into their lessons. This post is a reflection on whether my beliefs about teaching … Continue reading Beliefs, Evidence, and Educational Technology
PD Opportunity on Cognitive Load Theory
As readers of this blog will know, I've recently been writing a bit about cognitive load theory and how it's led to changes in my thinking and teaching. I debated some of its foundational ideas on a recent podcast, as well. After presenting on CLT in the fall, NWAIS asked me back as part of … Continue reading PD Opportunity on Cognitive Load Theory
S1E1: Why Inquiry-Based Approaches Harm Students’ Learning by John Sweller
In this episode of Progressively Incorrect, Zach Groshell and Bradley Arnold discuss "Why Inquiry-Based Approaches Harm Students' Learning" by John Sweller.
Education Rickshaw 
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