A Quick Word on the Intro Video and Podcast
By: Curtis Kelly
The Intro videos are listed on page 2. You are checking those out each issue, right? We include those so that you can hear and see the best in the breed, discussion on the latest research and practices by the masters themselves, usually more meaningful than what you would find in any one academic journal. As for me, I don’t always have time to watch them, but I copy the links into my iPhone Notes App so that I can turn one on while out mountain climbing, bicycling, or shopping.[1]
[1] Okay. I really only do the third.
The two choices this month are superb. We went through a half dozen YouTube videos on what new teachers should know and it was pretty much a yawn fest: “be on time,” “keep the rules you set,” “have a backup activity”… But then we happened on Steve Heimler’s little story and were moved. Give it a listen.
However, it is the Willingham interview podcast that is really stellar. It connects teacher training to brain sciences in way that is easy and insightful. For example, I particularly liked how he said we are not training teachers the right way. He said we are training them to become researchers rather than practitioners. The cognitive psychology (and other) courses we give them are like Psychology 101, an introduction to the field. Learning about the big players and predominant theories is almost useless for an in-class teacher. Instead, we should teach them how a 10-year-old brain is developing and how it learns best. Brilliant!
And then…well, I’ll let you find the rest of the good stuff. Get your headphones, smart phone, and shopping list, and go have a listen.
Curtis Kelly (EdD.) had to give up bicycling and never climbed mountains. But now that he is retired and his wife is working, he does a lot of shopping and cooking, which are also his learning times.