Providing Choice: Supporting Motivation
Choice motivates people of all ages. From their earliest experiences, children learn how that they have some control over their lives. In fact, “According to research cited by Sheena Iyengar in The Art of Choosing, infants as young as 4 months enjoyed the power...Improving Classroom Behavior: How to Teach Impulse Control
The ability to control the desire for immediate gratification is a hallmark of impulse control. This ability to inhibit an immediate desire ...Diagnosing ADD
I am a professional educator with over forty years’ experience working with children from pre-kindergarten through college. Throughout my professional career, I have worked with students who demonstrate the full spectrum of learning abilities and styles. As an...Self Determination and Motivation
In order to accomplish any task, regardless of how menial or significant, a person must be motivated. Whether an individual is driven by an internal force or an external reward depends largely upon his attitude. Of course, motivation is important in education....Fostering Creativity: Part 2
In a previous blog, I introduced a few general methods for incorporating creative thinking in the classroom. This entry will provide some specific techniques. Linda Flanagan, writing in the online educational newsletter of KQED, MindShift, states: “Imaginative...College: Changing the Paradigm
To address the needs of 21st.century society at large as well as changes in the workplace, colleges need to adapt their curricula as well as their methodology. As former Harvard University president, Derek Bok, stated:”Colleges and universities, for all the...Fostering Creativity in the Classroom
Is creativity innate, or can it be taught? This question is the subject of debate among educators, neuroscientists, and psychologists. Unfortunately, the current model of the American education system is based on a “factory model” that does not encourage...Math and the Young Learner
Parents who are interested in supporting their young children’s future academic success would be wise to focus not only on reading, but also on math. Dr. Deborah Stipek,the former dean of the school of education at Stanford University researches the effect of...Encouraging Persistence
How can post-secondary educators assure that first year students learn how to persist at a given task? One of the first steps is understanding that having an open mind-set provides them with opportunity to learn. Another important factor in achievement is...