Principles of Mind
Willingham advises teachers not to spend much time studying the various models of so-called “learning styles” and determining which students might fit which models.
Below are his nine “principles of the mind” that he touts as ideal for most teachers in most situations:
Below are his nine “principles of the mind” that he touts as ideal for most teachers in most situations:
- People are naturally curious, but they are not naturally good thinkers.
Think of to-be-learned material as answers, and take the time necessary to explain to students the questions. - Factual knowledge precedes skill. Instill important facts, and encourage students to read as much as possible.It is impossible to think well on a topic without factual knowledge about it.
- Consider carefully what a lesson will make students think about; that is what they will remember.
- We understand new things in the context of what we already know. Guide students toward the information’s deeper meaning and structure. Use lifelike examples whenever possible as comparisons.
- Proficiency requires practice. Think carefully about which material students need at their fingertips, and practice it over time.
- Cognition is fundamentally different early and late in training. Strive for deep understanding in your students, not the creation of new knowledge.
- Children are more alike than different in terms of learning. Think of lesson content, not student differences, driving decisions about how to teach.
- Intelligence can be changed through sustained hard work. Always talk about successes and failures in terms of effort, not ability.
- Teaching, like any complex cognitive skill, must be practiced to be improved. Monitor your own teaching, and seek regular feedback from a peer, to find ways to improve it.
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