It is time to pay attention to the science of learning: Teachers need to learn more about cognitive research
The thing that surprised me most about my teacher preparation program was that we never talked about how kids learn.
Instead, we were taught how to structure a lesson and given tips on classroom management. I took “methods” classes that gave me strategies for discussions and activities.
I assumed that I would eventually learn how the brain worked because I thought that studying education meant studying how learning happens.
But in my training in the late ’90s, the closest I got to cognitive science was the concept of “practitioner inquiry.” I was told to study my own students and investigate what worked best. That sounded hollow to me; surely more-experienced hands knew better.
But discussions around teacher effectiveness — what methods are scientifically proven to support cognitive development — were painfully rare. Eventually, I concluded that I never learned, and we never talked about, how the brain processes information because scientists didn’t know much about it.
