Diane Dahl and I Give “Joyful” Presentation at Learning Forward 2013

Implementation of the Common Core State Standards can be a time of stress, setbacks, and low morale. However, if professional developers, administrators, and teachers are empowered with five fundamental “big ideas” that support effective teaching, the process can be positive and, yes, even joyful at times.

That was the encouraging message that I presented along with Diane Dahl when we spoke together at the Learning Forward 2013 Annual Conference in Dallas, Texas.

Diane is a second-grade teacher in the Frisco Independent School District in the Dallas area and a 2011 graduate of our master’s degree program. At Learning Forward 2013, we teamed up for an upbeat, practical presentation entitled “Toward Joyful Implementation of Common Core State Standards,” sharing advice on implementing the standards to an audience that included teachers, leaders of professional learning communities, teacher educators, and a director of a state department of education.

The presentation tied into the concepts of the book that I co-authored with Marcus Conyers, Five Big Ideas for Effective Teaching: Connecting Mind, Brain, and Education Research to Classroom Practice (Teachers College Press, 2013). Diane and I explained how using the core concepts set out in that book and explored in the graduate programs can provide a conceptual framework for learning and teaching. We also tied implications from mind, brain, and education research to the practical challenges of implementing the Common Core State Standards with the goal of creating more thoughtful and effective classrooms.

Elsewhere at the Learning Forward conference, I had the opportunity to sign copies of the book at the Teachers College Press booth. It was a wonderful opportunity to reconnect with longtime colleagues and friends and to forge new relationships.

Check out our free article available online now!

Marcus and I hope you enjoy reading our article on five big ideas for effective educational practice  just out yesterday. From the article...

"It's becoming increasingly clear that education needs to shift from the simple transmission of facts toward cultivating minds that can recognize and creatively solve novel problems, communicate and work effectively with many others, and embrace self-directed, continual learning throughout one‘s lifetime. A report from the National Research Council on “Education for Life and Work” (Pellegrino & Hilton, 2012) identified three domains of 21st-century competencies that require explicit instruction: cognitive (thinking and reasoning), intrapersonal (regulating one’s behaviors and emotions to achieve goals), and interpersonal (relating to others and understanding others’ points of view)."
To read the entire short article, click here.

Hope to see you at Learning Forward's Annual Conference in Dallas!

I am on the way to present at the Learning Forward Annual Conference in Dallas, Texas, December 7-11. Our presentation at conference is December 11, 7:45-9:45 am. We are excited to announce that Diane Dahl, currently a 2nd grade classroom teacher in the Dallas area, will be presenting with me!

Additionally, Teachers College Press is hosting a book event where I'll be signing, Five Big Ideas for Effective Teaching, on Monday, December 9 at 2:00.

We hope to see many of you in Dallas at one or both of our events!

‘Five Big Ideas’ Is Basis of Pioneering Paper Presented at International Conference

Marcus and I had the opportunity to speak before a distinguished audience of researchers, psychologists, and teacher educators attending the International Association for Cognitive Education and Psychology’s (IACEP) 2013 International Conference and share the achievements of teachers who have completed our graduate degree programs with majors in Brain-Based teaching. The conference took place this past summer at the prestigious Leiden University in Leiden, The Netherlands.

The IACEP is a worldwide organization of professionals whose goal is to advance the cognitive education of children, youth, and adults. Our presentation, “Connecting Five Big Ideas from Cognitive, Brain, and Education Research to Teacher Education,” fit in well with those ideals. Leading the presentation, Marcus described how graduates of the program are enhancing their students’ academic performance by applying the research, theory, and strategies they learned in their graduate studies. As a result, teachers are helping their students achieve more of their academic potential and develop an appreciation for lifelong learning.

Our presentation drew from the core concepts explored in our book, Five Big Ideas for Effective Teaching: Connecting Mind, Brain, and Education Research to Classroom Practice (Teachers College Press, 2013). We also provided real-life examples of these concepts in action in classrooms and schools. It was especially gratifying to have presented at the conference among colleagues I met in the early to mid-1990s as I was completing research for my doctoral degree and studying structural cognitive modifiability internationally at the post-doctoral level.

AERA Presentation Highlights Graduates' Success Stories

Among the highlights of my spring was Marcus' and my April 27 presentation at the American Educational Association's (AERA) 2013 Annual Meeting. We were pleased to have the opportunity to share the impressive success stories that graduates of our programs are experiencing in classrooms across the country and internationally.

Speaking at the AERA gathering in San Francisco, Marcus led a presentation describing how graduates who have completed our brain-based teaching program are well equipped to help students achieve their learning potential.

Our presentation, “Exploring the Impact of a Graduate Degree Program Connecting the Implications of Mind, Brain, and Education Research to Teaching and Learning,” was presented through the conference segment of the AERA Special Interest Group on Brain, Neurosciences and Education, a group that I joined in the early 1990s. We are happy to have been a pioneering part of this movement over the past two decades.

Selected Upcoming Conferences for 2013

Marcus and I will be presenting at key educational events during the course of 2013 that will take us to various parts of the United States and Europe. Here are a few highlights:

— American Educational Research Association's Annual Meeting, April 27-May 1, San Francisco. On April 27, we will present “Exploring the Impact of a Graduate Degree Program Connecting the Implications of Mind, Brain, and Education Research to Teaching and Learning.” In addition, the AERA Annual Meeting will mark the launch of our new book, Five Big Ideas for Effective Teaching: Connecting Mind, Brain, and Education Research to Classroom Practice. Coinciding with the launch, we will take part in a book signing from 2 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. April 29 at the Teachers College Press booth, Booth No. 413, in the AERA exhibit hall.

— The International Association for Cognitive Education and Psychology's 2013 International Conference, June 24-27, Leiden University in Leiden, The Netherlands. This year’s conference theme is: “Unfolding Potential: Assessment, Strategies, Change, and Intervention.” Describing the potential of the human brain, we will speak on the subject of “Connecting Five Big Ideas from Cognitive, Brain, and Education Research to Teacher Education.”

— Learning Forward 2013 Annual Conference, December 7-11, Dallas, Texas. In this case, I will be teaming up with Diane Dahl, Texas elementary teacher and a graduate of our program, to present "Toward Joyful Implementation of Common Core State Standards."

Two Books Coming From Wilson & Conyers in 2013

Marcus and I are pleased to announce that we will launch two new books over the next several months. Coming in April from Teachers College Press is Five Big Ideas for Effective Teaching: Connecting Mind, Brain, and Education Research to Classroom Practice. Core concepts explored in this exciting new book are:

• Neuroplasticity, understanding that the structure and function of the brain change in response to learning.
• Potential, the capacity for all students to make learning gains.
• Malleable intelligence, which stands in opposition to traditional views of fixed intellect.
• The Body-Brain System, the role of movement, physical fitness, healthy nutrition, and positive emotions in facilitating learning.
• Metacognition, explicit instruction on the use of cognitive strategies to guide students to “think about their thinking” with the aim of improving learning.