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Why Don't Students Like School: A Cognitive Scientist Answers Questions About How the Mind Works and What It Means for the Classroom |  | Author: Daniel T. Willingham
Publisher: Jossey-Bass
List Price: $24.95
Buy New: $14.13
as of 11/22/2009 08:51 CST details
You Save: $10.82 (43%)
New (40) Used (11) from $14.08
Seller: indoobestsellers
Rating:  32 reviews
Sales Rank: 3605
Media: Hardcover
Pages: 192
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.8
Dimensions (in): 9.1 x 6.1 x 0.9
ISBN: 0470279303
Dewey Decimal Number: 370.1523
EAN: 9780470279304
ASIN: 0470279303
Publication Date: March 16, 2009
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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Product Description
Easy-to-apply, scientifically-based approaches for engaging students in the classroom Cognitive scientist Dan Willingham focuses his acclaimed research on the biological and cognitive basis of learning. His book will help teachers improve their practice by explaining how they and their students think and learn. It reveals-the importance of story, emotion, memory, context, and routine in building knowledge and creating lasting learning experiences. - Nine, easy-to-understand principles with clear applications for the classroom
- Includes surprising findings, such as that intelligence is malleable, and that you cannot develop "thinking skills" without facts
- How an understanding of the brain's workings can help teachers hone their teaching skills
"Mr. Willingham's answers apply just as well outside the classroom. Corporate trainers, marketers and, not least, parents -anyone who cares about how we learn-should find his book valuable reading."-Wall Street Journal
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| Customer Reviews:
Showing reviews 1-5 of 32
 Interesting but not easy reading November 4, 2009
La Nelda V. Hughes
I did gain some insights from this about how people learn. It is well worth the effort.
 Read this book October 11, 2009
Happy in New Mexico (Santa Fe)
If you are a teacher, you must read this book. It is so refreshing to read something informed and useful in the field of education.
Through a Brain Darkly September 25, 2009
Ken C. (MA)
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
Daniel Willingham, cognitive scientist, aims this book at teachers, parents, and anyone else curious about what works, what doesn't work, what should be taught, and what shouldn't be taught by educators. To an experienced teacher, most of his findings are reaffirming. Some, however, are news and go against "accepted educational pedagogy" (quotes to show that most educators know that "accepted" is an inside joke of sorts in our business). The nine principles Willingham forwards in this book, in his own words, are as follows:
1. People are naturally curious, but they are not naturally good thinkers.
2. Factual knowledge precedes skill.
3. Memory is the residue of thought.
4. We understand new things in the context of things we already know.
5. Proficiency requires practice.
6. Cognition is fundamentally different early and late in training.
7. Children are more alike than different in terms of learning.
8. Intelligence can be changed through sustained hard work.
9. Teaching, like any complex cognitive skill, must be practiced to be improved.
Willingham devotes a chapter to each principle, delving into what you should know about the students and what the most important classroom implication is for teachers. Number Two highlights the importance of background knowledge and how much of a drag it is on students who lack it. Number Five defends the old-school prescription of practice, practice, practice, but asterisks it with "without boring the students." And the biggest surprise (to me) is Number Seven, which basically says that knowledge of students' learning styles is a lot of hooey. "Lesson content, not student differences," should drive decisions on teaching, says Willingham. So much for Gardner's Intelligences, etc.
Overall, an interesting read, if at times repetitive. One distraction was the small font used to print this book. Why? Also, some teachers may feel that the bulk of the book merely reaffirms what they've already learned in the trenches. So be it. It's still good to see the experts reaffirming your practices based on the latest research on the brain.
An Outstanding book for instructors at all levels September 23, 2009
Wallace T. Fowler (Austin TX)
Common sense prevails.
Excellent examples.
Well documented.
Has changed my teaching -- and I have 40+ years of experience.
It's readable--really! September 14, 2009
Greenbyoo
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
I can't add much to what has already been said in the above favorable reviews, except this: don't be intimidated by the fact that a cognitive scientist authored this book. His writing style is very approachable. He uses excellent examples to illustrate his points, and he summarizes each chapter so you feel you have a thorough understanding of one idea before moving to the next. It's kind of like having a long conversation with an interesting guy who happens to be a scientist. I have no scientific expertise, but I really enjoyed reading this book. I hope educators everywhere will read it.
Oh, and one more thing. I was puzzled by one review here, so I re-read the beginning of the book and I can't find anything offensive or controversial. It's just a great book!
Showing reviews 1-5 of 32
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