Book Summary

Daniel Willingham caught my attention from the first chapter of Why Don't Students Like School? with his statement "the brain is not made for thinking". What? This contradicted everything I had believed about the brain. As I continued to read he started to explain his thinking. Overall our brain's primary function is to coordinate all the complex body systems. On page 5 of his book, Daniel Willingham sums up how our brain instantly takes in a visual picture. While this is instantaneous, thinking is slow, requires effort, and is uncertain. When I am thinking about solving a math problem, I can't think about something else at the same time. I also have to think about every step and even when I solve the problem, the answer may not be correct. When my brain takes in a visual picture of a flower, it does it in an instant and I can do other things while looking at the flower. My brain also doesn't confuse what a flower looks like or that I am looking at a flower. Although I was confused by his initial statement about the brain not being made for thinking, after reading his explanation I have to agree with his statements.

The book talks about all aspects of the brain including memory, both working and long-term, to how students need to have facts before they can become skillful at a topic. One idea presented in Chapter 8 is that of our intelligence being able to be changed. This differs a lot from most people's thoughts. If we praise students' effort, children can change their intelligence over time for the better. Some other ideas presented throughout the book are regarding what most people have long known. The more we practice something, the better we become. Finally a concept that I have been learning a lot about over my first year and that is children learning something new in relation to what they already know. I really enjoyed reading this chapter. As a new teacher, I have been asking questions to prompt my students to discuss what they already know about a subject before we start a topic or to use their schema as we are studying the topic. This book should be read cover to cover; however, if you are stretched for time, you can pick up and read one specific chapter or just use the great teaching strategies presented at the back of each chapter.

Being a first year teacher, I have been trying to understand what the best way for my students to learn. Do I let them explore first or do I present the information? If I provide the information, how do I do it in an engaging way which will get my students thinking? Daniel Willingham's book is great for new and veteran teachers alike because it presents his cognitive research on how the brain and memory function. By reading this book teachers begin to understand how students think. Each chapter builds upon our understanding of the brain, so that you start to develop a real understanding of the brain's inner workings. Incorporated at the end of each chapter are multiple suggestions on how teachers can use the information presented to better improve their teaching strategies. This book is a valuable read because it seamlessly integrates understanding with instant hands-on teaching strategies. A definite must read for any teacher who wants to engage their students in active learning.