Five Big Ideas for Effective Teaching: Connecting Mind, Brain, and Education Research to Classroom Practice

“The title promises ideas for effective teaching, and the book delivers on this promise in clear, compelling, and believable prose. This is a book for educators, for policy makers, for parents, and even for presidents.”

—From the Foreword byRobert Calfee, professor emeritus, Stanford University

“This is an interdisciplinary book like no other currently in publication. The bridge to practice is articulated clearly, setting the stage for a new paradigm in teacher education and how we consider learning.”

—Deborah Schussler, Villanova University

“In their most interesting and instructive book, the authors appear to me as guides leading readers on a fascinating journey of discovery.”

—Reuven Feuerstein, Cognitive Psychologist, International Center for the Enhancement of Learning Potential

“This book is easy to read, understand, and use to apply what we know about learning in the brain and translate that knowledge into educational practice.”

—Daniel C. Miller, Texas Woman’s University

“One of the best books on neuroscience and education. Given the new core standards, topics in the book are just what teachers need.”

—Debby Zambo, Arizona State University

“Brings together many disparate lines of inquiry into a ‘big idea’ framework that helps professionals consume and apply critical funds of knowledge efficiently. It could be used as required reading for a pre-service teacher education course.”

—Tanner LaBaron Wallace, University of Pittsburgh

“This book will be a welcome and important supplement to any traditional educational psychology text.”

—Linda Rittner, University of Central Oklahoma

This seminal text, grounded in the synergy of five big ideas for connecting mind, brain and education research to classroom practice, empowers educators with an inspiring conceptual framework for effective teaching. It is a compelling vision as well as a firm foundation for implementation of the Common Core State Standards. The practical application of the essential ideas—neuroplasticity, potential, malleable intelligence, the Body-Brain System, and metacognition—is supported by a wealth of vignettes, examples, inspirational stories from teachers, strategies, reflective questions, and connections between current research on how people learn and classroom practice.

Donna Wilsonis lead developer of graduate programs with majors in brain-based teaching with the Abraham S. Fischler School of Education at Nova Southeastern University.Marcus Conyersis cofounder of the Center for Innovative Education and Prevention.