Why Don’t Students Like School?

Because the Mind is Not Designed for Thinking…  This is a fascinating article that appeared in the Spring 2009 edition of American Educator. It was written by Daniel T. Willingham, a professor of psychology at the University of Virginia and author of the book “Why Don’t Students Like School?”. His basic premise is that the brain is not designed for thinking, but rather it is designed to save you from having to think.  In his book, he poses questions a teacher might want to ask a cognitive scientist and then answers them with relevant studies and suggestions for improving teaching. A really great review of the book can be found on the Wall Street Journal’s website; “How to Wake Up Slumbering Minds”. http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124079001063757515.html

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