How Teaching Happens (by Paul A.

Kirschner, Carl Hendrick, and Jim Heal) –Summary

What What to do/know Beware of..
1 Experienced vs Experience does NOT make you an expert Thinking ‘talent’ is a thing
Expert teacher You can (and should) always add conceptual knowledge It’s just you, it’s
/ PCK / how people learn complicated
Teacher effectiveness, development, growth

2 Those who Mere content knowledge is NOT enough. Assessing teaching without
understand teach You need to add pedagogical and curricular knowledge. reference to content

3 Teachers are Better teachers lead to better learning. Teacher Thinking training is for
made not born certification and education (preparedness) matters, wimps
positively affecting student success and equity.
4 The death of the Teachers are responsible for how information is Entirely student centred OR
teacher? conveyed and learned via its structure and sequence. entirely teacher-led
Real learner centred education is teacher led.
5 I think therefore Teachers must set goals and also be adaptive learners Fixed notions of ‘best
I teach Use dynamic model/iterative approach – try it / practice’
evaluate it / refine it / try it again… One size fits all CPD/PD
6 When thinking Reflective practice is key. Move from problem solving to Seeing professional practice
and acting become problem SETTING, on the hoof reflection in action… it’s as rational problem solving
one a dance between thinking and doing.
7 It’s all about … of teaching, assessment methods and curriculum. Not being clear what should
alignment Align goals AND instructional methods AND assessment be learnt, not matching it to
Curriculum development/Instructional

assessment
8 Pebble in the Instruction begins with defining TASKS the student Atomistic, fragmented
pond should be able to do / what PROBLEMS they should be objectives with separate
able to solve and teach them how to do it (with real instruction of each
world examples + using prior knowledge)
9 How to tell the Teaching is ‘telling a story’. We make knowledge Thinking it’s a straight path
D i

story of an idea recognisable / understandable by how we present and from concrete to

sequence it abstract/they learn best
Ask whether the knowledge is ready to be understood building it themselves
10 If you don’t Ronseal approach –success is achieving what we set out Verbs that don’t mean
know where to do; objectives matter anything (understand,
you’re going you Useful objectives specify performance, conditions, appreciate)
might end up criteria, speed, accuracy , and quality
someplace else
11 There’s no suchDirect Instruction (DI) works with everyone because it’s Thinking it’s better if
thing as a child systematic: communicate goals, sort prior knowledge, students choose
who can’t be present knowledge, check mastery, practice, what/how/when they learn
taught performance, independence
Better learning and higher self-esteem!
12 Burning the From DI to di or explicit instruction = explicitly teaching Thinking explicit instruction
Strawman concepts and skills before using them is lecturing/ boring /not
Teaching techniques

Instructional ideas from cogsci / classroom observation active

/ research on instruction converge (work)
13 Make SOI: select, organise, integrate = generative learning – Everything works
something of what we continually construct new from what we learn. somewhere – be careful -
you’ve learnt Eight generative techniques: summarise, map, draw, nothing works everywhere
imagine, self-test, self-explain, teach others, enact
14 Learning: no Make learning more difficult in the short term = better Fun is better, speed is
pain, no gain learning in the long term (remember, recall, use) better
Desirable difficulties (e.g., spaced/retrieval practice, Performance = learning
interleaving) as learning and study events
15 Step for step Worked examples work = efficient, effective, enjoyable. Students understand when
Use multiple examples / pairs to help discriminate they focus on surface
surface from deep. features
 16 Why you can’t There are millions of nuances in teaching Thinking ‘good’ teachers
teach what you Effective means knowing what you are talking about SO can teach anything
don’t know YOU CAN BE NUANCED / teach in different ways

17 Mathematical Teaching math(s) ≠ knowing math(s); teaching Thinking teaching math(s) is

Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK)

knowledge for combines subject matter knowledge and PCK watered down math(s)
teaching Math(s) teachers need to anticipate / interpret errors +
use multiple representations
18 The science of ‘Craft’ knowledge = subject knowledge including beliefs PCK comes quick and easy,
science teaching about T&L + nature of science and students or preservice training will
PCK needs subject knowledge AND general theories of fix it
teaching
19 Three chords English = discipline (language) + art (literature) Knowing English is the same
and the truth Teachers need explicit knowledge of own stances re. as teaching English
literature, teach students to be critical consumers
20 How should we Phonics. End the reading wars Whole word approaches
teach reading? Reading is not biologically primary ≠ talking are better
Oral language instruction essential to understanding
21Why technology Ask ‘what problem is this technology solving / how will Using technology for
should be the it help students learn better’ NOT ‘how can we use it’. technologies sake
servant not the Content and goals should inform use
master
22 To thine own Authenticity = expertise (domain), passion (fire), unicity Trying to be liked; you’re
self be true (variation), distance (not too near or too far) not their friend
Nuance is key, and spotting problems before students
do, talking personally as appropriate
23 Relationships Teachers can’t NOT communicate to their students. Doing independent learning
In the classroom

matter Interpersonal teacher behavior is determined by BEFORE establishing

influence (teacher leads vs. student leads) and influence
proximity (approval vs. disapproval)
24 Why Dominance vs cooperation is central, we’re not just Thinking it’s about charisma
relationships managing but creating productive atmosphere via: and confidence
matter Eye contact, attending to high-needs students, not
treating all students the same, maintaining order
25 Teachers as Context is EVERYTHING. Be discerning of new stuff Thinking that a good thing
intelligent Look at findings, concepts, technology, theory to will work everywhere
consumers discern quality and IF IT WILL WORK FOR YOU
26 The many faces Evaluation as motor for improving learning: relation Thinking we’re aiming for a
and uses of between evaluation/ instructional decisions/ analysis of normal distribution
assessment learners. Goal is mastery, and tests can help with that
27 When testing Exams should examine what teachers teach (not the Thinking numbers are
kills learning other way round). Be clear on function / nature / sacred
context of testing, and beware that numbers can give Teaching to the test
false impression of what’s going on
28 Don’t ask Testing comprehension requires questions that go Goodhart’s Law: when a
questions that beyond the presented info: require paraphrase / measure becomes a target
Assessment

don’t require transformation of information not recall or using same it is no longer a good
understanding to language as the question measure
answer
29 Why teaching High stakes testing = perverse incentives Cobra effect – if dead
to the test is so Tests are ALWAYS proxies for learning cobras = money, then breed
bad Stick to the domain of knowledge, not test techniques cobras

30 Hocus-Pocus Teacher education must teach how we learn and how Strategies focussing on
teacher education to facilitate and stimulate this via evidence-based engagement/ cooperative
strategies! learning
Check the research: sample size, effect, context,
conclusions… look to the original if necessary
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