Welcome!

Welcome to the blog of Zaq Roberts, Associate Head of School at The Berkeley School in Berkeley, CA. I blog about a wide variety of topics, from classroom moments I witness, to administrative events and conversations, to the educational blogs, videos, and books I am reading and watching, and how they are influencing my thinking. I hope this eclectic approach will give you insight into the many ways that I am engaging in advancing the school and strengthening our program, and I welcome your thoughts and comments!

This blog takes its name from a quotation by Archimedes that reads "Give me a lever long enough, and I can move the world." The TBS mission speaks directly to the need to engage a changing world, while many of the experiences in our program focus on the development of students' agency and authority. TBS is the lever by which we all - administration, faculty, students, and parents - can together move the world to be more humane, compassionate, and responsive. To borrow an important Montessori phrase, it is our way to remake the world.

Monday, October 29, 2012

Using neuroscience in the classroom

Today I sent around this article about using neuroscience to inform classroom practice to the faculty. A quick hit of some highlights:


- Establish the relevance of the lesson to previous and future lessons.

- Allow more time for inquiry; ask fewer spontaneous questions, and focus on specific, planned questions. Also, slow down the pace; extend your "wait time" for student answers.

- Incorporate movement, play, and collaboration into the lessons.

And of course, teach students about their brains!
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