S03E06 - Dr. Carl Hendrick on Five Things Every Teacher Should Do
Mar 22, 2025
auto_awesome
Dr. Carl Hendrick, a prominent education expert and co-author of influential books, joins the discussion to share five essential strategies every teacher should embrace. He emphasizes the necessity of being open to evidence and highlights the power of retrieval practice. The conversation covers the importance of checking for understanding and aligning curriculum with assessment. Hendrick also challenges traditional beliefs, advocating for a more flexible approach to instruction that enhances student engagement and retention. This insightful chat is filled with actionable tips for educators!
Being open to powerful evidence allows educators to enhance their teaching practices and embrace effective methods even against traditional beliefs.
Incorporating retrieval practice, through active recall and spaced learning techniques, significantly improves long-term knowledge retention for students.
Regularly checking for understanding through structured assessments enables teachers to identify comprehension gaps and tailor instruction to meet students' needs.
Deep dives
Openness to Evidence
Being receptive to powerful evidence is essential for educators, as it allows for a deeper understanding of effective teaching practices. The concept, exemplified by Ignaz Semmelweis's experience in the 1840s, illustrates the danger of instinctively rejecting evidence that contradicts one's own beliefs. In the context of education, this means embracing cognitive science findings, even if they challenge traditional methods. Such openness is crucial for improving instructional practices and fostering student learning.
Significance of Retrieval Practice
Retrieval practice plays a vital role in long-term learning by necessitating that students actively recall information. Instead of simply asking if students have learned something, educators should inquire about what they've learned, prompting deeper cognitive engagement. It's important to avoid 'lethal mutations' of retrieval practice by ensuring the incorporation of interleaving and spaced practice effectively. Understanding retrieval practice's proper implementation can lead to significant improvements in knowledge retention.
Checking for Understanding
Regularly checking for understanding is a key strategy to enhance learning outcomes in the classroom. This involves utilizing structured methods, such as timing checks, modality of responses, and participation methods, to gauge student comprehension actively. Frequent assessments allow teachers to identify gaps in students' knowledge and modify their instructional approach accordingly. Proactively engaging students through these checks fosters a supportive learning environment where every learner's needs are addressed.
Curriculum and Assessment Alignment
Achieving an effective alignment between curriculum, instructional practices, and assessment is fundamental for successful educational outcomes. This requires a focus on expert-designed curricula that provide teachers a solid framework to build on, enabling them to concentrate on meeting student needs. Teachers should primarily focus on the instructional aspect while utilizing well-aligned assessments to measure student understanding. A more coherent and structured approach can help improve overall learning experiences for students.
The Illusion of Instruction
There is a common misconception that engagement equates to effective learning, which can lead educators down an unproductive path. The paradox of instruction suggests that achieving independent learning may require more initial direct guidance, contrary to intuitive beliefs about fostering independence. Recognizing the complexity of student learning situations helps educators design activities that genuinely promote learning rather than merely appearing engaging. It is vital to challenge conventional wisdom and embrace practices backed by strong evidence.
The Evolution of Teacher Professional Development
In response to the evolving needs of educators, a new online course on cognitive science and effective teaching practices has been developed. This course aims to offer teachers flexible and relevant professional development that aligns with their experiences in the classroom. By covering core principles from foundational texts, the course strives to create a shared understanding among educators regarding how learning occurs. This shared knowledge is pivotal for enhancing instructional quality in schools and improving student outcomes.
In this episode, Brendan Lee speaks with Dr. Carl Hendrick, a leading voice in education and co-author of What Does It Look Like in the Classroom?, How Learning Happens, and How Teaching Happens. Carl has been instrumental in helping teachers bridge the gap between research and practice, addressing the key question: That all sounds great, but what does it mean for me?
Together, they explore five essential things every teacher should do
Being open to powerful evidence
Using retrieval practice
Checking for understanding
Aligning curriculum and assessment,
Embracing the illusion of instruction.
This episode is packed with actionable insights to support and enhance teaching practice.
Resources mentioned:
What Does It Look Like in the Classroom, How Learning Happens, How Teaching Happens, and Illusions of Instruction (forthcoming, co-authored with Paul Kirschner and Jim Heal)
Dan Willingham’s Ask the Psychologist pieces for the AFT
Research by Paul Kirschner
ResearchEd, founded by Tom Bennett
Work by Tom Bennett and Daisy Christodoulou
Ignaz Semmelweis’ paper on puerperal fever
A 2021 EF review on cognitive science in the classroom by Thomas Perry
Research on working memory by George Miller and Nelson Cowan
The 1960s Follow Through study on direct instruction
Barak Rosenshine’s principles of instruction
David Ausubel on the importance of prior knowledge
Madeline Hunter on checking for understanding
Engelmann and Carnine on Explicit Direct Instruction (EDI)
Peps McCrea’s Evidence Snacks newsletter
Robert and Elizabeth Bjork on desirable difficulties
The Checklist Manifesto by Atul Gawande
John Biggs on constructive alignment
Christine Counsell on curriculum as a narrative
The How Learning and Teaching Happens eLearning course through Academica
