Why Don't Students like School by Daniel T Willingham

Interesting stuff. Doesn't have quite the free-read appeal of a good gory murder mystery, but very interesting in its own context. This is pop-sci (sort of), but Willingham is actually a cognitive psychologist - so he speaks with the voice of authority. Also, it runs along with much of what we covered in that course on Motivation and Learning. It was even more entertaining reading than the textbook for that course - although that was one of the most readable texts of my experience.

The bottom line seems to be a point that I tried arguing in my last education class, that if we want students to learn well and willingly then we, the teachers, must change. I'm afraid that teachers who want to be better teachers are becoming a minority. And I'm afraid that new teachers who want to become better teachers are going to find it difficult to find mentors who can and will help them. I am fully willing to grant that the lunacy which has taken over education at so many levels seems to be directed at making effective teaching and learning impossible - not least because those who seem to be in charge are not interested in learning - or teaching - only in test scores.

But, I didn't come here to rant about public education today. This is a well stated, if simplified, case for a rethinking the process.