Judy Willis

teaching strategies that change student attitudes and get results

Learning to love math

Drawing on her neurology expertise and classroom experience, author Judy Willis examined decades of learning-centered brain research to determine what information was most valid and relevant for educators. The result is a comprehensive and accessible guide for improving student learning based on the best the research world has to offer. Willis takes a reader-friendly approach to neuroscience, describing how the brain processes, stores, and retrieves material and which instructional strategies help students learn most effectively and joyfully. You will discover how to captivate and hold the attention of your students and how to enhance their memory and test-taking success. You will learn how to know when students are ready for learning and when their brains need a rest. You will also learn how stress and emotion affect learning and how to improve student engagement. And you will find innovative techniques for designing assessments and adjusting teaching practices to ensure that all students reach their potential. No matter what grade or subject you teach, Research-Based Strategies to Ignite Student Learning will enrich your repertoire of teaching strategies so you can help students reach their full academic potential.

Insights from a Neurologist and Classroom Teacher

Research-based Strategies to Ignite Student Learning

Judy Willis, MD, Med

Explains how negative attitudes toward math get established in the brain and what teachers can do to turn those attitudes around.

Teaching Strategies That Change Student Attitudes and Get Results

Learning to Love Math

Malana Willis

Thanks to unprecedented advances in brain science, we know more about the brain today than ever before. But what does that science tell us about how we learn? How can we capture the power of neuroscience research so that it benefits our students? Judy Willis and Malana Willis answer these questions with clarity and insight, translating recent research on the brain and learning into understandable concepts and practical strategies to use across the curriculum, spanning all grade levels from preK through postsecondary. In this revised and expanded edition of the bestselling Research-Based Strategies to Ignite Student Learning, readers will learn how to * Arouse students' curiosity and interest in pursuing wide-ranging topics, including those they might typically find boring. * Counteract the negative effects of stress, boredom, and frustration on memory. * Defuse undesirable behaviors that are the result of the brain's natural "fight/flight/freeze" response. * Incorporate the motivating characteristics of video gaming—including clear goals, achievable challenges, predictions, and continual feedback—into classroom learning. * Break through stereotypes that deter students from reaching their full potential. * Use the power of neuroscience research to develop students' executive function skills, such as focus, prioritization, organization, collaboration, critical analysis, and innovation. Willis and Willis describe how the brain converts a vast amount of sensory input into long-term memory and durable understanding, and how educators can use this knowledge to guide students to more successful experiences in school and beyond.

Insights from Neuroscience and the Classroom

Research-Based Strategies to Ignite Student Learning

Reading comes easily to some students, but many struggle with some part of this complex process that requires many areas of the brain to operate together through an intricate network of neurons. As a classroom teacher who has also worked as a neurologist, Judy Willis offers a unique perspective on how to help students not only learn the mechanics of reading and comprehension, but also develop a love of reading. She shows the importance of establishing a nonthreatening environment and provides teaching strategies that truly engage students and help them * Build phonemic awareness * Manipulate patterns to improve reading skills * Improve reading fluency * Combat the stress and anxiety that can inhibit reading fluency * Increase vocabulary *Overcome reading difficulties that can interfere with comprehension By enriching your understanding of how the brain processes language, emotion, and other stimuli, this book will change the way you understand and teach reading skills--and help all your students become successful readers. Note: This product listing is for the Adobe Acrobat (PDF) version of the book.

Strategies for Improving Fluency, Vocabulary, and Comprehension

Teaching the Brain to Read

Is there a way to get students to love math? Dr. Judy Willis responds with an emphatic yes in this informative guide to getting better results in math class. Tapping into abundant research on how the brain works, Willis presents a practical approach for how we can improve academic results by demonstrating certain behaviors and teaching students in a way that minimizes negativity. With a straightforward and accessible style, Willis shares the knowledge and experience she has gained through her dual careers as a math teacher and a neurologist. In addition to learning basic brain anatomy and function, readers will learn how to * Improve deep-seated negative attitudes toward math. * Plan lessons with the goal of "achievable challenge" in mind. * Reduce mistake anxiety with techniques such as errorless math and estimation. * Teach to different individual learning strengths and skill levels. * Spark motivation. * Relate math to students' personal interests and goals. * Support students in setting short-term and long-term goals. * Convince students that they can change their intelligence. With dozens of strategies teachers can use right now, Learning to Love Math puts the power of research directly into the hands of educators. A Brain Owner's Manual, which dives deeper into the structure and function of the brain, is also included—providing a clear explanation of how memories are formed and how skills are learned. With informed teachers guiding them, students will discover that they can build a better brain . . . and learn to love math!

Jay McTighe

How can educators leverage neuroscience research about how the human brain learns? How can we use this information to improve curriculum, instruction, and assessment so our students achieve deep learning and understanding in all subject areas? Upgrade Your Teaching: Understanding by Design Meets Neuroscience answers these questions by merging insights from neuroscience with Understanding by Design (UbD), the framework used by thousands of educators to craft units of instruction and authentic assessments that emphasize understanding rather than recall. Readers will learn - How the brain processes incoming information and determines what is (or is not) retained as long-term memory; - How brain science reveals factors that influence student motivation and willingness to put forth effort; - How to fully engage all students through relevance and achievable challenge; - How key components of UbD, including backward design, essential questions, and transfer tasks, are supported by research in neuroscience; - Why specific kinds of teaching and assessment strategies are effective in helping students gain the knowledge, skills, and deep understanding they need to succeed in school and beyond; and - How to create a brain-friendly classroom climate that supports lasting learning. Authors Jay McTighe and Judy Willis translate research findings into practical information for everyday use in schools, at all grade levels and in all subject areas. With their guidance, educators at all levels can learn how to design and implement units that empower teachers and students alike to capitalize on the brain's tremendous capacity for learning.

Judy Willis

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