It’s that strange time of year when everyone reminds me that summer is almost here and the school year is winding down… and yet, when I sit down to plan, the end doesn’t feel close at all. The class periods feel long and my mind feels scattered. I
Universal Design For Learning
After watching the same three students contribute every time, I rebuilt Write & Discuss from the ground up. Here's the step-by-step routine—rooted in UDL and cognitive load research—that finally got my entire class co-creating text together.
Cognitive load
Spring, seniors, and 80 minutes to fill — here's what I learned about designing for attention using UDL and the science of cognitive load.
Universal Design For Learning
What if the barrier was never the learner, but the design? A three-part UDL lesson that gets students thinking about how we build spaces that work for everyone, starting with a round door and a room full of shapes.
Cognitive load
From learning styles to "easy means learned," these five teaching myths feel true — but the research says otherwise. Here's what cognitive science actually proves, and simple classroom strategies that work.
What if forgetting isn't the problem — it's the setup? A recap of my NECTFL session on retrieval practice, spaced learning, and why the struggle to remember is exactly where learning happens.
Retrieval Practice
Stop treating retrieval practice as "one more thing." Join us and Maureen Magnan on Edutopia to explore low-prep strategies that make retrieval a natural, daily classroom routine.
Cognitive load
Students disengage before the lesson even starts — not because the work is too hard, but because cognitive overload has already shut down their working memory. Here are the practical moves that clear the path.
Cognitive load
The lesson was solid. Students still froze. It's not apathy it's cognitive overload. 10 strategies to reduce it without lowering rigor
Cognitive load
In a world of constant noise and overload, the pause is a powerful teaching tool. Discover how intentional pausing creates clarity, reduces cognitive overwhelm, and deepens student learning.
Metacognition
Make metacognitive reflection a daily habit using quick retrieval practice routines that help students strengthen memory, deepen understanding, and build real learning awareness.
Retrieval Practice
Metacognitive reflection helps students understand how they learn and strengthen learning over time. When reflection is built into instruction and designed through a UDL lens, students use feedback and retrieval to build confidence, reduce anxiety, and learn more independently.