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Radical Teaching

Classroom strategies from a neurologist.

Cognition
Helping Teens Get the Most From Their Schoolwork

Judy Willis M.D., M.Ed. on March 4, 2024

Metacognition, or thinking about how they think, can help teens understand their strengths and weaknesses and the strategies that are most useful to them in specific situations.

Metacognition, or thinking about how they think, can help teens understand their strengths and weaknesses and the strategies that are most useful to them in specific situations.

Parenting
Helping Kids to Persevere Despite Mistakes

Judy Willis M.D., M.Ed. on December 4, 2023

To help kids build perseverance through mistakes, encourage multiple approaches to problems, and provide opportunities for them to make decisions and choices.

To help kids build perseverance through mistakes, encourage multiple approaches to problems, and provide opportunities for them to make decisions and choices.

Education
Don’t Raise Math-Phobic Kids

Judy Willis M.D., M.Ed. on September 11, 2023

Most of us either loved or hated math in school. If you grew up with negative feelings about math, you can avoid inadvertently passing these attitudes to your children.

Most of us either loved or hated math in school. If you grew up with negative feelings about math, you can avoid inadvertently passing these attitudes to your children.

Education
Successful Teens Know How to Prioritize

Judy Willis M.D., M.Ed. on June 12, 2023

Teens with the skills of prioritizing evaluate which tasks are the highest priority and break the habit of putting off the ones they like least, but that count the most.

Teens with the skills of prioritizing evaluate which tasks are the highest priority and break the habit of putting off the ones they like least, but that count the most.

Parenting
Help Your Teens Be Better Organizers

Judy Willis M.D., M.Ed. on March 13, 2023

Parents can help teens build skills to independently manage their school assignments. With better organizational skills, they scramble less and family strife decreases.

Parents can help teens build skills to independently manage their school assignments. With better organizational skills, they scramble less and family strife decreases.

Stress
Help Your Teens Navigate Their Emotional Highways

Judy Willis M.D., M.Ed. on December 21, 2022

You can’t keep all stress out of their lives, but you can help them develop detours around stress-induced roadblocks to developing positive responses and actions.

You can’t keep all stress out of their lives, but you can help them develop detours around stress-induced roadblocks to developing positive responses and actions.

Motivation
Motivating Teens to Do School Work

Judy Willis M.D., M.Ed. on September 21, 2022

“What can I do to get my teenagers to put in the effort needed for success in school? How can they build their skills, persevere through setbacks, and be independent learners?"

“What can I do to get my teenagers to put in the effort needed for success in school? How can they build their skills, persevere through setbacks, and be independent learners?"

Motivation
How to Avoid Kids’ Summer Learning Slides

Judy Willis M.D., M.Ed. on June 21, 2022

You can provide environments and experiences that sustain and boost your children’s memories of what they learned in school this year before they are deleted.

You can provide environments and experiences that sustain and boost your children’s memories of what they learned in school this year before they are deleted.

Memory
Help Your Kids Study Less and Remember More

Judy Willis M.D., M.Ed. on September 24, 2021

Do your kids do well on the unit tests, but forget what they memorized and need to study it again for final tests? Sustain their hard work with neurological strategies.

Do your kids do well on the unit tests, but forget what they memorized and need to study it again for final tests? Sustain their hard work with neurological strategies.

Empathy
Boost Kids' Empathy with Assertiveness Skills

Judy Willis M.D., M.Ed. on December 27, 2020

As you help guide your children's empathy and build their skills of assertiveness, they need to act on their empathetic responses to themselves as well as others.

As you help guide your children's empathy and build their skills of assertiveness, they need to act on their empathetic responses to themselves as well as others.

Education
Power Up Kids' Home Learning Skills for Now and Later

Judy Willis M.D., M.Ed. on September 27, 2020

Although we all hoped that the pandemic's impact on schooling would lessen by now, it has not. Parents, students, and teachers now face new challenges and opportunities in learning.

Although we all hoped that the pandemic's impact on schooling would lessen by now, it has not. Parents, students, and teachers now face new challenges and opportunities in learning.

Child Development
Can Being Your Kids' Math Teacher Really Be Fun?

Judy Willis M.D., M.Ed. on June 27, 2020

Recall your childhood need for homework help in math. It may reflect experiences with your own children. One moan I particularly recall, “My teacher does not do it that way!"

Recall your childhood need for homework help in math. It may reflect experiences with your own children. One moan I particularly recall, “My teacher does not do it that way!"

Neuroscience
Lessons from a Neurologist’s Grandparenting Journey

Judy Willis M.D., M.Ed. on March 16, 2020

With my background as a neurologist, classroom teacher, and author of parenting and teaching books, I expected that I'd be a sure thing at grandparenting. Wow, was I wrong.

With my background as a neurologist, classroom teacher, and author of parenting and teaching books, I expected that I'd be a sure thing at grandparenting. Wow, was I wrong.

Dopamine
Recharge Kids for Back-to-School Brain Boost

Judy Willis M.D., M.Ed. on December 16, 2019

Help your kids get back to a time when they really looked forward to returning to school—when they were excited about seeing friends, special events, and new discoveries.

Help your kids get back to a time when they really looked forward to returning to school—when they were excited about seeing friends, special events, and new discoveries.

Stress
Your Kids Can Beat Test Stress

Judy Willis M.D., M.Ed. on September 18, 2019

High-stakes standardized tests are not good for kids' brains, and their stressed brains are not good for taking these tests.

High-stakes standardized tests are not good for kids' brains, and their stressed brains are not good for taking these tests.