Author: Terry Heick

by Terry Heick Digital and social media have replaced the landscape for education. This isn’t a case of mere impact or transformation–it’s all different now. Everything–the tools, the audiences, the access to content, the data, the opportunity. And this is a displacing and replacing that will only accelerate as re-conceptualizing of the craft of teaching in light of emerging technologies and global distinctions increases. This doesn’t mean that every classroom and school and district is suddenly forward-thinking, but rather that education–and most critically, its students–have already changed, forever altering the tone and context for that education. Eventually, the systems of education…

Wherever we are, we’d all like to think our classrooms are ‘intellectually active’ places. Progressive learning environments. Highly effective and conducive to student-centered learning.The reality is, there is no single answer because teaching and learning are awkward to consider as single events or individual ‘things.’So we put together one take on the characteristics of a highly effective classroom through the idea of conditions. They can act as a kind of criteria to measure your own against–see if you notice a pattern.Read more below. Framework A Conditions-Based Model for Highly Effective Learning Environments A research-informed template for diagnosing learning environments and…

Learning–real, informal, authentic, and lifelong learning–can ‘begin’ with just about anything. In that way, this is obviously not an exhaustive list. Nor am I implying that these are ‘the best’ starting points or that they would be in every case effective in your classroom. There are simply too many variables. What I hope to accomplish with this post is to help you begin to think about what ’causes’ learning–and more specifically, where and how that happens. What Causes Learning? In the real world, learning never stops but it’s not always clear that it’s happening. Or at least we think of…

Online learning has reshaped how people pursue higher education. Some value its flexibility. Others prefer the structure and social presence of classrooms. What often gets missed is how online study affects wellbeing. Depending on routines, habits, and workloads, it can help or hinder. Positive Effects Online study can offer meaningful benefits for mental health. Builds Perseverance Studying from home requires persistence. Students organise their own time, push through distractions, and continue even when motivation fades. This kind of resilience often transfers to work settings and personal problem solving. For example, students learn to prioritise tasks, finish work without supervision, and…

A Basic Framework For Teaching Critical Thinking In School by Terrell Heick In What Does Critical Thinking Mean?, we offered that ‘(c)ritical thinking is the suspension of judgment while identifying biases and underlying assumptions to draw accurate conclusions.’ Of course, there are different definitions of critical thinking. The American Philosophical Association defines it as, “Critical thinking is the ability to think clearly and rationally, understanding the logical connection between ideas. It involves being active (rather than reactive) in your learning process, and it includes open-mindedness, inquisitiveness, and the ability to examine and evaluate ideas, arguments, and points of view.” But…

by Terry Heick Before the ideas, let me preface this by acknowledging that many of these–if not most–aren’t feasible in most classrooms and schools. I taught for years and tried to shoehorn ideas like this into my teaching, and it was rewarding but exhausting and ultimately resulted in my becoming a pariah in my own school/district. I didn’t intend on ‘not being a team player,’ but that’s exactly how ideas like these look to–well, to some people. I’ll leave it at that. (See also Teaching Disruptively.) Since I’m not going to explain how to accomplish these kinds of shifts (that’d…

by Terry Heick My biggest takeaway from college was learning what I didn’t know. So many passionate, crazy-smart people–teachers and students–that modeled learning and curiosity as I hadn’t seen it before. Entire courses on single ideas I wouldn’t have given a second thought without someone pointing it out for me. It was mind-boggling. In high school, my academic interactions were based almost entirely in trying to figure out what the teacher wanted, and then doing my best to give it. There was creativity and curiosity and rigor, but it was almost always obscured by my desire to ‘do well in school,’…

(Arguably) The Most Important Step Of The Writing Process by Terry Heick If you only teach your students one thing about writing, you could do worse than to teach them how to effectively pre-write. Of course, there’s more to it. The writing process is a sequence of objectives (also with a purpose of their own), each with its own application, utility, and nuance. Clarifying the purpose of a piece of writing–what it is intended to accomplish–is probably the beginning of most writing, whether an assignment in a classroom or something in the ‘real world.’ And it all starts with effective…

November 16, 2025 | Updated November 17, 2025 What’s the definition of a ‘good question’? We often say to one another, ‘That’s a good question,’ by which we usually mean, ‘I don’t know the answer’ or ‘I had not yet thought to ask that but it seems worth asking.’ We can begin to define a good question by taking a look at its opposite. A question can be ‘bad’ for a number of reasons. A question is only a strategy (for inquiry) and must therefore have a purpose or intention if we want to evaluate its quality. (I’ve wondered…

November 14, 2025 | Updated November 13, 2025 12 Common Reasons Students Don’t Read & What You Can Do About It by Terry Heick Why don’t students read more? Digital distractions? No books at home? Too much testing? Kim Kardashian? It depends on the student. It depends on illiteracy vs aliteracy. It depends on how you define reading (does reading long-winded character dialogues in Square Enix games count?) So below, I’ve gathered some of the most common reasons students don’t read and provided some ways you can begin to address that issue. 12 Common Reasons Students Don’t Read &…