Simply Good Teaching

How Do We Learn? by Héctor Ruiz Martín
Jossey-Bass, June 5, 2024

At a time when the science of learning and the need for explicit teaching have reemerged at the forefront of simply good teaching, Héctor Ruiz Martín's book, How Do We Learn, serves as a timely reminder: getting to know one’s students as learners begins with understanding how students learn best. Martín translates extensive cognitive research into quick, actionable strategies teachers can digest and instantly implement in the classroom to help students navigate the social dimension of learning, develop intrinsic motivation, make important connections, and visualize representations to strengthen the transfer of learning into long-term memory. The book’s astute and progressive organization allows readers to understand metacognition and how the brain learns. Importantly, it also offers strategies, at the teacher level, for designing purposeful assessment and providing constructive feedback that truly supports learning — in and out of the classroom. Ultimately, this resource will help departments, divisions, and schools to develop a common language and establish high expectations for equitable learning experiences for all.