Amanda Spielman, the head of Ofsted (the UK Office for Standards in Education) warned teachers against "gimmicks" such as Brain Gym, a controversial educational program that pretends to improve kids' cognitive skills. Instead, Spielman urged teachers to get back to the basics. As for other examples of gimmicks, she mentioned the popular "learning styles;" "interactive whiteboards"; as well as the so-called "fidget spinners" which are meant to improve concentration.
The most important thing to get students on the path to success is to focus on the basics, which begins with early literacy and numeracy. Speaking to an audience of education professionals and policy experts in Westminster, the chief inspector of Ofsted said that, although many fashionable educational gimmicks have been debunked, an appetite remains among educationalists to find the next "great white hope". Not the most efficient way to really help young students.
Education Gimmicks (Graham Turner / The Guardian)
