The Bridge
Welcome to The Bridge, the CTTL blog, where we analyze aspects of teaching and learning through a Mind, Brain, and Education Science research-informed lens. Here you will also find news from The CTTL as well as articles authored by teachers for our research publication, Think Differently and Deeply.
From Belonging to Becoming
by Dr. Ian Kelleher and Lorraine Martinez Hanley Four weeks ago, the CTTL concluded its 2025 Winter Webinar series, Belonging and the Brain: Creating the Conditions for Student Achievement. Why this topic? Because being intentional about belonging is a powerful
FEATURED POSTS
Teaching Science Through Hands-on Learning, Connection and Storytelling
Are We Just Teaching to the Mold?
Grappling with Technology in Middle School, and Winning (No, Really)
A Veteran Educator’s Journey from Traditional to Student-Centered Learning
Setting the Conditions for Learning: Why Belonging and Great Teaching Always Matter
CATEGORIES
The Science of Forgetting and the Art of Remembering (Part II)
It turns out, perhaps the most compelling data to support spacing and interleaving is not quantitative at all. Instead, it is the qualitative feedback from students and teachers.
Making it Stick Better
Memory, like all brain functions, is not isolated to one region of the brain—and without it, learning does not happen. What follows is how we have translated research on memory
The Science of Forgetting and The Art of Remembering
All students, even high achieving, highly motivated ones, forget huge swathes of what they learned. How can we improve this?
Developing Students’ Voices: An Intricate Part of a Student’s Lifelong Learning, Self-Confidence, and Advancement
I challenge each educator to remind students that they have the autonomy to voice whatever is on their mind because their perspective is valued and needed.
Your Checklist for Virtual Project-Based Learning
Projects are still a good way to motivate students during challenging circumstances, but we need to take care so that learning actually takes place. How can we use what we
The Science of Keeping Kids Engaged—Even From Home
Motivating students with carrots and sticks—through endless, demoralizing cycles of high-stakes testing and assessment—is not getting us the deep learning and love of learning we desire. Fortunately there is a
Teach Me and I’ll Teach You: Learning as an Equitable Exchange
By releasing myself from being a “sage on the stage” to become a co-creator of educational opportunities with my students, everyone in my classroom is a better teacher and stronger
The Connected and Valued Child: Targeting the Social and Emotional Brain
The Responsive Classroom approach reaches far beyond the old perception of social and emotional curriculums producing “nice” kids in a warm and fuzzy environment. It allows us to build intelligent