Angela Watson’s Truth for Teachers
Education:Courses
Have you ever noticed how breakthroughs often come when you're not actively trying to find a solution? That's diffuse thinking at work: a relaxed state in which creativity flourishes.
On today’s episode of Truth for Teachers, I’ll share how stepping back can lead us forward. It turns out that intense concentration isn't always the best approach to problem solving, and we can instead let our minds wander through the meandering paths of diffuse thinking.
Focused thinking is a bit like a flashlight—intense & concentrated. Diffuse thinking is like ambient room lighting—gentle & expansive. When you (or students) can’t concentrate, you can harness the power of diffuse thinking. This shift in mindset from focused to diffuse can spark innovation and creativity.
Listen in to discover how to use diffuse thinking when you've pushed your limits in focused thinking, and harness the power of diffuse thinking overnight during sleep. (Your dreams can be a powerful tool for problem-solving, too!)
You’ll also hear how you can teach your students to tap into the power of diffuse thinking. I’ll share how to incorporate "thinking walks" into your instruction, try skygazing with students as a productive mental break, prime students for their next lesson with a question that requires diffuse thinking.
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If you teach at the secondary level, check out my 10 lesson unit on Focused Attention. It includes a lesson on harnessing the power of diffuse thinking which takes just 15-20 minutes to implement. The resource has slides you show to your class which explain everything for you and guides you through the activities, including a student journal page that helps kids reflect on the topic. In this unit, students will also learn that it’s okay to struggle with focusing their attention, and learn how to:
Click here to read the transcript and participate in the discussion.
Introducing NEW Truth for Teachers playlists!
EP262 The 3 day weekend mindset
EP261 The Swiss Cheese Model: letting go of “all or nothing” thinking
EP260 Three ways to create teaching templates that will save you 5-10 hours a week (with Marguerite Rendelfs)
EP259 Set a target number of hours to work...and stick to it
Burnout, work/life balance, and supporting teachers (with Lisa Woodruff of Organize 365)
"Nothing short of a revolution": What's happening in the 40 Hour programs
EP258 Envisioning what’s next for schools: my personal reflections & hope for the future
EP257 How to work ONLY your contractual hours as a teacher (with Samantha Smith)
EP256 Four teachers' small changes that made BIG reductions in their workload
EP255 Student behavior, grace, & consequences in the final weeks of school (with Amy Stohs)
EP254 An instant way to have fewer assignments to grade
EP253 Is teaching still the right career for you? (with Daphne Gomez)
EP252 Three practices for more one-on-one time with students (with Kareem Farah of The Modern Classrooms Project)
EP251 Empathy fatigue is real. How can educators push through the exhaustion? (with Kyle Cohen)
EP250 Peek inside one teacher's lesson planning process—and how she streamlines to stay ahead (with Megan Faherty)
EP249 What if we stop moving goal posts, and enjoy where we're at?
EP248 Uncovering the hidden clutter in your curriculum (with Sally Berquist)
EP247 Are the kids alright? A deep dive into the pandemic's toll on students (with Jessica Kirkland)
EP246 A more intuitive approach to tiered and differentiated instruction (with Tia Butts)
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