Top Videos by Importance
#1 Determining Factor of Success Part 1 (Original) 45 min
This is the complete workshop explaining in detail the #1 factor that determines whether or not a person will succeed at what he or she is doing. This could be the most important education video that a teacher ever sees. The content on this video is rarely talked about in education, yet should be the main focus of professional development workshops.
#1 Determining Factor of Success Part 2 (original) 35 min
This video is a companion to the original #1 Determining Factor Of Success Part #1 Video. In this video I demonstrate how I implement the #1 determining factor of success into my lesson plans. It is a great video for those who would like to see the strategy implemented.
The #1 Determining Factor of Success (All Teacher Should Watch This) 12 min version
This is the shorter video of the much longer #1 Determining Factor Of Success Part #1 Video. If you just want to hear the knowledge without seeing the science behind it, feel free to watch this video. This video does not tell the entire story. For all of the science and research behind what is discussed in this video, please watch the original #1 Determining Factor Of Success Part #1 Video. This video talks about the most important determining factor of whether or not a person will succeed at what they are doing, according to neuroscience. This is rarely talked about in education and needs to be a major focus during professional development workshops. Every teacher should watch this video.
The Importance of Having Fun (a reminder) 5 min
This workshop is a follow-up to the original importance of Having Fun in the Classroom. It talks about the importance of creating life-long learners. The video is supported by neuroscience and psychology.
Lesson Planning Pacing (13 min)
This workshop talks about the most effective way to plan a lesson. It focuses on behavioral psychology and how to pace your lesson so that students stay more focused on the instruction.
Parents Love This (for better communication) 6 min
This video talks about one thing that teachers can do to create better communication between parents and teachers. Surprisingly teachers do not do it that often, but parents love it. It is easy for teachers to do and will help with parent communication and classroom management. And no, it isn’t calling home.
Parents Love This (1 minute version)
This is the one minute version of the longer Parents Love This (for better communication) video. If you want the information, but don’t have time to hear the neuroscience, psychology, and/or case study support of where this information comes from, please watch this version. As always, the shorter version of the videos do not tell the entire story, but just give the end results. For the complete information, please watch the longer versions of the videos.
This is my complete ELD seminar that I put on for the district in 2020. In this seminar I discuss, essentially, everything you need to know about teaching ELD students. Topics include why the definition of an ELD student can be detrimental to their learning, what the different ELD Levels mean, why teachers may think that teaching ELD students is different than teaching native English speakers, how second languages are learned, why ELD students won’t always give you the answer that they want to, why reading and writing is so difficult for ELD students, the best way to teach reading, why you may never know the true personality of your ELD student, literal vs. inferred comprehension, what we can do as teachers to really help our ELD students, different translating tools that will help our ELD students, why expensive ELD educational workshops may not be the most effective way to use school funds, and ways to help teach math to ELD students. This workshop includes the topics of many of my other workshop videos.
The Best Way To Speak To Our Students Part 1 (Based on Behavioral Psychology) 4 min
This video talks about how to speak to people, including our students, so that they will feel included and appreciated in our classrooms. This will, hopefully, increase their effort and respect in class.
The Best Way To Speak To Students Part 2 (examples) 4 min
This video is a short follow-up to the original The Best Way To Speak To Students that includes examples of how to speak to students. This, essentially, was filmied because I didn’t include any actual examples of what to say and how to say it in the previous video. Please watch part one first.
Cross Curricular Instruction (The most important Type of Instruction?) 9 min
This video explains why Cross Curricular instruction is so important to use and, based on neuroscience, why instruction should move to this model of learning.
Cross Curricular Instruction (Two Minute Version)
This is the two minute version of the longer Cross Curricular Instruction video. If you want the information, but don’t have time to hear the neuroscience, psychology, and/or case study support of where this information comes from, please watch this version. As always, the shorter version of the videos do not tell the entire story, but just give the end results. For the complete information, please watch the longer versions of the videos.
The Best Way to Teach Reading (and why they are both so difficult to learn) 10 min
This video talks about why reading is one of the most difficult things that we can ask our brains to do, and the neuroscience behind why that is. This video will also share what is the best way to teach reading, according to neuroscience.
The Best Way to Teach Reading (2 Minute Version)
This is the two minute version of the longer The Best Way to Teach Reading video. If you want the information, but don’t have time to hear the neuroscience, psychology, and/or case study support of where this information comes from, please watch this version. As always, the shorter version of the videos do not tell the entire story, but just give the end results. For the complete information, please watch the longer versions of the videos.
Why Math (and other subjects) Can Be So Difficult (original version) 19 min
This video explains why math is so difficult for most people, based on neuroscience. It also shows how math scores will, most likely never increase significantly. There is an updated version of this video, which tends to be a bit shorter.
Why Math Is So Difficult For People (According To Neuroscience) 14 min
This video explains why math is so difficult for most people, based on neuroscience. It also shows how math scores will, most likely never increase significantly. This is an updated filming of the previous Why Math (and other subjects) Can Be So Difficult.
Why Math Is So Difficult (1 Min Version)
This is the one minute version of the longer Why Math Is So Difficult video. If you want the information, but don’t have time to hear the neuroscience, psychology, and/or case study support of where this information comes from, please watch this version. As always, the shorter version of the videos do not tell the entire story, but just give the end results. For the complete information, please watch the longer versions of the videos.
Understanding the Teenage Brain (Leaps) 7 min
This video explains how the teenage brain develops in a similar way that a newborn’s brain develops. Teenagers go through a series of developmental stages that help explain why teenagers act the way that they do. This should be the first video watched because it establishes the foundational reasoning behind my other brain developmental videos.
Source
Matt Thomas English Dept, Paloma Valley High School November 2021
Education Workshops
Lesson Planning Pacing (13 min)
This workshop talks about the most effective way to plan a lesson. It focuses on behavioral psychology and how to pace your lesson so that students stay more focused on the instruction.
The Importance of Having Fun (a reminder) 5 min
This workshop is a follow-up to the original importance of Having Fun in the Classroom. It talks about the importance of creating life-long learners. The video is supported by neuroscience and psychology.
Top 10 SDAIE Strategies (22 min)
This video explains the top ten SDAIE strategies based on neuroscience. Some teaching strategies sound good when they are explained but are not necessarily supported by neuroscience. This video explains what those are and which strategies are the most effective to use.
Top 10 SDAIE Strategies (5 min version)
This is the five minute version of the longer Top Ten SDAIE Strategies video. If you want the information, but don’t have time to hear the neuroscience, psychology, and/or case study support of where this information comes from, please watch this version. As always, the shorter version of the videos do not tell the entire story, but just give the end results. For the complete information, please watch the longer versions of the videos.
Cross Curricular Instruction (The most important Type of Instruction?) 9 min
This video explains why Cross Curricular instruction is so important to use and, based on neuroscience, why instruction should move to this model of learning.
Cross Curricular Instruction (Two Minute Version)
This is the two minute version of the longer Cross Curricular Instruction video. If you want the information, but don’t have time to hear the neuroscience, psychology, and/or case study support of where this information comes from, please watch this version. As always, the shorter version of the videos do not tell the entire story, but just give the end results. For the complete information, please watch the longer versions of the videos.
The Best Way to Teach Reading (and why they are both so difficult to learn) 10 min
This video talks about why reading is one of the most difficult things that we can ask our brains to do, and the neuroscience behind why that is. This video will also share what is the best way to teach reading, according to neuroscience.
The Best Way to Teach Reading (2 Minute Version)
This is the two minute version of the longer The Best Way to Teach Reading video. If you want the information, but don’t have time to hear the neuroscience, psychology, and/or case study support of where this information comes from, please watch this version. As always, the shorter version of the videos do not tell the entire story, but just give the end results. For the complete information, please watch the longer versions of the videos.
Parents Love This (for better communication) 6 min
This video talks about one thing that teachers can do to create better communication between parents and teachers. Surprisingly teachers do not do it that often, but parents love it. It is easy for teachers to do and will help with parent communication and classroom management. And no, it isn’t calling home.
Parents Love This (1 minute version)
This is the one minute version of the longer Parents Love This (for better communication) video. If you want the information, but don’t have time to hear the neuroscience, psychology, and/or case study support of where this information comes from, please watch this version. As always, the shorter version of the videos do not tell the entire story, but just give the end results. For the complete information, please watch the longer versions of the videos.
The Truth About Learning Modalities (14 min)
This video explains the truth about the learning modalities. For years educators have been studying best practices for teaching various types of learners. If only neuroscientists had told educators that learning modalities don’t exist.
The Truth About Learning Modalities (1 Minute Version)
This is the one minute version of The Truth About Learning Modalities video. If you want the information, but don’t have time to hear the neuroscience, psychology, and/or case study support of where this information comes from, please watch this version. As always, the shorter version of the videos do not tell the entire story, but just give the end results. For the complete information, please watch the longer versions of the videos.
#1 Determining Factor of Success Part 1 (Original) 45 min
This is the complete workshop explaining in detail the #1 factor that determines whether or not a person will succeed at what he or she is doing. This could be the most important education video that a teacher ever sees. The content on this video is rarely talked about in education, yet should be the main focus of professional development workshops.
#1 Determining Factor of Success Part 2 (original) 35 min
This video is a companion to the original #1 Determining Factor Of Success Part #1 Video. In this video I demonstrate how I implement the #1 determining factor of success into my lesson plans. It is a great video for those who would like to see the strategy implemented.
The #1 Determining Factor of Success (All Teacher Should Watch This) 12 min version
This is the shorter video of the much longer #1 Determining Factor Of Success Part #1 Video. If you just want to hear the knowledge without seeing the science behind it, feel free to watch this video. This video does not tell the entire story. For all of the science and research behind what is discussed in this video, please watch the original #1 Determining Factor Of Success Part #1 Video. This video talks about the most important determining factor of whether or not a person will succeed at what they are doing, according to neuroscience. This is rarely talked about in education and needs to be a major focus during professional development workshops. Every teacher should watch this video.
The Best Way To Speak To Our Students Part 1 (Based on Behavioral Psychology) 4 min
This video talks about how to speak to people, including our students, so that they will feel included and appreciated in our classrooms. This will, hopefully, increase their effort and respect in class.
The Best Way To Speak To Students Part 2 (examples) 4 min
This video is a short follow-up to the original The Best Way To Speak To Students that includes examples of how to speak to students. This, essentially, was filmied because I didn’t include any actual examples of what to say and how to say it in the previous video. Please watch part one first.
Teaching Rules to Remember for Teacher Candidates (or any teacher) 37 min
This video talks about twenty one “rules” to remember when teaching. Teaching is such a challenging career and the “rules” on this video are suggestions that will help teachers navigate through those challenges while trying to stay sane in the process.
Why Math (and other subjects) Can Be So Difficult (original version) 19 min
This video explains why math is so difficult for most people, based on neuroscience. It also shows how math scores will, most likely never increase significantly. There is an updated version of this video, which tends to be a bit shorter.
Why Math Is So Difficult For People (According To Neuroscience) 14 min
This video explains why math is so difficult for most people, based on neuroscience. It also shows how math scores will, most likely never increase significantly. This is an updated filming of the previous Why Math (and other subjects) Can Be So Difficult.
Why Math Is So Difficult (1 Min Version)
This is the one minute version of the longer Why Math Is So Difficult video. If you want the information, but don’t have time to hear the neuroscience, psychology, and/or case study support of where this information comes from, please watch this version. As always, the shorter version of the videos do not tell the entire story, but just give the end results. For the complete information, please watch the longer versions of the videos.
ELD Workshops
This is my complete ELD seminar that I put on for the district in 2020. In this seminar I discuss, essentially, everything you need to know about teaching ELD students. Topics include why the definition of an ELD student can be detrimental to their learning, what the different ELD Levels mean, why teachers may think that teaching ELD students is different than teaching native English speakers, how second languages are learned, why ELD students won’t always give you the answer that they want to, why reading and writing is so difficult for ELD students, the best way to teach reading, why you may never know the true personality of your ELD student, literal vs. inferred comprehension, what we can do as teachers to really help our ELD students, different translating tools that will help our ELD students, why expensive ELD educational workshops may not be the most effective way to use school funds, and ways to help teach math to ELD students. This workshop includes the topics of many of my other workshop videos.
How to Help Our ELD Students (13 min)
This video is in response to how many of our ELD are failing some of their classes. The video includes some friendly reminders and suggestions that teachers can do to help support their English Language Learners, such as equity in grading, allowing for verbal answers, grading based on intent and/or growth, allowing struggling students to begin again, and explaining why reading is so difficult for people.
Top 10 SDAIE Strategies (22 min)
This video explains the top ten SDAIE strategies based on neuroscience. Some teaching strategies sound good when they are explained but are not necessarily supported by neuroscience. This video explains what those are and which strategies are the most effective to use.
Top 10 SDAIE Strategies (5 min version)
This is the five minute version of the longer Top Ten SDAIE Strategies video. If you want the information, but don’t have time to hear the neuroscience, psychology, and/or case study support of where this information comes from, please watch this version. As always, the shorter version of the videos do not tell the entire story, but just give the end results. For the complete information, please watch the longer versions of the videos.
Google Slides Translator for ELD Students (2 min)
This quick video talks about using the Google Slides Translator to translate their teachers’ slideshows into the students’ native language.
Google Translate App for our ELD Students (3 min)
This video explains how our students can use the Google Translate app to help with classroom instruction.
Google Translate App (45 second version)
This is the 45 second version of the longer Google Translate App video. As always, the shorter version of the videos do not tell the entire story, but just give the end results. For the complete information, please watch the longer versions of the videos.
Lack of Words between the Languages of our ELD Students (7 min)
This video discusses why it can be very difficult for our ELD languages to explain in words what they understand in their head. It also includes how teachers can use equity in grading to allow our ELD students to have the same opportunity to earn an A as our native English speaking students. Every teacher from all subjects needs to see this video.
ELD Explanation for the Beginning for the Year (9 min)
This workshop is designed to be seen at the beginning of the school year to help teachers define what each ELD level is and what is to be expected from our ELD students at each level.
Using Literal vs Inferred Meaning with our ELD Students (3 min)
This video discusses the importance of using literal meaning with our ELD students, rather than inferred meaning, which many teachers do. Teachers, essentially, should literally say what they mean instead of implying or having an under-lying meaning for statements or questions.
This video is information specifically for math teachers that was taken from my Complete ELD Seminar. It focuses on some math strategies that may help our ELD students learn math more efficiently.
Integrated ELD Standards Simplified (5 min)
This video simplifies what the ELD Integrated standards are and how teachers can implement them into their core subjects.
Using the Voice-to-Text Translation feature in Google Docs for ELD Students (3 min)
This video explains how to use the Voice-to-TextTranslation feature on Google Docs to allow our students to speak their answer in their native language and have it translated to English.
Teenage Brain Development Workshops
Understanding the Teenage Brain (Leaps) 7 min
This video explains how the teenage brain develops in a similar way that a newborn’s brain develops. Teenagers go through a series of developmental stages that help explain why teenagers act the way that they do. This should be the first video watched because it establishes the foundational reasoning behind my other brain developmental videos.
Teenagers Have Always Been Like This (Version 2) 5 min
This video talks about the history of where the word “teenager” came from and how teenagers have always acted the way they do now. Brain development has always been similar throughout history, so if a person claims that teenagers nowadays are more (insert whatever here) that most likely will not be an accurate statement. Teens have pretty much always acted the same way throughout history. This is an updated version of the previous Teenagers Have Always Been This Way video.
Teenagers Have Always Been This Way (Version 1) 6 min
This video talks about the history of where the word “teenager” came from and how teenagers have always acted the way they do now. Brain development has always been similar throughout history, so if a person claims that teenagers nowadays are more (insert whatever here) that most likely will not be an accurate statement. Teens have pretty much always acted the same way throughout history.
Do Teenagers Actually Take More Risks Than Adults? (6 min)
This video answers the question of whether teenagers participate in more risky behavior than adults do. It also explains how teenagers view themselves and why acceptance from their peers is so important.
How a Teenage Brain Is Wired (5 min)
This video explains how teenage brains develop and explains limitations that teenagers can have when they are learning. This is a good foundation for learning about why teenagers do what they do.