To apply four principles of Teaching for Understanding framework developed at Harvard University, researchers worked with team of four teachers at two Massachusetts high schools. One history teacher revised Industrial Revolution unit to emphasize human progress. Mathematics teacher had students design a dance floor based on several different…

The four-part Teaching for Understanding framework covers the full range of intellectual disciplines. Different disciplines call upon different analytic styles, problem-solving approaches, and findings, temperaments, and intelligences. This article explores stages of student development, ranging from intuitive, common-sense theories about the…

Recent research documents students' misconceptions about key math and science ideas, parochial views of history, and tendency to reduce complex literary works to stereotypes. To improve understanding, learners should focus on activities asking them to generalize, find new examples, and apply principles thoughtfully. Teachers should pursue…