How Administrators Can Recognize and Overcome Cognitive Biases

Consider the torrent of information that gushes through your brain every waking moment. Even as you read this article, you’re deciphering sound-letter symbols, weighing the meaning of the authors’ words in light of your knowledge and personal experience, and perhaps splitting your attention with the next activity on your hectic calendar or a problem awaiting you back home. 

It’s widely thought that the number of daily decisions and data points that a classroom teacher simultaneously manages is comparable to what an air traffic controller deals with—something that certainly feels true to those of us who have spent time teaching. To address the challenge of information overload, our brain—that dynamic, complex, amazing organ that keeps us alive and makes human beings a uniquely capable species—takes some mental shortcuts. Many of these leaps are functional: They allow the brain to efficiently sort out a convoluted environment. However, the brain can also short-circuit thinking that demands careful contemplation and objectivity. Read More