Making Kids Cleverer: A manifesto for closing the advantage gap

by David Didau

In Making Kids Cleverer David Didau reignites the nature vs nurture debate around intelligence

Genres: Education, Teaching

328 pages, Paperback

Published December 20, 2018

Reviews

[Derek Hopper · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the best education books I have read out of many. David Didau builds a strong case that the role of schools must be to make children cleverer by teaching them and helping them remember a knowledge-rich curriculum. He draws on lessons from cognitive science, educational psychology and general educational research to support his claims. Very strong final chapters to the book which draw together all arguments and lists key things schools and teachers need to do. And what's more the book is well written and easy to read, not dry and academic.

[Lucy Hall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every school leader, and ideally every teacher, should read this. The explanation of key research findings into clear and actionable conclusions make it a fascinating and important read for anyone working in education, particularly CPD and teaching and learning leads.

[Aaron Schumacher · Rating 1 out of 5]

Former English teacher David Didau seems to have plagiarised Wikipedia in his book called Making kids cleverer. At least it's less into eugenics than his older book. The main bad idea is a central desire to shape curriculum so as to perpetuate existing systems of power.

Didau's titular thesis is that the goal of schools is to make kids cleverer, in the sense of crystallized intelligence, by teaching knowledge, broadly construed. When it comes time to discuss which knowledge, he pivots from arguing in support of cleverness to arguing in support of dead white men on the grounds that this knowledge is culturally valued—implicitly, valued by the culture he values.

I think it's possible to make an argument for some shared knowledge, in the tradition of Hirsch, but I think it's a different argument than arguing for knowledge that best helps students think more effectively in the sense of moving toward a global maximum. Similarly, the Lindy effect is about longevity, but not necessarily quality. I think it would be much more interesting to look at curriculum design by taking seriously the idea of giving students the best mental toolkit possible. This is not what Didau does.

Didau discusses the Flynn effect, and subscribes to the "scientific spectacles" interpretation that general skills with scientific abstraction explain increases in average IQ over time, but at the same time argues one-sidedly for teaching concrete knowledge, not general skills.

I do think that students can and probably should learn and remember much more, generally, than they sometimes do, but Didau is a problematic advocate, and I don't think his obsession with IQ is useful.

[Elisabeth Marksteiner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every teacher should read this, but also every administrator. David Didau uses his personal experience to illustrate this research heavy text about what makes a good education. He debunks the ‘skill’ outside of the ‘domain’. In trying to be relevant, the baby has often been thrown out with the bathwater. Can’t recommend highly enough to anyone interested in education and learning at all...

[Georgina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Once again David Didau presents an accessible overview of cognitive science, current and past pedagogies, and a strong argument for what can be done by teachers to close the disadvantaged gap. As a leader in a secondary school with one of the most disadvantaged intakes in the country this is an empowering read.

[Carlene Alexander · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is good and backed up with research. I especially liked his references to concepts such as the Flynn effect and Bargh fallacy (would have liked a list of these for future reference) it’s not a 5 star only because I personally have read a lot in this field already and may have been a 5 star if I’d come to this first. My main gripe is the publisher’s decision to use heavy weight paper making it uncomfortable to read.

[Jasper Beckeringh · Rating 2 out of 5]

There is some solid advice in there that can help teachers, but the argument against teaching voices present in society other than dead white men is weak at best and borderline racist at best. Any non-white culture is considered to be of lesser value (about the same value as trash teen novels apparently) and should be avoided unless you just happen to be drowning in time.

[Olivia · Rating 4 out of 5]

There’s a lot of very interesting and well researched/ supported theory in this. There are some practical suggestions but not loads, but it’s certainly thought-provoking and will have you considering how best to adjust classroom practice.

[Arfan Ismail · Rating 1 out of 5]

Garbage

[Finn Mannerings · Rating 3 out of 5]

A book of two halves, the second is full of insightful information that directly relates to teaching but the first seems to struggle to make points.

[M K C]

Teaching-ORTU Gable Hall

[N.J. Danatangelo · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was excellent and I can see myself going back to this over the years as my son begins his schooling journey

[Klara Furuberg · Rating 5 out of 5]

Skulle ønske vi lærte denne typen ting i lærerutdanning. Appliserer moderne psykologi på utfordringene i skolen - og veldig godt skrevet.