It feels good to be able to help others, but what is the impact of providing that help? A review of helping behaviors highlight how helping too soon or in overbearing ways actually undermines learners. Teachers should focus on helping behaviors that cultivate student agency.
Later, we see how small, frequent breaks produce better test outcomes than a single, large break in a long class. We consider strategies that help students quickly refresh their attention in contexts within and beyond a simple lecture.
- First Segment – 03:04 – Unintended Consequences of Providing Help
- Second Segment – 26:14 – Sustained Concentration & Microbreaks
Primary Citations
- Sierksma, J., & Shutts, K. (2025). The unintended negative consequences of help in childhood. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 34(4), 247-252. https://doi.org/10.1177/09637214251323594
- h/t: Edutopia 10 Best of 2025, #5 https://www.edutopia.org/visual-essay/the-10-most-significant-education-studies-of-2025/
- Sharpe, B. T., Trotter, M. G., & Hale, B. J. (2025). Sustaining student concentration: The effectiveness of micro-breaks in a classroom setting. Frontiers in Psychology, 16, 1589411.https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2025.1589411
- h/t: Edutopia 10 Best of 2025, #3 https://www.edutopia.org/visual-essay/the-10-most-significant-education-studies-of-2025/
Supplemental Citations
- The 10 Most Significant Education Studies of 2025 (Edutopia)
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- Decline in Independent Activity as a Cause of Decline in Children’s Mental Well-being: Summary of the Evidence (Gray, 2023)
- Beyond the theoretical and pedagogical constraints of cognitive load theory, and towards a new cognitive philosophy in education (Kim, 2025)
Featured Beverage
We drink Princess Yum Yum, a raspberry kolsch from the Denver Brewing Co. in Denver, Co.