Why Are We Still Doing That? — A Fresh Take on Classroom Basics

I recently had the privilege of interviewing Pérsida and William Himmele, co-authors of Why Are We Still Doing That? Positive Alternatives to Problematic Teaching Practices, a thought-provoking guide that challenges many of the "go‑to" strategies in every classroom.

🧠 Who Are the Authors?

Pérsida Himmele and William (“Bill”) Himmele are a husband-and-wife team and professors at Millersville University in Pennsylvania. They’re also co-authors of Total Participation Techniques, another celebrated educator resource. With a shared mission to uplift teachers, they’ve brought their combined research and classroom wisdom to ASCD’s guide on questioning dated instructional h

I recently had the privilege of interviewing Pérsida and William Himmele, co-authors of Why Are We Still Doing That? Positive Alternatives to Problematic Teaching Practices, a thought-provoking guide that challenges many of the "go‑to" strategies in classrooms today.

🧠 Who Are the Authors?

Pérsida and William Himmele are professors at Millersville University and respected voices in teacher development. Known for their earlier book Total Participation Techniques, they now turn their focus toward helping educators rethink outdated or ineffective classroom habits. Their new title, published by ASCD, is both compassionate and candid—designed to empower educators with better, research-backed practices.

What the Book Offers

This book doesn’t shame educators—it supports them. It calls out familiar but ineffective practices while providing teacher-friendly, research-based alternatives in areas like instruction, assessment, lesson design, and classroom management.

Highlights:

• Identifies problematic methods like round robin reading, learning styles instruction, and default homework.

• Recommends better alternatives based on what actually helps students learn.

• Encourages reflection, not compliance, making this a respectful resource for professional growth.

• Includes real examples and actionable strategies that can be used right away.

🛑 Problematic Practices — and What to Try Instead

• Round Robin ReadingThough common, it increases anxiety and reduces comprehension. Try paired reading, echo reading, or teacher-led modeling instead.

• Teaching to Learning StylesThis widely used method lacks strong research support. Instead, incorporate multiple modalities—visual, auditory, and kinesthetic—into every lesson.

• Homework as the DefaultRather than assigning homework routinely, evaluate its purpose and accessibility. Quality over quantity.

• Using Interim Assessments FormativelyInterim assessments are valuable for benchmarking—not for real-time instructional adjustments. Use informal checks, observations, and student dialogue for true formative feedback.

💡 Why This Matters

The Himmele authors begin with a core question: Why do we keep using strategies that don’t work—or worse, harm students? This book offers a path forward that is thoughtful, practical, and respectful of the challenges teachers face every day.

🎧 Want to Hear the Conversation?

I had the chance to dive deep into the book with Pérsida and William Himmele on my latest podcast episode—and it’s a conversation you don’t want to miss.

👉 Listen to the full episode here:https://open.spotify.com/episode/03G4eu2VwrixIoPTfdp16z?si=csBsMxovRX21ajoErZ4SzA

You’ll hear directly from the authors about:

• How the book came to be

• The real-world impact of common classroom practices

• Practical tips educators can implement tomorrow

Final Thoughts

Why Are We Still Doing That? is more than a critique—it’s a call to refine, retool, and reimagine teaching practices for the good of students and teachers alike. Whether you're a veteran teacher, coach, or administrator, this book offers a timely and encouraging guide to instructional improvement.

🎙️ Ready to rethink what’s happening in your classroom? Start by listening to the full interview with the Himmeles here:Click to listen now on Spotify