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One Year of Coffee, Theory and Curiosity 21 August, 2026 Author Dr Will Zoppellini  Welcome to this week’s blog. I can hardly believe it, but Coffee & Theory has reached its one-year anniversary. This post reflects on its mission, where it began, what the first year taught me and where it might go next. So,

What Self-Determination Theory Teaches Us About Motivation in Physical Education and Sport 15 May, 2026 Author Dr Will Zoppellini  There is a particular kind of silence that can happen in physical education classes. It is not the silence of a child who is calm, focused, or waiting patiently for their turn. It is the silence

When Rewards Create Engagement, But Not Learning 1 May, 2026 Author Dr Will Zoppellini  There is a small kind of magic in the moment a child first discovers that books contain new worlds. One minute, the page is only paper. The next, it is a forest, a football pitch, a secret door, a dragon’s cave,

Self-Determination Theory: Why Motivation Can’t Be Manufactured 17 April, 2026 Author Dr Will Zoppellini  A teacher stands at the front of the classroom watching thirty-five students begin a task. Some lean forward immediately, pens moving, eyes scanning the page. Others hesitate. A few start slowly, glancing around to see what everyone else is doing. One

The Changing Shape of Intelligence: From Infancy to Adulthood 27 February, 2026 Author Dr Will Zoppellini  When Leo was five, he was described as “bright but inconsistent.” At seven, he was “good at math but not a reader.” At ten, he was “not really academic.” Secondary school did not magically transform him. At thirteen, he

The gifted myth: Rethinking potential in classrooms and playing fields 15 February, 2026 Author Dr Will Zoppellini  Picture a classroom at the end of the day. The floor scattered with the remnants of learning, a few pencil shavings, half-erased number lines, a forgotten glue stick with the lid missing. The room has that familiar late-afternoon

Why IQ Doesn’t Define Us: How a Number Came to Shape Education 1 February, 2026 Author Dr Will Zoppellini  What if a single number, designed to help schools spot who needed support the most, became one of the most misunderstood and damaging labels in education? Used to sort, limit, and exclude. This is an examination

Understanding Intelligence: Moving Beyond Myths 17 January, 2026 Author Dr Will Zoppellini  We use the word intelligence with remarkable confidence. We say it about children, to children, and between ourselves in everyday conversation, often as though its meaning is obvious and shared… But it isn’t. I once sat in a school meeting where a child was described

The Courage to Be a Beginner: How Adults Model a Growth Mindset 5 December, 2025 Author Dr Will Zoppellini  We often ask children to embrace a growth mindset and be brave learners, but we rarely pause to admit how learning unsettles us too. I remember it vividly, a quiet afternoon, a cluttered desk, and me,

The Art of Noticing: How Play and Variation Theory Shape Meaningful Learning 21 November, 2025 Author Dr Will Zoppellini  The construction corner had erupted into quiet chaos. Wooden blocks were stacked into towers that leaned like tired trees. Three children crouched on the carpet debating which tower counted as the tallest. One child placed a