Better Teaching: Only Stuff That Works

This is latest in our series of Thinking Out Loud. In this episode Zach Grosell and I talk about your year in consulting and a plethora of other topics.

Links:
Just Tell Them: The Power of Explanations and Explicit Teaching

Maximizing the Impact of Coaching Cycles

This podcast sponsored by:

The Bell Ringer, a weekly newsletter providing news, tools, and resources on the science of learning, written by education reporter Holly Korbey. Subscribe here. 

Jane Wagner spent more than 30 years as a teacher and driving force of an award-winning K-8 Visual and Performing Arts magnet school. In this episode we discuss the challenges of maintaining a quality thematic school.

Gene's Books:
Teach Fast
Maximizing the Impact of Coaching Cycles
Digital Captives

X: (1) Gene Tavernetti (@gtavernetti) / X

LinkedIn:(7) Gene Tavernetti | LinkedIn

www.tesscg.com

Substack: Gene Tavernetti | Substack

This podcast sponsored by:

The Bell Ringer, a weekly newsletter providing news, tools, and resources...

In this episode, I talk about what takes more time than we think when it comes to implementation, and what takes longer than we think.

Links:
Gene's Books:
Teach Fast
Maximizing the Impact of Coaching Cycles
Digital Captives

X: (1) Gene Tavernetti (@gtavernetti) / X

LinkedIn:(7) Gene Tavernetti | LinkedIn

www.tesscg.com

Substack: Gene Tavernetti | Substack

This podcast sponsored by:

The Bell Ringer, a weekly newsletter providing news, tools, and resources on the science of learning, written by education reporter Holly Korbey...

In this episode Dr. Anthony Fitzpatrick talks about a unique apprenticeship program designed to enhance skills of teachers and facilitate movement on the salary schedule all without intrusive amounts of time after regular school hours. Who benefits? Everyone!

Links:

LinkedIn:  Anthony Fitzpatrick, Ed.D. | LinkedIn

Facebook:  (1) anthony fitzpatrick - Search Results | Facebook

Instagram: antfitz55

Website: Anthony Fitzpatrick | Enhance Education Today – Get Inspired

Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@antfitzy

Anthony's most recent book:

The Evolving Science of Read...

In this episode, Gene Tavernetti speaks with Dr. Randy Palisoc, a passionate educator known for his innovative approach to teaching math. Dr. Palisoc shares his experiences and strategies for making math easy for students, focusing on the importance of understanding math as a language. They discuss Dr. Palisoc's background, including his work at Synergy Academies, the development of the Core Advantage Math Fluency System, and his current role at James Jordan Middle School. The conversation also covers the challenges of teaching math, the significance of consistent language in math instruction, and the impact of professional development.

Get...

In this solo episode, Gene Tavernetti breaks down why most "we do" approaches to guided practice don't work. Using decimal addition as a teaching example, he shows how to isolate and pre-teach the key concept before practice even starts. He exposes three common but ineffective guided practice patterns and offers a step-by-step alternative that gets better student repetitions and real formative data. Strategies are drawn from his book Teach Fast.

Links:
Gene's Books:
Teach Fast
Maximizing the Impact of Coaching Cycles
Digital Captives

X: (1) Gene Tavernetti (@gtavernetti) / X

LinkedIn:(7...

In this episode, host Gene Tavernetti speaks with Sean Morrissey, a fifth-grade teacher and former school psychologist, about his structured, research-based approach to vocabulary instruction. Sean shares his four-part daily lesson framework — retrieval practice, explicit instruction, fluency passages, and independent practice — explaining how pairing words, embedding spelling, and using morphology helps students deeply map new vocabulary into long-term memory. The conversation also explores how teachers can use sophisticated language naturally throughout the day to expand student word knowledge beyond formal lessons. Sean closes with practical advice for getting started, including small steps like teaching word pairs, studying common prefixes and...

In this episode Gene shares some thoughts about what he has learned about what NOT to do when it comes to providing professional development and support for teachers and staff.

Links:
Gene's Books:
Teach Fast
Maximizing the Impact of Coaching Cycles
Digital Captives

X: (1) Gene Tavernetti (@gtavernetti) / X

LinkedIn:(7) Gene Tavernetti | LinkedIn

www.tesscg.com

This podcast sponsored by:

The Bell Ringer, a weekly newsletter providing news, tools, and resources on the science of learning, written by education reporter Holly Korbey. Subscribe...

Rachel Canter didn’t just report on the Mississippi Marathon—she was involved from the beginning of the state’s long journey toward educational improvement. In this episode, we discuss why meaningful change took so long and what it took to move reform from legislation into actual classroom practice.

LinkedIn:  Rachel Canter - Progressive Policy Institute

Website: Rachel Canter - Progressive Policy Institute

This podcast sponsored by:

The Bell Ringer, a weekly newsletter providing news, tools, and resources on the science of learning, written by education reporter Holly Korbey...

In this episode, Dr. Groshell and I discuss how to begin when providing support to teachers. Both Zach and Gene currently work in schools supporting teachers in their quest to be their best for students.

Dr. Zach Groshell is the host of the popular podcast Progressively Incorrect and the author of:

Just Tell Them: The Power of Explanations and Explicit Teaching

Dr. Gene Tavernetti is the author of:

Maximizing the Impact of Coaching Cycles

Teach Fast: Focused Adaptable Structured Teaching

This podcast...

In this episode, Dr. Brian Poncy shares the story behind his free math fact fluency program, Facts on Fire. We explore how the program started, how it has evolved over time, and what classroom teachers can realistically expect from students using a model that takes less than 10 minutes a day over six weeks.

X/Twitter:   Brian Poncy (@brian_poncy) / X

Website: http://www.factsonfire.com

This podcast sponsored by:

The Bell Ringer, a weekly newsletter providing news, tools, and resources on the science of learning, written by education reporter Holly Ko...

In this episode, Bob shares his professional journey—from his early years in Fresno Unified School District, one of the largest districts in California, to leading a small rural district, and ultimately returning to Fresno Unified as superintendent. Along the way, he reflects on the lessons he’s learned in leadership—what works, what doesn’t, and what he would do differently.

Dr. Bob Nelson is an Assistant Professor in the Kremen School of Education and Human Development at Fresno State, where he teaches in the Department of Educational Leadership. He is also the Founder and CEO of #Mili...

Elana Gordon is the fifth Goyen Fellow to join the podcast. Like the others before her, she is a knowledgeable and skilled educator who shares her expertise through videos, blogs, and a highly regarded podcast focused on literacy instruction from kindergarten through secondary grades.

X/Twitter:   Elana Gordon (@mommagordon2) / X

Substack:  @‌VoicesfromtheField

Podcast: The Road to Reading

This podcast sponsored by:

The Bell Ringer, a weekly newsletter providing news, tools, and resources on the science of learning, written by education reporter Holly Korbey. Subscribe here. 

In this episode teacher leader Laura Stam shares personal experiences in her journey to continual improvement in her teaching practice.

Laura also describes her experience of participating in an instructional coaching cycle for the first time.

Links:
X: @stamstam193
Facebook: @Mrs.Stam.2021

This podcast sponsored by:

The Bell Ringer, a weekly newsletter providing news, tools, and resources on the science of learning, written by education reporter Holly Korbey. Subscribe here. 

In this episode Dr. Jared Cooney Horvath and I discuss his new book; Digital Delusion and the intersection of what science knows about how we learn and the impacts of technology on that learning.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jared-cooney-horvath-phd-med-730704b2/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jared.cooney.horvath/

YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/jaredcooney

Website: https://www.lmeglobal.net

Book: The Digital Delusion

This podcast sponsored by:

The Bell Ringer, a weekly newsletter providing news, tools, and resources on the science...

Dr. Olivia Mullins returns to the podcast to discuss her work teaching science with primary grade students. We discuss how she is using research in improving students' reading comprehension in the science lessons.

LInks: 

Website: https://www.science-delivered.org/

X: Olivia Mullins (@oliviajune82) / X

Substack: Olivia Mullins | Substack

LinkedIn: (1) Olivia Mullins | LinkedIn
Books: Amazon.com: Experimenting With Science: Think, Test, and Learn! (Dummies Junior): 9781119291336: Mullins, Olivia J., Ph.D: Books

This podcast sponsored by:

The Bell Ringer, a weekly newsletter providing news, tools, a...

AJ Crabill explains that school boards should represent community values and set student outcome goals—not micromanage operations. Effective boards match words with actions by consistently monitoring learning data, while most fail by getting distracted from their core mission: ensuring children actually learn.

AJ Crabill serves as National Director of Governance at Council of the Great City Schools. He recently served as the Conservator at DeSoto (TX) ISD, as Deputy Commissioner at the Texas Education Agency, and as board chair of Kansas City (MO) Public Schools. The 3rd edition of his bestselling book, "Great On Their Behalf: Wh...

In this episode, a friend of the podcast Bart Hoffman, interviews Frank Rodriguez and Gene Tavernetti about their new book and the importance of being more intentional about how technology is used in schools. They discuss the challenges educators face in balancing digital tools with meaningful human interaction in learning environments.

Digital Captives: Helping Schools Strike a Balance Between Humans and Hardware, written by Frank Rodriguez, Donna Smith, and Gene Tavernetti, explores how schools can thoughtfully integrate technology while keeping teaching, learning, and relationships at the center.

See bios for the authors at the...

In this episode, I’m joined by Anjanette McNeely, an award-winning kindergarten teacher in Davis County, Utah, who is deeply committed to research-informed classroom practice. Anjanette focuses on translating educational research into practical strategies that help every student build strong foundations in literacy and mathematics.

She is LETRS-certified (Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling) and holds a bachelor’s degree in Early Childhood Education and a master’s degree in Instructional Design. In addition to her classroom work, Anjanette has served as a literacy coach and curriculum writer. She is currently a Goyen Literacy Founda...

In this episode, veteran school leader Joey Davis pulls back the curtain on the path to the principalship — and the reality of serving as “middle management” in today’s schools. We talk candidly about the highs, the hard days, and the constant balancing act between district expectations and supporting teachers and students.

Links:

Twitter

Facebook

Instagram: mrwjdavis

This podcast sponsored by:

The Bell Ringer, a weekly newsletter providing news, tools, and resources on the science of learning, written by education reporter Holly Korbey. Subscribe here. 

In this episode, Dr. Sarah Oberle and Mitch Weathers join the conversation to explore the critical role of executive functions in early learning — and why they matter so much for young students. We discuss how skills like self-regulation, organization, and cognitive flexibility lay the foundation for long-term academic success.

We also dive into their new book, Executive Functions for Every K–3 Classroom: Promoting Self-Regulation for a Strong Start and unpack practical strategies teachers can use immediately to support students in developing these essential skills.

X/Twitter: 
Sarah: Sarah Oberle, Ed.D. (@s_oberl...

In this episode, Gene interviews Blake Harvard, Blake discussed his new book: Do I Have Your Attention: Understanding Memory Constraints and Maximizing Learning and what he teaches his students about learning.

01:36 Festival of Education and Presentation Highlights

06:25 Understanding Memory Constraints

07:45 Strategies for Effective Teaching

09:46 Application of Cognitive Psychology in the Classroom

13:57 High Expectations and Student Motivation

17:57 Practical Techniques: Brain Book Buddy Model

27:49 Pre-Service Teacher Advice

Rod made the move back to the classroom after years as a leadership and instructional coach. In this episode, he reflects on the surprises of returning to teaching—and how his experiences beyond the classroom shaped his transition. We talk specifically about how he has changed his writing instruction and his emphasis on student dialogue.

Resources:

The Literacy Cookbook (Sarah Tantillo)

literacycookbook.com/about-us.php

Inside Teaching: How Classroom Life Undermines Reform (Mary Kennedy)

Follow Rod on:

X/Twitter:  Rod (@rodjnaquin) / X

LinkedIn: (1) Rod...

Weston Kieschnick and I discuss teaching, coaching, leadership, relationship building, parenting, and the heavy burden of being funniest person in his family. This was a fun conversation with a great educator and a great guy.

X: Weston Kieschnick (@wes_kieschnick) / X

LinkedIn:  (1) Weston Kieschnick | LinkedIn

Facebook:  (3) weston kieschnick

Website:  https://westonkieschnick.com/

This podcast sponsored by:

The Bell Ringer, a weekly newsletter providing news, tools, and resources on the science of learning, written by education reporter Holly Korbey. Subscribe here. 

Dave McAlinden is an instructional designer at Columbia University’s School of Professional Studies. In this episode, we start by clarifying a question many educators have: What does an instructional designer actually do? If you’ve ever taken an online course, you’ve already experienced the impact of instructional design—whether you realized it or not.

You can connect with Dave on LinkedIn: (2) Dave McAlinden | LinkedIn
Feel free to reach out—Dave enjoys engaging with educators and talking through ideas about teaching, learning, and instructional design.

This podcast sponsored by:

The Bell R...

Lauren Brown and I discuss how social studies and history instruction shifts and deepens as students grow, mature, and develop a greater capacity for understanding over time.

Lauren hosts podcasts on teaching US History. Folks can also find the registration link on my Substack, on the Teacher Resources page. or here: Teaching U.S. History with Meaning

There will be 2 left when this podcast airs:

Thurs. Jan 22 - Using Themes & Stories to Make History Come Alive

Thurs. Jan 29 - Short, Powerful Writing Activities to Reinforce Learning

Both...

Dr. Carl Hendrick is known throughout the world for his expertise in the science of learning. In addition to publishing numerous articles, he has co-authored two books How Learning Happens and How Teaching Happens in which he shares the most impactful research on this topic.

In this episode he shares what he believes is the most important information that all teachers should know about how students learn but is still not being taught in many schools of education. He also has some advice for teachers about some things they can safely stop doing.

Links:
...

Joe Finch is a 5th grade teacher in Kelseyville, California. Joe is committed to the teaching profession and truly desires to improve his craft. In this episode he describes how he discovered the science of learning in his search to improve and how he developed his own professional development program.

X:  Joe Finch, M.S. Ed. (@mrjfinch) / X

Substack: Joe Finch | Substack

This podcast sponsored by:

The Bell Ringer, a weekly newsletter providing news, tools, and resources on the science of learning, written by education reporter Holly Korbey. Subscribe here. 

In this episode Dr. Jared Cooney Horvath and I discuss his new book; Digital Delusion and the intersection of what science knows about how we learn and the impacts of technology on that learning.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jared-cooney-horvath-phd-med-730704b2/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jared.cooney.horvath/

YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/jaredcooney

Website: https://www.lmeglobal.net

Book: The Digital Delusion

This podcast sponsored by:

The Bell Ringer, a weekly newsletter providing news, tools, and resources on the science...

Karen Vaites is well-known as a literacy advocate. In this episode we discuss the Southern Surge, the Mississippi Miracle, and the Louisiana and Tennessee increases (sorry no alliterative descriptors) in literacy scores.

Episode Links:
X: Karen Vaites (@karenvaites) / X

Karen Vaites | Substack

Curriculum Insight Project | Substack

This podcast sponsored by:

The Bell Ringer, a weekly newsletter providing news, tools, and resources on the science of learning, written by education reporter Holly Korbey. Subscribe here. 

Two teachers, one middle school and one elementary, share how they have made writing instruction a priority. Josie Wozniak and Kimberly Voge are avid users and proponents of EduProtocols to support their writing instruction. In this episode they share how students are able to write more. But more importantly, how the students take more responsibility for improving their writing.

Twitter: @‌ms_woz @kvoge71

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kim-voge-662b905b/

Facebook: (5) Facebook

(5) EduProtocols Community | Facebook

Instagram: @‌jwoz_teaches @‌hermajestyvoge

Bluesky: @‌jwoz-teaches.bsky.social

Tik Tok...

The process of deciding which High Quality Instructional Materials to adopt is not as straight forward as it might seem. There are good options, and there are good teachers with varying opinions. 

Kelly Harkins, Supervisor of Elementary English Language Arts, describes her district’s two different processes for selecting two different ELA curricula.

Facebook: The Reading League Delaware

Website: the reading league Delaware

Reading League Delaware Memberships 2025

This podcast sponsored by:

The Bell Ringer, a weekly newsletter providing news, tools, and resources on the science of...

In this episode with Doug Lemov we discuss how teachers can support reading fluency and literacy beyond the early grades. Doug also describes his work with professional sports teams helping the coaches be more effective teachers. And much, much more!

Books:

The Teach Like a Champion Guide to the Science of Reading

The Coach's Guide to Teaching

Teach Like a Champion 3.0

X: Doug Lemov (@doug_lemov) / X

LinkedIn: Doug Lemov | LinkedIn

Website:  http://teachlikeachampion.org

This podcast sponsored by:

T...

Enjoy another installment of Thinking Out Loud with Zach Groshell. In this episode, Dr. Groshell and I discuss how to begin when providing support to teachers. Both Zach and Gene currently work in schools supporting teachers in their quest to be their best for students.

Dr. Zach Groshell is the host of the popular podcast Progressively Incorrect and the author of:

Just Tell Them: The Power of Explanations and Explicit Teaching

Dr. Gene Tavernetti is the author of:

Maximizing the Impact of Coaching Cycles

Teach...

In this episode, Gene Tavernetti speaks with Linda Rhyne, award-winning educator and owner of Rhyne Consulting. They discuss the changing landscape of literacy education, instructional coaching, and practical strategies for supporting teachers. Linda shares her vast experience in teaching, literacy coaching, and district-level instructional support, providing actionable insights for educators and coaches.

00:00 Introduction

01:21 Science of Reading

01:40 Role and Experience as a Literacy Coach

04:32 Transition to Instructional Coaching

06:39 Responding to Change in Literacy Practices

20:45 Transparency and Trust in Coaching

30:26 Challenges and Strategies in Coaching

<...

Faith Howard knew something had to change. As a Literacy Specialist, in her school district she wasn’t making the impact she knew was possible. With the support of her administration, Faith reimagined her role and launched a “Literacy Lab” — a space designed to emphasize the SOR principles in targeted literacy intervention and instruction. In this episode, Faith shares how the Literacy Lab came to life and offers practical strategies teachers can use to strengthen Tier 1 instruction in their own classrooms. 

Facebook: Literacy Lab with Faith

Substack: Faith Howard | Substack

YouTube C...

Al Borges has coached football at the highest levels of the college game. In this episode, he talks about how great coaching is really just great teaching. You’ll hear familiar ideas—like managing cognitive load, respecting the learning hierarchy, and using retrieval practice to make learning stick. Al even shares how he adjusted his teaching for players with different skill levels.

X: (1) Al_Borges_Burner (@freddyteee83) / X

Books:

Deny of the Tiger The story behind the undefeated SEC Champion Auburn Tigers, who were denied the opportunity to play for the BCS National Cham...

After recently retiring from Frederick County Public Schools, where she played a key role in advancing evidence-based instruction, Meg Lee has joined forces with her longtime friend and colleague, Dr. Jim Heal, to launch Learning Science Partners. Their organization is dedicated to supporting school districts committed to implementing evidence-informed practices that enhance teaching and learning.

In this episode Meg shares organizational insights into making it all happen.

Episode Links:
X: Meg Lee (@megvertebrae) / X

LinkedIn: (1) Meg Lee | LinkedIn

Website: LSP

Edutopia: Solidifying Core Concepts With Examples...

Kent Wetzel and I dive into some of the nitty-gritty of implementing the Science of Learning in a large school district.

The district made deliberate choices to avoid the pitfalls that had undermined past initiatives. Thanks to proactive steps taken earlier, it was also able to leverage state legislation to strengthen and sustain its efforts to embed evidence-based practices.

Twitter: (2) Kent Wetzel (@kentwetzelfcps) / X

LinkedIn: Kent Wetzel | LinkedIn

This podcast sponsored by:

The Bell Ringer, a weekly newsletter providing news, tools, and resources on the science of learning...

Vida John is a math coach who helps students prepare for math competitions. I was excited to chat with Vida because the entire world of math competitions is new to me.

Vida discusses how math competitions can benefit all students regardless of grade level.

Contact and follow Vida at:

LinkedIn: @VidaJohn

YouTube: Math Problem Solving Skills

Website: Vida John Tutoring

This podcast sponsored by:

The Bell Ringer, a weekly newsletter providing news, tools, and resources on the science of learning...