Better Teaching: Only Stuff That Works

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 DelawareWebsite: the reading league DelawareReading League Delaware Memberships 2025 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. Murmuration Author Services by Mark Combes. Looking to write your first book? Murmuration Author Services is your friend and coach for this journey. Learn more here. 

Doug Lemov, an educator and author renowned for the Teach Like a Champion series, dives deep into the importance of reading fluency beyond early grades. He highlights the alarming levels of disfluency in older students and advocates for effective read-aloud techniques to model prosody and enhance comprehension. Comparing building reading stamina to athletic training, he emphasizes gradual increases in sustained reading time. Additionally, Doug shares insights from his work with sports teams, revealing parallels between teaching strategies and coaching methods.

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 TeachingDr. Gene Tavernetti is the author of:Maximizing the Impact of Coaching CyclesTeach Fast: Focused Adaptable Structured Teaching 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. Murmuration Author Services by Mark Combes. Looking to write your first book? Murmuration Author Services is your friend and coach for this journey. Learn more here. 

In this engaging conversation, Linda Rhyne, an award-winning educator and literacy consultant, shares her journey from classroom teacher to instructional coach. She explores the shift from balanced literacy to the science of reading, addressing teacher concerns about past methods. Linda emphasizes the importance of evidence-based practices and building trust within coaching relationships. She also discusses the value of collaboration with content specialists and the need for transparency in coaching to better support educators.

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 FaithSubstack: Faith Howard | SubstackYouTube Channel: Science of Reading ClassroomEmail: literacylabwithfaith@gmail.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. Murmuration Author Services by Mark Combes. Looking to write your first book? Murmuration Author Services is your friend and coach for this journey. Learn more here. 

Al Borges, a retired college football coach with over 40 years of experience, shares his insights on how coaching parallels effective teaching. He discusses the importance of managing cognitive load and using detailed, micro-skills practices for developing athletes. Borges emphasizes treating new players as blank slates and making sure that learning translates to high-pressure game situations. He also highlights the vital role of relationships in coaching success, asserting that interpersonal connections outweigh mere strategies.

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) / XLinkedIn: (1) Meg Lee | LinkedInWebsite: LSPEdutopia: Solidifying Core Concepts With Examples and Non-Examples | Edutopia 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. Murmuration Author Services by Mark Combes. Looking to write your first book? Murmuration Author Services is your friend and coach for this journey. Learn more here. 

Kent Wetzel, a teacher specialist and adjunct professor, discusses the successful implementation of the Science of Learning in Frederick County Public Schools. He shares how early leaders embraced mind-brain education to avoid past pitfalls. Kent highlights the importance of strategic partnerships with higher education and the role of teacher specialists in delivering professional development. He emphasizes the need for structured leader training and the significant impact of Maryland's state mandate on adopting evidence-based practices. Kent also reflects on the journey's evolution and the community's growing support.

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: @VidaJohnYouTube: Math Problem Solving SkillsWebsite: Vida John Tutoring 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. Murmuration Author Services by Mark Combes. Looking to write your first book? Murmuration Author Services is your friend and coach for this journey. Learn more here. 

Dr. Sarah Oberle discusses her research on the wider implementation of the Science of Learning and its influence on her classroom and teaching methods.Links:X: @‌S_OberleBlueSky: Sarah.Oblerle@bluesky.socialLinkedIn: Sarah Oberle, Ed.D.