Better Teaching: Only Stuff That Works

Gene Tavernetti
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Descriptions of effective teaching often depict an idealized form of "perfect" instruction. Yet, pursuing perfection in teaching, which depends on children's behavior, is ultimately futile. To be effective, lessons and educators need to operate with about 75% efficiency. The remaining 25% can be impactful, but expecting it in every lesson, every day, is unrealistic. Perfection in teaching may be unattainable, but progress is not. Whether you are aiming for the 75% effectiveness mark or striving for continuous improvement, this podcast will guide you in that endeavor.

  1. 1d ago

    From Six Teachers to a Movement: Building Professional Development That Lasts

    From Six Teachers to a Movement: Building Professional Development That Lasts About This Episode Most professional development begins with enthusiasm and ends before it changes classroom practice. In this episode of Better Teaching: Only Stuff That Works, Gene Tavernetti talks with Suzannah Evans and Dr. Shane Saeed about the Science of Learning Collaborative in Colorado’s St. Vrain Valley School District. What began in 2019 as a small book study nearly disappeared during COVID-19, shrinking to six committed educators. Instead of giving up, Suzannah and Shane built a voluntary, sustained model of professional learning that now connects more than 100 teachers across a large district. They explain how the collaborative creates practical learning, peer accountability, teacher leadership, and a network where educators can test ideas in classrooms and return to learn from one another. The conversation is a useful reminder that lasting professional learning does not require a massive initiative. It can begin with a few people, a worthwhile question, a small pilot, and enough patience to let the work spread through trust and word of mouth. What You’ll Learn Why one-and-done professional development rarely produces lasting change. How a six-person learning group grew into a district-wide collaborative. Why voluntary participation can create stronger motivation and accountability. How hybrid meetings, reflection, and classroom application support busy teachers. Ways to build teacher leadership and a cross-school community of practice. How to start small, choose an effective pilot group, and let results spread organically. Chapters 00:00 — Welcome and introducing Suzannah Evans and Shane Saeed 02:37 — The Science of Learning Collaborative begins 06:24 — From a 2019 book study to six teachers during COVID 12:01 — Designing a flexible, sustained professional-learning model 15:47 — Peer learning, accountability, and teacher leadership 24:00 — Building momentum across a large district 36:00 — Voluntary participation and meaningful buy-in 46:17 — Scaling a grassroots writing initiative 50:12 — Start with a small pilot and let the work speak 54:15 — The origins and classroom logic of the FAST framework Resources St. Vrain Valley Schools Vrain Waves: Necessary Condition — Learning Together Suzannah Evans on LinkedIn Suzannah Evans on X Dr. Shane Saeed on X Teach FAST / TESS Consulting Group About the Guests Suzannah Evans is an instructional coordinator at St. Vrain Valley School District and a facilitator of the district’s Science of Learning Collaborative. Dr. Shane Saeed is an elementary ELA curriculum coordinator, author, speaker, and co-host of the Vrain Waves podcast. Together, they support educators in turning evidence-informed ideas into practical classroom improvement. 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.

  2. Oct 21

    Mitch Weathers on Executive Functions, Clarity, and Organized Binders

    Summary What are executive functions, and how can teachers support them without adding another program to the school day? Mitch Weathers returns to Better Teaching to discuss the cognitive skills behind organization, task initiation, self-regulation, planning, and follow-through. Mitch explains why clarity, modeling, predictable routines, and a well-designed classroom environment protect students' cognitive capacity. He also makes the case for analog tools in a digital world and shares how the Organized Binder approach helps students—and teachers—build practical organizational habits. Chapters 0:00 — Welcome and meeting Mitch Weathers2:15 — What executive functions are and why they matter in classrooms8:30 — Core executive functions: working memory, inhibition, and flexibility15:30 — Higher-order executive functions and age-appropriate expectations24:00 — Clarity, modeling, and predictable classroom routines33:00 — The Organized Binder approach and building student independence42:00 — Analog tools, technology, and protecting students' cognitive work50:00 — Connecting executive-function supports with effective lesson structure53:20 — Closing thoughts and practical next steps Show Notes Mitch Weathers is the author of Executive Functions for Every Classroom and co-author of Executive Functions for Every K–3 Classroom.Connect with Mitch on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram.Mitch and Gene discuss the Organized Binder approach, which supports organization, task initiation, self-regulation, and follow-through.The conversation explores how teachers can make expectations clear, model routines, reduce unnecessary cognitive load, and create predictable environments that help students develop executive-function skills.Mitch explains why analog tools can complement technology by giving students opportunities to practice the skills they will need in other settings. Better Teaching: Only Stuff That Works is hosted by Gene Tavernetti. Find more about Gene's work at 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 here.

  3. Oct 14

    Starfish Teachers: It Made a Difference to That Teacher

    Summary What happens when some of the best teachers in a district are invited to present at conferences across the country, but are never asked to share what they know in their own schools? In this solo episode, Gene Tavernetti reflects on the way classroom teachers with deep expertise in evidence-informed instruction can be sought out by educators elsewhere while their knowledge is overlooked or discouraged at home. Gene explores Tall Poppy Syndrome, the social cost of standing out, and why sending teachers to conferences with instructions to bring learning back is unlikely to produce meaningful schoolwide change without leadership and a culture that values internal expertise. He revisits the Starfish Story with a less comforting conclusion: if conference learning changes only one classroom, perhaps all we can say is, “It made a difference to that teacher.” Chapters 0:00 — The expertise schools overlook2:00 — Tall Poppy Syndrome and the cost of standing out5:00 — Why conference learning does not automatically spread8:00 — The Starfish Story and a challenge for leaders Show Notes Gene Tavernetti reflects on teachers whose expertise is valued everywhere except at home.The episode asks school and district leaders whether they know where the expertise is in their own organization.A strong internal culture gives teachers meaningful opportunities to share and use what they know. 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.

  4. Oct 7

    Digital Captives: Reclaiming the Human Side of Teaching

    Summary In this from-the-archives episode, Bart Hoffman interviews Dr. Frank Rodriguez and Gene Tavernetti about their book Digital Captives: Helping Schools Strike a Balance Between Humans and Hardware. They trace how technology moved from a tool intended to augment instruction into something that can displace attention, relationships, reading, and meaningful learning. Frank and Gene discuss what they have observed in schools and after-school programs, why the pandemic accelerated existing problems, and how educators can respond without swinging from unquestioned technology adoption to an equally unhelpful rejection of digital tools. Their central message is practical: schools need intentional systems that put humans, learning, and healthy technology habits back at the center. Chapters 0:00 — Introduction: from digital natives to digital captives 2:17 — What changed for students and schools 6:00 — When technology stopped augmenting instruction 10:27 — The problem of too much digital material 14:09 — Finding balance between humans and hardware 18:00 — Adult modeling, attention, and schoolwide systems 23:18 — Practical ways schools can reset technology habits 26:00 — Screen inferiority and reading comprehension 31:30 — Rebuilding conversation, focus, and human connection 38:00 — Leading change without creating another pendulum swing 47:56 — The book, the authors, and where to learn more 60:30 — Closing thoughts Show Notes Dr. Frank Rodriguez — Educator and leader of after-school and community learning programs whose work with students and staff helped prompt the research behind Digital Captives. Gene Tavernetti — Host of Better Teaching and co-author of Digital Captives. Bart Hoffman — Education leader and friend of the podcast who conducts the interview. Digital Captives: Helping Schools Strike a Balance Between Humans and Hardware is written by Frank Rodriguez, Donna Smith, and Gene Tavernetti. Learn more about the authors and the book through Schools Next. This is a refreshed from-the-archives presentation of Better Teaching episode 90. 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.

  5. Sep 30

    Culture Is Built, Not Inherited: How Schools Actually Change

    SummaryGene Tavernetti examines the familiar explanation that school improvement is difficult because “it’s just the culture.” Drawing on work with schools across the United States and Canada, he argues that culture is not fixed atmosphere—it is the residue of daily decisions, habits, and follow-through.The practical path to change is to change what people do. Gene lays out a focused approach: choose one or two specific instructional practices, support them through consistent coaching, use common look-fors in leadership walkthroughs, and protect the commitments through follow-through. The goal is a shift from isolated classrooms to a shared identity around how “we teach here.”Chapters0:00 — Welcome to Better Teaching0:37 — Why “it’s just the culture” becomes an excuse2:13 — Culture is built from daily decisions3:08 — Change behavior before trying to change beliefs4:12 — Make coaching and walkthroughs consistent5:26 — From “I teach here” to “we teach here”6:42 — Protect the culture you want through follow-throughShow NotesGuest/host: Gene TavernettiGene’s professional site: tesscg.comGene’s books include Teach Fast: Focus, Adaptable, Structured Teaching and Maximizing the Impact of Coaching Cycles.Better Teaching is part of the BE Podcast Network: bepodcastnetwork.comProduction card: Basecamp 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.

  6. Sep 23

    How to Sabotage a Coach

    Summary Instructional coaches are often treated as a school’s all-purpose backup: covering classes, managing testing logistics, joining extra committees, and handling whatever emergency appears next. In this episode of Better Teaching, Gene Tavernetti explains how those individually reasonable requests quietly dismantle a coaching program. Gene makes the case for protecting coaching time as carefully as instructional time. He recommends a clear job description, a schedule that protects observation and debriefing, explicit monthly expectations, and a target of spending 70–80 percent of the coach’s time in classrooms. The long-term choice is clear: covering a class solves today’s problem, while coaching improves instruction this year and the years that follow. Chapters 0:00 — Welcome to Better Teaching0:46 — The all-purpose support trap1:23 — How understaffing consumes the coaching calendar3:12 — The message teachers receive when coaches are pulled4:08 — Define and protect the coaching role4:49 — Keep 70–80% of the coach’s time in classrooms5:16 — Dr. Randy Olson and the “nothing is an emergency” rule5:44 — Short-term convenience versus long-term improvement6:42 — Closing thoughts and resources Show Notes **Host:** Gene Tavernetti**Core takeaway:** Protect the coaching calendar like instructional time. Define what coaches do—and what they do not do—and hold leadership accountable for preserving that work.**Recommended starting point:** Write a clear coaching job description, set a weekly schedule for observations and debriefs, and review the coach’s time allocation monthly.**Gene’s books:** *Teach Fast, Focus Adaptable Structure Teaching* and *Maximizing the Impact of Coaching Cycles***Website:** TESS Consulting Group**BlueSky:** @gtavarnetti**X/Twitter:** @gtavarnetti**BE Podcast Network:** bepodcastnetwork.com About Better Teaching Better Teaching is hosted by Gene Tavernetti and focuses on practical ideas for teachers, instructional coaches, administrators, and everyone who supports better work in classrooms—no clichés, no buzzwords, only stuff that works. Added/created/modified by Codex on 2026.09.22 13:22 PT on ombee 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.

  7. Sep 16

    The Coaching Trap: Why Scripted Feedback Makes Coaching More Human

    Summary In this episode of Better Teaching, Gene Tavernetti challenges the belief that effective coaching must be spontaneous and unscripted. He explains why a well-designed coaching script does not make a feedback conversation rigid or inauthentic—it gives the coach a reliable structure for specific, courageous, and useful feedback. Gene connects coaching scripts to classroom-management routines, surgical checklists, crisis-response training, and his own experiences as a counselor, principal, and coach. The practical takeaway is simple: prepare the sequence, transitions, and language of a feedback conversation so you can be fully present when the conversation begins. Chapters 0:00 — Welcome to Better Teaching0:45 — The coaching trap: unplanned and unscripted feedback2:57 — Why educators distrust scripts3:57 — Scripts, checklists, and professional responsiveness4:49 — How preparation helps coaches face fear6:25 — Using scripts in high-stakes conversations8:01 — What happens when a coach goes off script8:47 — A practical standard for scripting feedback conversations9:37 — Resources and closing Show Notes **Host:** Gene Tavernetti**Featured idea:** Script coaching conversations with the same intentionality teachers bring to well-planned lessons.**Gene’s books:** *Teach Fast, Focus Adaptable Structure Teaching* and *Maximizing the Impact of Coaching Cycles***Website:** TESS Consulting Group**BlueSky:** @gtavarnetti**X/Twitter:** @gtavarnetti**BE Podcast Network:** bepodcastnetwork.com About Better Teaching Better Teaching is hosted by Gene Tavernetti and focuses on practical ideas for teachers, instructional coaches, administrators, and everyone who supports better work in classrooms—no clichés, no buzzwords, only stuff that works. Added/created/modified by Codex on 2026.09.14 17:27 PT on ombee 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.

  8. Sep 9

    Teaching Adolescents to Read: Faith Howard on Literacy Intervention That Works

    Summary What does effective literacy intervention look like for students in middle and high school? Faith Howard returns to Better Teaching: Only Stuff That Works to explain how she built Literacy Lab, a 6–12 intervention model that combines the science of reading with age-appropriate, grade-level texts. Faith shares how a glorified study hall became a focused literacy intervention, why secondary educators need practical support in teaching foundational reading skills, and how schools can build sustainable literacy capacity instead of depending on one-time professional development. She also explains why teachers—not computer programs—teach kids, and how decoding, morphology, vocabulary, and rich novels can work together for adolescent readers. Faith Howard is an adolescent-literacy leader and educational consultant with 17 years of experience in education. She has taught middle and high school English language arts, coached ELA and social studies teachers, served as a director of curriculum and instruction, and worked as a literacy specialist. Chapters 00:00 — Meet Faith Howard and the case for adolescent literacy01:48 — Why the original intervention model was not working03:50 — Faith’s self-study in the science of reading05:02 — Building Literacy Lab with foundational skills and grade-level texts05:58 — Why teachers teach kids, not programs08:11 — Making structured literacy meaningful for teenagers10:39 — What “teen-friendly” literacy intervention really means12:40 — Decoding, morphology, vocabulary, and complex texts14:04 — What secondary teachers need from literacy support17:27 — Demystifying the science of reading through modeling21:11 — A sustainable sequence for schoolwide literacy improvement24:16 — From professional development to practice and follow-through44:49 — Building local capacity and letting the work speak for itself46:36 — Gene’s closing messageShow Notes Faith’s work focuses on students who have been overlooked or left behind by unsuccessful literacy interventions. Literacy Lab brings explicit foundational-skills instruction into a teen-friendly setting, pairing work with multisyllabic words, morphology, decoding, and vocabulary with thought-provoking, grade-level books. In this conversation, Faith and Gene discuss: How students can be misidentified for intervention when schools do not examine the root causes of academic difficultyWhy secondary teachers are often expected to address reading gaps without having been trained to teach readingThe limits of relying on computer-based programs without an in-person connectionHow to adapt foundational reading routines for older students without giving them childish contentWhy adolescents need both explicit instruction and meaningful, challenging textsHow Faith supports districts through modeling, planning, coaching, and follow-throughWhy lasting change requires school leaders and teachers to build capacity togetherLearn more about Faith Howard and Literacy Lab: Website: literacylabwithfaith.comFacebook: Literacy Lab with FaithSubstack: litlabwithfaith.substack.comYouTube: Science of Reading ClassroomEmail: literacylabwithfaith@gmail.comFaith also highlights the Wyoming Science of Teaching and Learning Collaborative Conference, taking place October 10 in Cody, Wyoming. Better Teaching is hosted by Gene Tavernetti. Find more practical conversations about teaching and learning at 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 here.

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Descriptions of effective teaching often depict an idealized form of "perfect" instruction. Yet, pursuing perfection in teaching, which depends on children's behavior, is ultimately futile. To be effective, lessons and educators need to operate with about 75% efficiency. The remaining 25% can be impactful, but expecting it in every lesson, every day, is unrealistic. Perfection in teaching may be unattainable, but progress is not. Whether you are aiming for the 75% effectiveness mark or striving for continuous improvement, this podcast will guide you in that endeavor.

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