Better Teaching: Only Stuff 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 literacy 01:48 — Why the original intervention model was not working 03:50 — Faith’s self-study in the science of reading 05:02 — Building Literacy Lab with foundational skills and grade-level texts 05:58 — Why teachers teach kids, not programs 08:11 — Making structured literacy meaningful for teenagers 10:39 — What “teen-friendly” literacy intervention really means 12:40 — Decoding, morphology, vocabulary, and complex texts 14:04 — What secondary teachers need from literacy support 17:27 — Demystifying the science of reading through modeling 21:11 — A sustainable sequence for schoolwide literacy improvement 24:16 — From professional development to practice and follow-through 44:49 — Building local capacity and letting the work speak for itself 46:36 — Gene’s closing message Show 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 difficulty Why secondary teachers are often expected to address reading gaps without having been trained to teach reading The limits of relying on computer-based programs without an in-person connection How to adapt foundational reading routines for older students without giving them childish content Why adolescents need both explicit instruction and meaningful, challenging texts How Faith supports districts through modeling, planning, coaching, and follow-through Why lasting change requires school leaders and teachers to build capacity together Learn more about Faith Howard and Literacy Lab: Website: literacylabwithfaith.com Facebook: Literacy Lab with Faith Substack: litlabwithfaith.substack.com YouTube: Science of Reading Classroom Email: literacylabwithfaith@gmail.com Faith 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 .

Summary What should every new teacher know before they are asked to improvise, differentiate, or innovate? Gene Tavernetti argues that one of the most important foundations is fluency in explicit instruction—not just hearing about it in professional development, but learning to design it, deliver it, practice it, and receive feedback until the work becomes automatic. Gene explains why that fluency matters in real classrooms: it reduces the number of decisions teachers have to make, gives them a reliable baseline for accommodations and modifications, helps schools eliminate instructional variables before moving students into intervention, sharpens their ability to evaluate purchased or AI-generated materials, and creates a common language for collaboration. The goal is not to make every lesson look the same; it is to give teachers a strong instructional foundation from which they can adapt intelligently. Chapters 0:00 — Better Teaching introduction 0:41 — What new teachers need to know 1:52 — Why training and coaching matter 3:10 — Reason 1: Build fluency and automaticity 5:19 — Reason 2: Create a baseline for accommodations 6:22 — Reason 3: Eliminate instructional variables 8:02 — Reason 4: Evaluate curriculum and AI-generated lessons 10:08 — Reason 5: Build a common professional language 12:31 — Explicit instruction is a foundation, not a restriction 14:55 — Better Teaching outro Show Notes Gene Tavernetti helps educators strengthen explicit instruction, lesson design, and instructional coaching. Gene’s website: tesscg.com Gene’s books include Teach Fast, Focus, Adaptable Structured Teaching and Maximizing the Impact of Coaching Cycles . Follow Gene on Bluesky and X: @gtavernetti 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 .

Summary Glenn Whitman is a distinguished educator who has worked with schools around the world to support schools and teachers bringing evidence practices to their classrooms. In this episode Glenn talks about his own school’s journey to becoming an evidence-based teaching institution, his continued role in that journey, and how his school supports schools around the world who also want to become evidence-based through The Center for Transformative Teaching. Episode Links Website: Home - The Center for Transformative Teaching and Learning Glenn's Email: gwhitman@saes.org 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 .

Summary Kate Meyers and Nicole Davis, AKA Two Maine Teachers and authors the EduProtocol Field Guide: AI Literacy Edition, discuss AI, AI in schools, AI for teachers, and AI for literacy for students. Show Notes LinkedIn: two-maine-teachers Facebook: Facebook Website: twomaineteachers.com Book: The EduProtocol Field Guide AI Literacy Edition 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, I talk about how to get a faster and more effective start to coaching this year. 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 .

Everyone says one of the most effective ways to teach new content is by using explicit instruction. But fewer teachers than you might think can deliver an effective explicit instruction lesson. Dr. Tavernetti wrote Teach FAST to help remedy that situation and help guide teachers to more effective explicit instruction lesson. In this episode Gene lists and explains the differences between this book and other books on explicit instruction. Andrew Bixler, a friend and colleague of Gene Tavernetti, turns the tables and interviews Gene about his book Teach FAST: Focused Adaptable Structured Teaching. Get Teach FAST here . 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 .

Beth Hawks talks about her new book, Show Your Work: Teaching Smarter with the Science of Learning as well as her professional path to the Science of Learning and how she utilized it in her 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 .

In this episode Alison Rini, founder of Star Lab school in Sarasota, Florida, describes her journey in education and how her vision of a microschool became a reality. After 25 years of teaching and leading public, private, and charter schools, Alison Rini left the school system and designed a microschool called Star Lab. In order to bring the vision to reality, Alison received a fellowship from The Drexel Fund, providing support and training to design an outstanding educational program accessible to low-income families. Alison is passionate about brain science, learning principles, and human flourishing. She intentionally set Star Lab in a low-income zip code of Sarasota to test the assumption that 95% of children can learn to read given proper instruction. Star Lab is entering its third year of operation, growing from 5 students in its first year, to 20 students last year, to 50 students for the school year starting this August. Many of the students who come to Star Lab have had struggles in their previous placements, and Alison’s goal is to prove that children growing up in public housing can achieve at the highest levels when school is designed around how children actually learn. Alison has three degrees from Columbia University in Neuroscience, Curriculum, and Leadership, but she has learned the most in the past few years of her school design journey. X/Twitter: @Educ8Liber8 LinkedIn: @AlisonRiniStarLab Facebook: @StarLabSRQ Instagram: @StarLabSRQ Star Lab donation page: https://www.starlab.world/donate.html 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 .

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 on the science of learning, written by education reporter Holly Korbey. Subscribe here .

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. Subscribe here .

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 Reading: Building a Continuum from Foundations to Fluent Thinking 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, 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 touch with Randy: randypalisoc@mathfluency.com or randypalisoc@gmail.com MathFluency.com linkedin.com/randypalisoc/ Math isn't hard, it's a language | Randy Palisoc | TEDxManhattanBeach (youtube.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 .

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) 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 here . Cognosente Books - knowledge for discerning educators 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, 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 roots, and using video reflection to continuously improve instruction. About Sean Morrisey: Sean Morrisey has quickly earned a well-deserved following for his work on effective vocabulary instruction. He is the creator of the Word Mapping Project and author of the Word Mapping curriculum. In this episode, we explore the nuts and bolts of vocabulary instruction, including how to build durable word knowledge, the role of morphology, and how vocabulary instruction supports broader literacy development. Sean shares the strategies he uses to strengthen students’ vocabulary, reading comprehension and fluency. X/Twitter: (1) Sean Morrisey (@smorrisey) / X Bluesky: Sean Morrisey (@smorrisey.bsky.social) — Bluesky YouTube Channel: Word Mapping Project Overview Website: http://wordmappingproject.com Substack: https://seanmorrisey.substack.com/ Resources mentioned: Neil Ramsden Mini Matrix-Maker Home Page Bringing Words to Life: Robust Vocabulary Instruction 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 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 here .

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. Subscribe here .

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 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. 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 Korbey. Subscribe here .

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 #MilitantPositivity, LLC, an organization focused on speaking, consulting, and podcasting in education. LinkedIn: Bob Nelson | LinkedIn Facebook: (2) Facebook 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 .