→ What are executive functions, and why do they matter?

→ What are the differences between core and higher order executive functions?

→ How can we tweak the physical and acoustic environment of our classrooms to support all learners?

Welcome back to another episode of the Teachers on Fire Podcast, airing live on YouTube most Saturday mornings at 8am Pacific, 11am Eastern. My name is Tim Cavey, and my mission here is to warm your heart, spark your thinking, and ignite your professional practice.

Today’s Teachers on Fire are Sarah Oberle and Mitch Weathers, authors of Executive Functions for Every K-3 Classroom: Promoting Self-Regulation for a Strong Start.

Mitch Weathers is an educator, author, and nationally and internationally recognized expert on executive functioning in the classroom, known for translating brain science into practical strategies that work in real schools. His work centers on strengthening students’ skills in organization, task initiation, self-regulation, and follow-through through intentional systems that support learning without increasing teachers’ workloads. Through his writing, speaking, and consulting, he challenges educators to reconsider why students struggle and equips them with a shared language and concrete tools to unlock student potential.

Sarah Oberle is an educator, writer, and professional learning designer with 18 years of experience as a primary classroom teacher. Her work centers on helping educators understand how learning happens and how that understanding shapes daily instructional decisions.

Timestamps from This Episode

0:00:00 - Mitch Weathers and Sarah Oberle are veteran educators and authors

2:37 - What are executive functions?

4:29 - Why executive functions matter in primary grades

6:59 - Designing tier one environments that support all learners

10:10 - Confusing behaviors with executive functions

14:13 - Core vs higher order executive functions

16:45 - How to reduce cognitive load and improve working memory

20:51 - Two ways to reduce cognitive load in the primary classroom

25:22 - How to tweak the physical and acoustic learning environments

31:15 - Why starting the whole class together makes a difference

36:07 - How Sarah uses voice recorders in her first grade classroom

38:45 - A first step to take for the overwhelmed educator

45:38 - How and where to connect with Mitch and Sarah online

Visit the home of Teachers on Fire at https://teachersonfire.net/.

Song Track Credit: Tropic Fuse by French Fuse - retrieved from the YouTube Audio Library.