Teaching Literacy Podcast

Practices of Effective K-2 Teacher Teams with Dr. Jake Downs


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Guest host Dr. Kristin Conradi Smith interviews Dr. Jake Downs about the ‘secret soup’ of highly effective K-2 teacher teams.

Link to Jake’s Study: https://www.mdpi.com/2227-7102/15/2/259

Downs, J., Martz, K., & Mohr, K. (2025). Exploring the Instructional Effectiveness of High-Growth K-2 Teacher Teams in Foundational Reading. Education Sciences, 15(2), https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci15020259

Link to ULEAD Report: https://schools.utah.gov/ulead/uleadfiles/reports/ipr/Instructional%20Clarity%20Early%20Lit%20IPR.pdf

Please write a short impact statement for Jake’s USU review packet (and thank you!): https://forms.gle/QcUs8ciMcAy2yG6L6

Episode Outline & Show Notes

  • 00:00Host Introduction & Listener Call-to-Action
    Jake asks listeners for impact statements to support his third-year review.
  • 01:23Guest Host Introduction
    Kristin Conradi Smith introduces herself and the episode’s focus on effective K-2 teacher teams.
  • 01:44Introducing Jake & Study Overview
    Kristin introduces Jake as the guest, outlines his research on high-growth teacher teams.
  • 02:20Defining Teacher Effectiveness
    Jake discusses different ways to define “effectiveness” and the study’s focus on student growth.
  • 04:07Why Study Teams?
    Jake explains the importance of studying effective teams, not just individual teachers.
  • 06:32District Background
    Jake describes the “Lincoln School District,” its shift in reading instruction, and its reputation for growth.
  • 09:00Study Methods: Quantitative Data
    Jake explains how teams were identified using ACADIS data and effect sizes.
  • 11:32Student Growth Results
    Jake shares impressive proficiency gains by grade level and discusses effect sizes.
  • 13:43Mixed Methods & Qualitative Interviews
    Transition to focus group interviews with teacher teams and how themes were identified.
  • 16:36Theme 1: Collaboration
    Teams engage in active, data-driven collaborative planning and shared student ownership.
  • 21:23Theme 2: Affordances for Instruction
    Teachers describe autonomy, flexibility, and supportive professional development.
  • 28:59Theme 3: Data Practices & Goal Setting
    Regular data meetings, intentional goal setting at team/class/student levels, and actionable use of data.
  • 41:29Theme 4: Teacher Factors
    Discussion of teacher knowledge, beliefs, and collective efficacy.
  • 44:57Key Takeaways & Reflections
    Jake and Kristin reflect on the “secret soup” of effective teams, the importance of systems, and actionable insights for schools.
  • 53:21Assessment & Goal Setting in Practice
    How effective teams use assessment and goal setting to drive instruction.
  • 57:20Teacher Development
    The value of both top-down and bottom-up professional learning.
  • 1:00:26Final Thoughts & Optimism
    Jake and Kristin discuss optimism for the future of reading research and practice.
  • 1:04:02Closing & Kristin’s Take
    Kristin summarizes the study’s impact and calls for more collaborative, teacher-centered research.
  • ...more
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