Progressively Incorrect

In this episode, I’m joined by Marcie Samayoa—science teacher, cognitive science enthusiast, and blogger of Scientists in the Making. Marcie shares the origin story behind her innovative classroom blog and explains how it grew out of a desire to make science learning more equitable, evidence-based, and joyful.

We dive into some of the most persistent misconceptions in science education—like the idea that inquiry alone leads to deep understanding—and explore how cognitive science can help teachers design lessons that truly stick. Marcie walks us through how she translates research into daily practice, using explicit instruction in ways that honor both the spirit of NGSS and the realities of how students actually learn.

2. I then explained how Coulomb's Law applies to the atom with multimedia principles in mind. pic.twitter.com/EliLH4CUnF

She also shares powerful classroom examples where applying cognitive science principles—like spaced retrieval and opportunities to respond—led to a dramatic shift in student outcomes. Throughout the conversation, Marcie’s message is clear: every student can become a scientist with high quality explicit instruction.

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The podcast you’re listening to is sponsored by John Catt from Hachette Learning and hosted by Dr. Zach Groshell. John Catt publishes some of the best books in education, including my book, Just Tell Them: The Power of Explanations and Explicit Teaching.

Book a demo of Steplab today and check out our Ambassador’s Program to get trained up by me and members of the Steplab team!

In this episode, I’m joined by Dr. John Mighton — mathematician, playwright, best-selling author, and founder of JUMP Math. John shares his insights into one of the most misunderstood concepts in education today—the belief that only some students are “math people”—and explains why dismantling this idea is essential for equity and achievement. As we explore the evolution of the “math wars”, John outlines the reforms needed to achieve math proficiency for all students in North America, including better support for teachers, universal access to high-quality materials, and a cultural shift away from unproductive beliefs about how math should be taught. Encouragingly, he points to signs of progress in classrooms where JUMP Math has been adopted. And while the conversation is grounded in research and policy, it’s also deeply human—centered on the belief that every child can learn, and that the right tools and systematic instruction can unlock their full potential.

We talked for some time about this paper:

The Advantages of Abstract Examples in Learning Math [Link]

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The podcast you’re listening to is sponsored by John Catt from Hachette Learning and hosted by Dr. Zach Groshell. John Catt publishes some of the best books in education, including my book, Just Tell Them: The Power of Explanations and Explicit Teaching.

Book a demo of Steplab today and check out our Ambassador’s Program to get trained up by me and members of the Steplab team!

In this powerful episode, I’m joined by two of the most influential voices in literacy education today—Linda Diamond and Paige Pullen. With decades of experience in education, Linda and Paige bring clarity to the evidence-based education movement and the science of reading in particular.

Together, we dive into their framework of three interrelated sciences—Learning Science, Instructional Science, and Literacy Science—and discuss how these domains shape their approach to teaching, research, and policy. We also explore the concept of translational research, the critical bridge between scientific findings and classroom practice, and why it’s essential for educators navigating the “what works” landscape.

Throughout the episode, Linda and Paige emphasize the provisional nature of scientific knowledge and share strategies for staying grounded in evidence while remaining open to refinement. Whether you’re a classroom teacher, literacy coach, or district administrator, this episode delivers a candid, research-informed conversation about what it truly means to teach reading well—and why professional engagement, clarity, and scientific rigor matter more than ever.

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The podcast you’re listening to is sponsored by John Catt from Hachette Learning and hosted by Dr. Zach Groshell. John Catt publishes some of the best books in education, including my book, Just Tell Them: The Power of Explanations and Explicit Teaching.

Also, be sure to check out Greg’s books on Amazon, including his killer book, The Power of Explicit Teaching and Direct Instruction.

Book a demo today and check out our Ambassador’s Program to get trained up by me and members of the Steplab team!

Welcome to Season 5 of Progressively Incorrect! In this special premiere episode, I’m joined by Greg Ashman, a leading advocate for explicit instruction and one of the most important voices in education today. We begin by analyzing a new video from Jo Boaler, where she casts “step-by-step instruction” as the villain in favor of an idealized, inquiry-based approach. Greg and I unpack the pedagogical assumptions behind this stance and explore why it resonates more with ideology than evidence.

We also dive into the research on productive failure—its theoretical appeal, its classroom limitations, and what it reveals about the broader debate over how students learn best. Along the way, we discuss recent controversies in education, including efforts that seem antagonistic to teachers’ rights to public commentary and increasingly hostile toward explicit instruction as a legitimate pedagogical stance.

Whether you’re a classroom teacher, teacher educator, or instructional designer, this episode offers a sharp, unapologetic look at the fault lines in modern education—and why clarity, structure, and professional autonomy matter more than ever.

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The podcast you’re listening to is sponsored by John Catt from Hachette Learning and hosted by Dr. Zach Groshell. John Catt publishes some of the best books in education, including my book, Just Tell Them: The Power of Explanations and Explicit Teaching.

Book a demo today and check out our Ambassador’s Program to get trained up by me and members of the Steplab team!

In this episode of Progressively Incorrect, I’m joined by Dr. Shawn Datchuk, a leading researcher who’s helped shape how we think about sentence construction for struggling learners. Drawing from the literature on Precision Teaching and Direct Instruction, Shawn shares how timed practice and explicit strategies can accelerate mastery in writing, especially for students with learning disabilities. We unpack some of the resources he has been cooking up on his website, available here, and why sentence-level instruction deserves more attention than it gets. Whether you’re a classroom teacher or an instructional designer, this episode makes the case that building fluent writers is about careful, deliberate teaching.

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The podcast you’re listening to is sponsored by John Catt from Hachette Learning and hosted by Dr. Zach Groshell. John Catt publishes some of the best books in education, including my book, Just Tell Them: The Power of Explanations and Explicit Teaching.

In this episode of Progressively Incorrect, I’m joined by Nathan Lang-Raad for a wide-ranging conversation that threads together two hot-button topics: artificial intelligence and the science of learning. There’s excitement everywhere—some even say AI will revolutionize teaching and learning. But are we getting ahead of ourselves? Nathan and I explore the real benefits AI can bring, especially to teacher planning and workload, while also cautioning that it’s no magic wand. Without a solid foundation in cognitive science, educators risk chasing solutions that don’t stick. This episode is about balancing innovation with evidence—how to adopt new tools without losing sight of how minds actually learn.

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The podcast you’re listening to is sponsored by John Catt from Hachette Learning and hosted by Dr. Zach Groshell. John Catt publishes some of the best books in education, including my book, Just Tell Them: The Power of Explanations and Explicit Teaching.

In this episode of Progressively Incorrect, I sat down with a personal friend whose work I deeply respect: John Tanner. His leadership in education has weathered storms—most notably, false accusations of cheating after huge gains in achievement were obtained at his school. But what shines through is his steadfast belief in the life-changing power of academic achievement and the role college plays in opening doors for students. John speaks openly about the convictions that have guided him, even when it wasn’t easy. This isn’t just a story of resilience—it’s a reminder of what we’re really fighting for in education.

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The podcast you’re listening to is sponsored by John Catt from Hachette Learning and hosted by Dr. Zach Groshell. John Catt publishes some of the best books in education, including my book, Just Tell Them: The Power of Explanations and Explicit Teaching.

In this episode of The Direct Instruction Podcast – cross-posted on Progressively Incorrect – I’m joined by Bonnie Grossen and Kurt Engelmann, two long-time advocates and practitioners whose work has shaped the real-world application of schoolwide Direct Instruction. After engaging conversations with both of them—on everything from implementation across diverse contexts to the role of leadership in sustaining success—I knew this would be a conversation rich in lessons for educators and system leaders alike. What does full-immersion Direct Instruction really look like when done right? I hope you find this episode as insightful and energizing as I did.

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Schuyler-writing-resultsDownload

Graph of Galileo HS resultsDownload

The podcast you’re listening to is sponsored by John Catt from Hachette Learning and hosted by Dr. Zach Groshell. John Catt publishes some of the best books in education, including my book, Just Tell Them: The Power of Explanations and Explicit Teaching.

In this episode of The Direct Instruction Podcast – cross-posted on Progressively Incorrect – I’m joined by Stephanie Stollar, Diane Kinder, and Marcy Stein—three educators and researchers whose work intersects at the heart of effective instruction and systems-level change. After engaging conversations with each of them around Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) and the role of Direct Instruction within those frameworks, I knew we had the makings of a rich, layered dialogue. What does it really take to implement evidence-based practices at scale? I hope you find this conversation as thought-provoking as I did.

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Side by Side Coaching

Partnerships

The podcast you’re listening to is sponsored by John Catt from Hachette Learning and hosted by Dr. Zach Groshell. John Catt publishes some of the best books in education, including my book, Just Tell Them: The Power of Explanations and Explicit Teaching.

In this episode of Progressively Incorrect, I’m joined by Jonah Davids. Jonah and I met while participating in a panel discussion around declining behavior in schools (listen here), which led me to invite him to discuss the evidence base behind Restorative Justice and Social-Emotional approaches in education. Are we on track or has there been an overreach? I hope you enjoy the discussion.

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The podcast you’re listening to is sponsored by John Catt from Hachette Learning and hosted by Dr. Zach Groshell. John Catt publishes some of the best books in education, including my book, Just Tell Them: The Power of Explanations and Explicit Teaching.