Teacher Insights from Catalyst

In this rich and highly practical conversation, I sit down with Dr Nathaniel Swain and Rebecca Birch - two of Australia’s leading voices in evidence‑based teaching - to explore how the science of learning can transform teaching and learning in secondary schools, with a deep dive into writing instruction.

Nathaniel and Rebecca unpack how learning really works, why attention matters so much, how explicit instruction supports all students (including high achievers), and what high‑impact writing instruction looks like in secondary classrooms.

Whether you're a secondary teacher, school leader, instructional coach, or anyone curious about the science of learning, this episode is full of practical insights you’ll want to take straight back to the classroom.

Today, I have the absolute pleasure of speaking with Natalie Wexler, an acclaimed education writer and thought leader whose work has shaped conversations around literacy, cognitive science, and equity in education. Natalie is the author of Beyond the Science of Reading: Connecting Literacy Instruction to the Science of Learning and The Knowledge Gap: The Hidden Cause of America’s Broken Education System—And How to Fix It. She also co-authored The Writing Revolution and The Writing Revolution 2.0.

Natalie’s insights have reached audiences across the U.S. and beyond, and she continues to share her expertise through her Substack newsletter Minding the Gap and as host of the Knowledge Matters Podcast.

In this episode St Mary’s War Memorial Primary School’s (West Wyalong) assistant principal, Nickey Harland, and classroom teachers, Bree Taylor and Carlie Iverach chat about High Impact Teaching Practices (HITP).

Nickey will unpack for us:

Bree and Carlie individually discuss how they implement HITP throughout their day and what this looks like, providing plenty of actionable examples that can be applied to your classroom. You’ll also hear how this sounds in their classroom, with snippets from their lessons.

In this episode, we welcome Dr. Carl Hendrick—educator, researcher, and co-author of How Learning Happens, How Teaching Happens, and Instructional Illusions. Carl shares his insights on the evolving educational landscape in Australia, the science of learning, and the myths that often mislead teachers and schools.

We explore key ideas from his books, including the “Engagement Illusion,” the importance of prior knowledge, and what is ‘learning’. Whether you're a teacher, school leader, or education enthusiast, this episode will challenge your assumptions and offer practical strategies for improving learning outcomes.

What You’ll Learn

Featured Books

How Learning Happens – Carl Hendrick & Paul Kirschner How Learning Happens: Seminal Works in Educational Psychology and What

How Teaching Happens – Carl Hendrick, Paul Kirschner & Jim Heal How Teaching Happens: Seminal Works in Teaching and Teacher Effectiven

Instructional Illusions – by Paul Kirschner (Author), Carl Hendrick (Author), Jim Heal (Author) Instructional Illusions | Hachette Learning

Links & Resources

Carl Hendrick’s Substack:The Learning Dispatch | Carl Hendrick | Substack

Learn more about the Catalyst program: Catalyst - Catholic Education Archdiocese of Canberra & Goulburn

Episode Overview

In this episode, we sit down with staff from St Patrick’s Primary School Bega, a school that has embraced the Catalyst initiative to transform teaching and learning. From instructional programs to leadership strategies, we explore how this school has aligned its practices to create a knowledge-rich, student-centered environment.

School-Wide Impact

School Routines & Behaviour

Teaching Practice

In this episode, CECG teachers Zoe Cawdron and Lauren Maher unpack the impact of Catalyst on their teaching practice, discussing:

This episode offers practical strategies for educators seeking to enhance student engagement and learning outcomes through evidence-informed approaches.

In this episode, Dr Greg Ashman talks about:

Greg is Deputy Principal at Ballarat Clarendon College in Victoria, and the author of three books, including The Power of Explicit Teaching and Direct Instruction. He also writes a popular Substack newsletter, Filling the Pail. This conversation offers practical insights for educators keen to apply evidence-informed strategies and deepen their understanding of how students learn best.

In this episode, Dr Nathaniel Swain talks about:

This is a fascinating listen for both those well-versed in the Science of Learning and those eager to learn more

In this episode I chat with Ross Fox, director of Catholic Education Canberra Goulburn, about his reflections on Catalyst from the last 4 years. After 8 years with CECG, he is stepping away from the role of Director to explore other opportunities. In our episode today we hear about Ross’ reflections about Catalyst, including its effectiveness, implementation and vision. We hear about:

In this episode we learn about how the leadership team at St Mary Mackillop Catholic College in Canberra successfully implemented the components of Catalyst and scaled up for a two-campus school with over 2000 students. Erin White and Lisa Buckland share with us their insights about how they started their Catalyst journey and the importance of this work in the Secondary context, discussing what worked well and some of the challenges they faced along the way. We learn about where they prioritised, invested their time, supports and resources and how they keep momentum with over 200 staff. Everything shared has relevance for all school contexts, making this an interesting episode for all.