Teaching Smarter: The Science Of Learning

In this episode, we explore how retrieval practice and automaticity can significantly enhance student learning by freeing up working memory for new information. Join educators Katie Baker and Alana Gordon as they share practical strategies to build automaticity through intentional retrieval routines an classroom tested strategies.

Follow on Twitter: @mommagordon2 @katieabaker @SoLInTheWild @StamStam193 @jonHarper70bd.@bamradionetwork
Resources: | Modal Model of Memory – Cognitive Science Resources | Teaching Strategies for Attention and Memory –Edutopia

Elana Gordon is a K-6 reading interventionist from Cicero, IL. She is passionate about systems change in education. Elana is the host of The Road to Reading podcast and the author of the Substack Voices from the Field.

Katie Baker is a Texas educator with 16 years of experience, including eight years teaching 8th-grade American History. Passionate about improving her instruction, she has spent the past year studying the science of learning and translating evidence-informed strategies into meaningful classroom experiences, sharing what she learns along the way through her Substack.

In this episode, educators Amber Haven and Jamie Clark share practical strategies rooted in cognitive science to harness and maintain student attention, a crucial gateway to effective learning. Discover how routines, cues, and classroom design can significantly improve focus and engagement. OR his podcast transcript features educators discussing the critical role of attention as the gatekeeper of learning, emphasizing that information cannot be processed if students are distracted. The participants outline strategies for harnessing focus, such as using simplified visual aids, establishing strict entry routines, and employing clear auditory signals. To maintain engagement, they suggest minimizing instructional and environmental distractions while using seating arrangements to manage social dynamics. Techniques like cold calling, choral responses, and mini-whiteboards are highlighted as essential tools for making student thinking visible and ensuring accountability. Ultimately, the discussion stresses that teachers must be intentional and deliberate in designing classroom conditions that prioritize student focus over entertainment.

Follow on Twitter: @SoLInTheWild @StamStam193 @jonHarper70bd.@bamradionetwork

Resources: | Modal Model of Memory – Cognitive Science Resources | Teaching Strategies for Attention and Memory-Edutopia

Jamie Clark is the Dean of Professional Growth at Mercedes College in Perth, Western Australia, where he leads instructional coaching and teacher development. He is the author of the international bestselling Teaching One-Pagers series and founder of DistillED, a weekly newsletter that translates educational research into practical, evidence-informed classroom strategies. Through his writing, workshops, coaching and resources, Jamie supports schools in building a shared language of effective teaching and turning research into daily classroom action.

Amber Haven is a STEM educator, speaker, and advocate for evidence-informed teaching with over 15 years of classroom experience. She is dedicated to refining her own practice while translating and showcasing evidence-informed strategies in authentic classroom settings.

Laura Stam is a third-grade teacher in Wyoming. She is a 2024-2025 Goyen Fellow and a founding board member of The Reading League Wyoming. She writes a Substack called The Knowledge Exchange, sharing resources to help teachers build their own knowledge in content and pedagogy. She is driven by a passion for the science of learning and seeks out and applies the most effective instructional practices in her classroom.

Brett Benson is a 7th-grade World Studies teacher in Nebraska. His teaching is grounded in the science of learning and draws heavily on John Sweller’s Cognitive Load Theory, David Ausubel’s Assimilation Theory, and Rosenshine’s Principles of Instruction. He founded and facilitates his school’s Cognitive Science (CogSci) PLC, where teachers study and apply evidence-informed instructional practices. He also writes SoL in the Wild on Substack, exploring how learning science translates into practical, everyday classroom instruction, and shares evidence-informed teaching ideas on X.

In this episode of Teach Smarter, hosts Laura Stam and Brett Benson explore the science of learning with educators Helen Reynolds and Dr. Sarah Oberly. They discuss the modal model of memory, focusing on attention, working memory, long-term memory, and retrieval. The conversation emphasizes practical strategies for teachers to enhance student learning by understanding cognitive processes and applying evidence-based practices in the classroom.

Follow on Twitter: @SoLInTheWild @StamStam193 @Helenrey @S_Oberle @jonHarper70b.@bamradionetwork

Resources: The Science of Learning – Helen Reynolds & Dr. Sarah Oberle | Modal Model of Memory – Cognitive Science Resources | Teaching Strategies for Attention and Memory -Edutopia

Helen Reynolds has taught physics and science for 36 years in both the UK and the US. In the UK, she worked on the UK National Curriculum and authored over 25 science textbooks for Middle and Upper school. Helen has committed to bringing research- informed practice into her classroom and has spoken at ResearchED conferences in New York and Denver. She has embedded the Science of Learning into all aspects of her teaching, including teaching students about it.

Dr. Sarah Oberle is an educator, writer, and professional learning designer with 18 years of experience as a primary classroom teacher. She translates research on how learning works into practical, actionable strategies for educators to apply in her own practice. Sarah has deep experience in applying the Science of Memory and Modal Classroom in the classroom.

Laura Stam is a third-grade teacher in Wyoming. She is a 2024-2025 Goyen Fellow and a founding board member of The Reading League Wyoming. She writes a Substack called The Knowledge Exchange, sharing resources to help teachers build their own knowledge in content and pedagogy. She is driven by a passion for the science of learning and seeks out and applies the most effective instructional practices in her classroom.

Brett Benson is a 7th-grade World Studies teacher in Nebraska. His teaching is grounded in the science of learning and draws heavily on John Sweller’s Cognitive Load Theory, David Ausubel’s Assimilation Theory, and Rosenshine’s Principles of Instruction. He founded and facilitates his school’s Cognitive Science (CogSci) PLC, where teachers study and apply evidence-informed instructional practices. He also writes SoL in the Wild on Substack, exploring how learning science translates into practical, everyday classroom instruction, and shares evidence-informed teaching ideas on X.