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Artwork for Better Teaching: Only Stuff That Works

Better Teaching: Only Stuff That Works

Gene Tavernetti
Instructional Coaching
Explicit Instruction
Professional Development
Science Of Learning
Education
Literacy
Teaching Strategies
Teacher Training
Student Engagement
Science Of Reading
Technology In Education
Curriculum Development
Educational Technology
Retrieval Practice
Math Education
Teacher Development
Cognitive Science
Cognitive Load Theory
Civics Education
Teacher Professional Development

Descriptions of effective teaching often depict an idealized form of "perfect" instruction. Yet, pursuing perfection in teaching, which depends on children's behavior, is ultimately futile. To be effective, lessons and educators need to operate with about 75% efficiency. The remaining 25% can be impactful, but expecting it in every lesson, every day, is unrealistic. Perfection in teaching may be u... more

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Artwork for Better Teaching: Only Stuff That Works

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Summary

In this from-the-archives episode, Bart Hoffman interviews Dr. Frank Rodriguez and Gene Tavernetti about their book Digital Captives: Helping Schools Strike a Balance Between Humans and Hardware. They trace how technology moved from a tool i... more

Summary

Gene Tavernetti examines the familiar explanation that school improvement is difficult because “it’s just the culture.” Drawing on work with schools across the United States and Canada, he argues that culture is not fixed atmosphere—it is the... more

Summary

Instructional coaches are often treated as a school’s all-purpose backup: covering classes, managing testing logistics, joining extra committees, and handling whatever emergency appears next. In this episode of Better Teaching, Gene Tavernet... more

Summary

In this episode of Better Teaching, Gene Tavernetti challenges the belief that effective coaching must be spontaneous and unscripted. He explains why a well-designed coaching script does not make a feedback conversation rigid or inauthentic—... more

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Recent Guests

Faith Howard
Educational consultant and literacy specialist focused on adolescent literacy
Literacy Lab (Faith's program)
Episode: Teaching Adolescents to Read: Faith Howard on Literacy Intervention That Works
Nicole Davis
PK-12 STEM and computer science teacher; author and National Fellow with Harvard Project Zero Digital Thriving; co-author of EduProtocols, AI Literacy Edition
Vasselboro Community School; EduProtocols; Harvard Project Zero Digital Thriving
Episode: AI Literacy with Kate Meyer and Nicole Davis
Kate Meyer
High school English teacher; instructional innovation coach; co-author of EduProtocols, Field Guide, AI Literacy Edition
Mount Desert Island High School; EduProtocols
Episode: AI Literacy with Kate Meyer and Nicole Davis
Gene Tavernetti
Author of Teach FAST and focus of the interview
TESS Consulting Group
Episode: From the Archives: Teach FAST with Gene Tavernetti
Beth Hawks
Learning Hawk consultant, former middle/high school science teacher
Learning Hawk
Episode: Show Your Work with Beth Hawks
Alison Rini
Founder of Star Lab micro school; education innovator with a background in neuroscience and learning science
Star Lab
Episode: Building Star Lab with Alison Rini
Jane Wagner
Magnet and Visual/Performing Arts program veteran
Fresno Unified School District (retired)
Episode: The Challenges of Maintaining a Quality Thematic School with Jane Wagner
Anthony Fitzpatrick
Assistant Superintendent, Lead Teacher Apprenticeship Program advocate
Delsea Regional and Elk Township School Districts (New Jersey)
Episode: Building a Apprenticeship Program That Keeps Great Teachers in the Classroom with Anthony Fitzpatrick
Dr. Randy Palisoc
Curriculum designer and professional development specialist; founder of Synergy Academies
James Jordan Middle School; Synergy Academies
Episode: From the Archives: Teaching the Language of Math with Dr. Randy Palisoc

Host

Gene Tavernetti
Host of the show; affiliated with BE Podcast Network and Better Teaching: Only Stuff That Works.

Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars from 40 ratings
  • Gene Knows His Stuff!

    I’ve worked with Gene now in multiple educational settings as a school and district administrator, and I can say without a doubt that Gene knows what he’s talking about! TESS and his FAST teaching framework provide teachers with the actual “how to” of effective first instruction lesson design. Either through his easy to read and use books, or his in-person staff trainings, Gene can enhance the effectiveness of any teacher who truly has the desire to improve their craft! These podcasts reflect ... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    WillAleriGabby
    United States2 years ago
  • Great STuff

    Great show. Unlike most educelebrities, Gene shares stuff that actually works.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    tehjunction
    United States2 years ago
  • Helpful Guidance for Teachers

    I enjoyed listening to the Gene Tavernetti podcast. It was easy to understand, and I appreciated this common-sense approach to good teaching. The podcast shared a number of relevant considerations and important take-aways. It discussed the relationship between technology-based activities and proven teaching practices. One of the most helpful examples included a description of a cyber sandwich (from eduprotocol) which incorporates technology into think-pair-share. The podcast also stressed the im... more

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    GD, Ed.D.
    United States2 years ago
  • Interesting and Informative!

    Dr. Tavernetti shares information to educators, coaches, and administrators that is both helpful and realistic! Good stuff!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    GSkarr
    United States2 years ago
  • Looking forward to more

    Dr. Tavernetti provides us with a good conversational approach. His questions and their follow-ups are insightful and interesting. He and his guests really do bring their good stuff.

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Twiss54
    United States2 years ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Many notes mention the coaching cadence and practical workflow improvements
Great show for practitioners who want actionable ideas they can use tomorrow
Listeners appreciate the practical, no-fluff approach to teaching strategies
Guests are consistently described as knowledgeable and grounded in real classrooms

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#223
United States/Education/How To
Apple Podcasts
#126
United Kingdom/Education/How To
Apple Podcasts
#209
Canada/Education/How To
Apple Podcasts
#234
Australia/Education/How To
Apple Podcasts
#41
Chile/Education/How To
Apple Podcasts
#62
Spain/Education/How To

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

AI Literacy with Kate Meyer and Nicole Davis
Q: What's a practical way to shift from viewing AI as cheating to using it as a learning aid?
Focus on prompting strategies, encourage students to show their work, compare outputs with their own reasoning, practice bias and data evaluation (e.g., ShoeBias), and emphasize reflective and metacognitive use rather than shortcutting tasks.
AI Literacy with Kate Meyer and Nicole Davis
Q: How should teachers introduce AI tools to different grade levels?
Start with low-barrier tools and entry points that fit the students' context, assess safety and data concerns, and gradually expand to more powerful tools as students develop metacognitive and evaluation skills.
AI Literacy with Kate Meyer and Nicole Davis
Q: What is the human framework and why is it important in AI-enabled classrooms?
It's a five-step guide—halt, utilize, monitor, authenticate, and reflect—that helps teachers pause to consider purpose, use prompts thoughtfully, check for accuracy and bias, set clear expectations, and continually reflect on and improve how they and their students use AI.
Show Your Work with Beth Hawks
Q: What feedback have teachers given when they try these strategies in their classrooms?
Teachers report both successes and minor adjustments; some find particular strategies effective when tweaked, and peer feedback often guides further refinement.
Show Your Work with Beth Hawks
Q: How do you decide which parts of the curriculum to cut or keep when applying these ideas?
She explains prioritizing high-leverage practices, recognizing overlaps (e.g., retrieval and formative assessment), and choosing what is essential for the core learning goals while pausing for understanding.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Better Teaching: Only Stuff That Works

What is Better Teaching: Only Stuff That Works about and what kind of topics does it cover?

This show centers on practical, research-backed teaching strategies and leadership approaches for K-12 education. Episodes consistently explore explicit instruction, structured literacy, math interventions, and evidence-based classroom coaching, often featuring practitioners and district leaders who share concrete implementations, outcomes, and pitfalls. Across conversations, the emphasis is on scalable, sustainable improvements—using coaching cycles, MTSS alignment, and clear instructional language to move from theory to practice. A notable strength is the diversity of guests, ranging from classroom teachers to policy researchers and superintendent-level thinkers, with a clear focus on actionable takeaways that educators can apply immediat... more

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Which podcasts are similar to Better Teaching: Only Stuff That Works?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Better Teaching: Only Stuff That Works:

1. Melissa & Lori Love Literacy ® | Science of Reading for Teachers
2. Chalk & Talk
3. Science of Reading: The Podcast
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5. Reach All Readers

How many episodes of Better Teaching: Only Stuff That Works are there?

Better Teaching: Only Stuff That Works launched 2 years ago and published 119 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on Better Teaching: Only Stuff That Works?

Recent guests on Better Teaching: Only Stuff That Works include:

1. Faith Howard
2. Nicole Davis
3. Kate Meyer
4. Gene Tavernetti
5. Beth Hawks
6. Alison Rini
7. Jane Wagner
8. Anthony Fitzpatrick

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