Better Teaching: Only Stuff That Works

Better Teaching: Only Stuff That Works

Gene Tavernetti

Episodes 93
Avg. Duration 45m
Activity Highly Active
Apple Rating 5.0 (23)
Since Jun 2024
Latest Episode Apr 2026

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Schedule
Weekly
Format
Episodic
Consistency
99%
Hosting
api.riverside.fm

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About This Podcast

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 unattainable, but progress is not. Whether you are aiming for the 75% effectiveness mark or striving for continuous improvement, this podcast will guide you in that endeavor.

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Recent Episodes

From The Archives: Digital Delusion with Dr. Jared Cooney Horvath

Apr 08, 2026 56m

In this episode Dr. Jared Cooney Horvath and I discuss his new book; Digital Delusion and the intersection of what science knows about how we learn and the impacts of technology on that…

Science Delivered with Dr. Olivia Mullins

Apr 01, 2026 55m Transcript

Dr. Olivia Mullins returns to the podcast to discuss her work teaching science with primary grade students. We discuss how she is using research in improving students' reading comprehension in the…

Great On Their Behalf with AJ Crabill

Mar 25, 2026 52m Transcript

AJ Crabill explains that school boards should represent community values and set student outcome goals—not micromanage operations. Effective boards match words with actions by consistently monitoring…

Digital Captives: Helping Schools Strike a Balance Between Humans and Hardware with Dr. Frank Rodriguez & Gene Tavernetti

Mar 18, 2026 1h 4m Transcript

In this episode, a friend of the podcast Bart Hoffman, interviews Frank Rodriguez and Gene Tavernetti about their new book and the importance of being more intentional about how technology is used in…

Building Strong Foundations in Literacy and Mathematics with Anjanette McNeely

Mar 11, 2026 39m

In this episode, I’m joined by Anjanette McNeely, an award-winning kindergarten teacher in Davis County, Utah, who is deeply committed to research-informed classroom practice. Anjanette focuses on…

Pulling Back the Curtain on Principalship with Joey Davis

Mar 04, 2026 36m Transcript

In this episode, veteran school leader Joey Davis pulls back the curtain on the path to the principalship — and the reality of serving as “middle management” in today’s schools. We talk candidly…

The Critical Role of Executive Functions in Early Learning with Dr. Sarah Oberle & Mitch Weathers

Feb 25, 2026 1h 5m Transcript

In this episode, Dr. Sarah Oberle and Mitch Weathers join the conversation to explore the critical role of executive functions in early learning — and why they matter so much for young students. We…

From the Archives: What Teachers and Students Need to Know About How We Learn with Blake Harvard

Feb 18, 2026 32m

In this episode, Gene interviews Blake Harvard, Blake discussed his new book: Do I Have Your Attention: Understanding Memory Constraints and Maximizing Learning and what he teaches his students about…

The Surprises of Returning to Teaching with Rod Naquin

Feb 11, 2026 54m Transcript

Rod made the move back to the classroom after years as a leadership and instructional coach. In this episode, he reflects on the surprises of returning to teaching—and how his experiences beyond the…

Building Trust, Attention, and Engagement in the Classroom with Weston Kieschnick

Feb 04, 2026 48m Transcript

Weston Kieschnick and I discuss teaching, coaching, leadership, relationship building, parenting, and the heavy burden of being funniest person in his family. This was a fun conversation with a great…

The Impact of Instructional Design with Dave McAlinden

Jan 28, 2026 45m Transcript

Dave McAlinden is an instructional designer at Columbia University’s School of Professional Studies. In this episode, we start by clarifying a question many educators have: What does an instructional…

Teaching History Honestly with Lauren Brown

Jan 21, 2026 52m Transcript

Lauren Brown and I discuss how social studies and history instruction shifts and deepens as students grow, mature, and develop a greater capacity for understanding over time.Lauren hosts podcasts on…

From the Archives: The Importance of Knowing How Students Learn with Dr. Carl Hendrick

Jan 14, 2026 56m

Dr. Carl Hendrick is known throughout the world for his expertise in the science of learning. In addition to publishing numerous articles, he has co-authored two books How Learning Happens and How…

Self-Directed Professional Development with Joe Finch

Jan 07, 2026 34m Transcript

Joe Finch is a 5th grade teacher in Kelseyville, California. Joe is committed to the teaching profession and truly desires to improve his craft. In this episode he describes how he discovered the…

Digital Delusion with Dr. Jared Cooney Horvath

Dec 31, 2025 55m Transcript

In this episode Dr. Jared Cooney Horvath and I discuss his new book; Digital Delusion and the intersection of what science knows about how we learn and the impacts of technology on that…

Lessons from the Southern Surge with Karen Vaites

Dec 24, 2025 52m Transcript

Karen Vaites is well-known as a literacy advocate. In this episode we discuss the Southern Surge, the Mississippi Miracle, and the Louisiana and Tennessee increases (sorry no alliterative…

Making Writing Instruction a Priority with Josie Wozniak & Kimberly Voge

Dec 17, 2025 51m Transcript

Two teachers, one middle school and one elementary, share how they have made writing instruction a priority. Josie Wozniak and Kimberly Voge are avid users and proponents of EduProtocols to support…

Implementing and Evaluating New Literacy Curriculum with Kelly Harkins

Dec 10, 2025 41m

The process of deciding which High Quality Instructional Materials to adopt is not as straight forward as it might seem. There are good options, and there are good teachers with varying…

Supporting Reading Fluency and Literacy Beyond the Early Grades with Doug Lemov

Dec 03, 2025 1h 7m

In this episode with Doug Lemov we discuss how teachers can support reading fluency and literacy beyond the early grades. Doug also describes his work with professional sports teams helping the…

Providing Support to Teachers - Thinking Out Loud #6

Nov 26, 2025 38m

Enjoy another installment of Thinking Out Loud with Zach Groshell. In this episode, Dr. Groshell and I discuss how to begin when providing support to teachers. Both Zach and Gene currently work in…

Frequently Asked Questions

How many episodes does Better Teaching: Only Stuff That Works have?

Better Teaching: Only Stuff That Works has published 93 episodes since June 2024, covering topics in Education, How To.

Is Better Teaching: Only Stuff That Works still active?

Better Teaching: Only Stuff That Works is currently highly active with new episodes weekly. Average episode length is 45m.

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