Home Podcasts Better Teaching: Only Stuff That Works
Better Teaching: Only Stuff That Works

Better Teaching: Only Stuff That Works

Gene Tavernetti 108 Episodes Jul 22, 2026

This podcast challenges the pursuit of perfection in teaching, arguing that aiming for 75% effectiveness is more realistic and impactful. It offers guidance for educators seeking continuous improvement rather than unattainable perfection. The host, Gene Tavernetti, provides practical strategies and insights for effective teaching.

Episodes

Building Star Lab with Alison Rini
Building Star Lab with Alison Rini Jul 22, 2026 2989 In this episode Alison Rini, founder of Star Lab school in Sarasota, Florida, describes her journey in education and how her vision of a microschool became a reality.After 25 years of teaching and leading public, private, and charter schools, Alison Rini left the school system and designed a microschool called Star Lab. In order to bring the vision to reality, Alison received a fellowship
Consulting and Career Updates - Thinking Out Loud #7
Consulting and Career Updates - Thinking Out Loud #7 Jul 15, 2026 3276 This is latest in our series of Thinking Out Loud. In this episode Zach Grosell and I talk about your year in consulting and a plethora of other topics.Links:Just Tell Them: The Power of Explanations and Explicit TeachingMaximizing the Impact of Coaching Cycles This podcast sponsored by:The Bell Ringer, a weekly newsletter providing news, tools, and resources on the science of learning, w
The Challenges of Maintaining a Quality Thematic School with Jane Wagner
The Challenges of Maintaining a Quality Thematic School with Jane Wagner Jul 8, 2026 3076 Jane Wagner spent more than 30 years as a teacher and driving force of an award-winning K-8 Visual and Performing Arts magnet school. In this episode we discuss the challenges of maintaining a quality thematic school.Gene's Books:Teach FastMaximizing the Impact of Coaching CyclesDigital CaptivesX: (1) Gene Tavernetti (@gtavernetti) / XLinkedIn:(7) Gene Tavernetti | LinkedInwww.tesscg.comS
The Timing of Implementation
The Timing of Implementation Jul 1, 2026 1013 In this episode, I talk about what takes more time than we think when it comes to implementation, and what takes longer than we think.Links:Gene's Books:Teach FastMaximizing the Impact of Coaching CyclesDigital CaptivesX: (1) Gene Tavernetti (@gtavernetti) / XLinkedIn:(7) Gene Tavernetti | LinkedInwww.tesscg.comSubstack: Gene Tavernetti | Substack This podcast sponsored by:The Bell Ringer
Building a Apprenticeship Program That Keeps Great Teachers in the Classroom with Anthony Fitzpatrick
Building a Apprenticeship Program That Keeps Great Teachers in the Classroom with Anthony Fitzpatrick Jun 24, 2026 3793 In this episode Dr. Anthony Fitzpatrick talks about a unique apprenticeship program designed to enhance skills of teachers and facilitate movement on the salary schedule all without intrusive amounts of time after regular school hours. Who benefits? Everyone!Links:LinkedIn:  Anthony Fitzpatrick, Ed.D. | LinkedInFacebook:  (1) anthony fitzpatrick - Search Results | FacebookInstagram: antfi
From the Archives: Teaching the Language of Math with Dr. Randy Palisoc
From the Archives: Teaching the Language of Math with Dr. Randy Palisoc Jun 17, 2026 1649 In this episode, Gene Tavernetti speaks with Dr. Randy Palisoc, a passionate educator known for his innovative approach to teaching math. Dr. Palisoc shares his experiences and strategies for making math easy for students, focusing on the importance of understanding math as a language. They discuss Dr. Palisoc's background, including his work at Synergy Academies, the development of the C
The Issue with "We Do" in Explicit Instruction
The Issue with "We Do" in Explicit Instruction Jun 10, 2026 2003 In this solo episode, Gene Tavernetti breaks down why most "we do" approaches to guided practice don't work. Using decimal addition as a teaching example, he shows how to isolate and pre-teach the key concept before practice even starts. He exposes three common but ineffective guided practice patterns and offers a step-by-step alternative that gets better student repetitions and real form
Word Mapping with Sean Morrisey
Word Mapping with Sean Morrisey Jun 3, 2026 3444 In this episode, host Gene Tavernetti speaks with Sean Morrissey, a fifth-grade teacher and former school psychologist, about his structured, research-based approach to vocabulary instruction. Sean shares his four-part daily lesson framework — retrieval practice, explicit instruction, fluency passages, and independent practice — explaining how pairing words, embedding spelling, and using
What NOT To Do In Professional Development
What NOT To Do In Professional Development May 27, 2026 1368 In this episode Gene shares some thoughts about what he has learned about what NOT to do when it comes to providing professional development and support for teachers and staff.Links:Gene's Books:Teach FastMaximizing the Impact of Coaching CyclesDigital CaptivesX: (1) Gene Tavernetti (@gtavernetti) / XLinkedIn:(7) Gene Tavernetti | LinkedInwww.tesscg.com This podcast sponsored by:The Bell
From Reforming Legislation to Classroom Practice with Rachel Canter
From Reforming Legislation to Classroom Practice with Rachel Canter May 20, 2026 3501 Rachel Canter didn’t just report on the Mississippi Marathon—she was involved from the beginning of the state’s long journey toward educational improvement. In this episode, we discuss why meaningful change took so long and what it took to move reform from legislation into actual classroom practice.LinkedIn:  Rachel Canter - Progressive Policy InstituteWebsite: Rachel Canter - Progressive
From the Archives: Providing Support to Teachers with Zach Groshell
From the Archives: Providing Support to Teachers with Zach Groshell May 13, 2026 2308 In this episode, Dr. Groshell and I discuss how to begin when providing support to teachers. Both Zach and Gene currently work in schools supporting teachers in their quest to be their best for students.Dr. Zach Groshell is the host of the popular podcast Progressively Incorrect and the author of:Just Tell Them: The Power of Explanations and Explicit TeachingDr. Gene Tavernetti is the aut
Facts on Fire with Brian Poncy
Facts on Fire with Brian Poncy May 6, 2026 3529 In this episode, Dr. Brian Poncy shares the story behind his free math fact fluency program, Facts on Fire. We explore how the program started, how it has evolved over time, and what classroom teachers can realistically expect from students using a model that takes less than 10 minutes a day over six weeks.X/Twitter:   Brian Poncy (@brian_poncy) / XWebsite: http://www.factsonfire.com This

Recommended