From Campus to Classroom: Equipping New Teachers to Start Strong and Stay

Monica Amos is a math educator in the Ritenour School District with seven years of experience teaching sixth and eighth grade. She cultivates a classroom where students feel seen, safe, and capable in math, and is dedicated to partnering with educators to create student-centered environments where all students thrive. 

Teaching Students How Learning Works: Retrieval, Effort, and Motivation for Ages 8–12

Jennifer Bacchiochi serves as Director of Educator Experiences at Uncomplicate Ed. Grounded in the science of learning, she designs professional learning that helps educators translate research into practice, strengthen clarity and engagement, and create meaningful classrooms that cultivate curiosity, confidence, connection, and literacy across content areas. 

Curious? What IS the Science of Learning?

Patrice Bain, Ed.S. K–12 + university educator, speaker. Author of Powerful Classrooms:

Evidence-informed Strategies and Resources and A Parent’s Guide to Powerful Teaching. Co-author of the U.S. Department of Education’s Guide: Organizing Instruction and Study to Improve Student Learning and Powerful Teaching: Unleash the Science of Learning. Illinois Teacher of the Year Finalist, Fulbright Scholar in Europe, featured in international presentations, webinars, podcasts and popular press, including NOVA and

Scientific American. Bain contributed to the United Nations UNESCO International Science and Evidence-based Education Assessment, outlining the vision for world education by 2030.

Excluded by Inclusion: Are Least Restrictive Environments Least Restrictive for Struggling Middle School Readers?

Dr. Elena Behar Lazarova is a neuroeducation scholar, reading specialist, and special education coordinator whose work examines affective filtering, literacy equity, and middle school reading delays. Her research integrates neuroscience, Disability Studies, Universal Design for Learning, and practitioner-informed inquiry to support equitable literacy instruction for neurodivergent learners.

Learning Science in Action: Rethinking Academic Writing Frameworks

Veteran educator with 25 years of K-3 experience, currently teaching 2nd grade. Specializes in implementing writing frameworks grounded in learning science, using Tier 1 instruction and student output to drive success. Recognized for school and peer leadership, collaboration, and building teacher capacity to strengthen writing practices and improve student outcomes.

Embedding Vocabulary Learning into the Classroom

Emily Chandler is Head of Individuals and Societies at Harrow International School New York and the winner of the Royal Geographical Society’s Rex Walford Award in 2020. Passionate about literacy, Emily has presented on this topic at a variety of conferences across the UK, Europe and USA. 

How to prevent AI study tools from eroding student learning

Andrew Cohen is the founder of Brainscape, an adaptive flashcard platform with over 11 million users. His research focuses on how students learn with digital tools and holds an MA in Instructional Technology & Cognitive Science from Columbia University. He previously worked as an international economist (BLS, World Bank, UN).

Empowering Educators: Evidence-Based Strategies from the Kansas Math Project

Eileen Colling holds a M.E. from Pittsburg State University and a B.S. in Elementary Education from Eastern Michigan University. Eileen’s positions, over 33 years, include elementary/middle school teacher, interventionist, preschool assistant director/director, and assistant principal. She is currently a math specialist for Kansas MTSS & Alignment.

Does mastery learning still work? Revisiting Bloom's claim with new district data

As Senior Manager of Educator Support for Mathematics, Manny works to help teachers and administrators foster academic excellence and mathematical joy through the Modern Classrooms model. Before joining the Modern Classrooms Project, Manny spent more than a decade in Chicago Public Schools (CPS). During his time at CPS, he taught high school mathematics, served as a Network Office 13 Math Instructional Support Leader for 31 K-8 schools, and was part of the CPS District Office High School Math Specialists team, which supported 600+ schools. Manny enjoys coaching and facilitating professional development because he believes professional growth is a transformative process that happens with teachers, not to them.

Learning Science in Action: Rethinking Academic Writing Frameworks

Instructional leader with nearly 20 years of experience advancing multilingual education. Currently a District Multilingual Coach, specializing in research-based frameworks, ACCESS-aligned writing tools, and Tier 1 instruction. Known for using data to drive decisions, scaling effective practices, and improving student outcomes through culturally and linguistically responsive, practical instructional systems.

Teaching Students How Learning Works: Retrieval, Effort, and Motivation for Ages 8–12

Ashley Doty is the founder and CEO of Uncomplicate Ed, where she helps educators cut through the noise and focus on what works. A former teacher, coach, assistant principal, and principal, Ashley brings practical, research-informed professional learning to schools and districts with clarity, energy, and a deep belief in educators.

Implementing Explicit Teaching of Literacy across the Curriculum

Troy has travelled from Toowoomba (QLD, Aus) to highlight the practice that is revolutionizing classroom practice in the diocese of which he is a part. Currently, Troy is the Director of Year 5-9 Curriculum at his school - St Mary's College (Toowoomba), overseeing implementation of science of learning principles.

Beyond One & Done PD: Create a Science of Learning Collaborative

The Working Memory Mini-Lesson Teachers Couldn't Wait to Share: One District's Unexpected Results

Suzy Evans, M.Ed works for SVVSD in Longmont, CO. She is an Instructional Coordinator with a Master's in Learning Design and Technology. She supports teachers and administrators with data analysis and instructional practices. She co-hosts the Vrain Waves podcast and co-facilitates the Science of Learning Collaborative in her district. 

Science Learning Through Civic Narratives

Kevin Fulton is a former elementary and middle school teacher. He is currently a PhD candidate in Educational Psychology at The Ohio State University. After graduation he plans to teach pre-service teachers and equip them to help their future students succeed. 

From Campus to Classroom: Equipping New Teachers to Start Strong and Stay

Dr. Jennifer Gabrian is an experienced educator with 16 years in St. Louis City and County schools, serving middle and high school students. She holds an Ed.S. in K–12 Administration and a doctorate in Instructional Leadership, and supports new teachers in Ritenour to build purposeful, safe, and effective classroom environments.

The Multilingual Decoding & Language Transfer Framework: Improving Diagnostic Precision for Literacy Instruction at the Secondary Level

Marie Garrido Zoeller, Ed.D., is a district secondary literacy leader with Broward County Public Schools, bringing 26 years of experience in ELA, reading, and instructional coaching. A graduate of Johns Hopkins School of Education, she leads large-scale literacy initiatives grounded in the Science of Reading, focused on developing literacy leaders and building coherent schoolwide systems. 

From Campus to Classroom: Equipping New Teachers to Start Strong and Stay

Dr. Evelyn Gilliam is an education leader and Director of Professional Learning who designs impactful experiences for educators. She leads a dynamic new teacher boot camp centered on connection, cultural pedagogy, communication, and collaboration, equipping educators to build inclusive classrooms and drive meaningful student success from day one.

How Will I Know What They’re Really Learning? Improving Instruction Through Formative Assessment

Brain Myths Your Students Probably Believe: Overcoming Wrong Thinking with the Science of Learning

Beth Hawks, author of Show Your Work: Teaching Smarter with the Science of Learning, taught MS/HS science for 25 years. She frequently provided professional development to colleagues in her role as resident brain enthusiast and is now consulting under the name The Learning Hawk.

From Campus to Classroom: Equipping New Teachers to Start Strong and Stay

Karla Henderson is an elementary educator in the Ritenour School District in St. Louis, Missouri. Certified in Early Childhood Education with a Master’s in Curriculum and Instruction. She has experience teaching grades K–3 and mentoring other educators, sharing her expertise and passion for nurturing growth in students and teachers.

The Executive Function Conversation That Changes How You See Your Students

Crista A. Hopp is the founder of Connected Pathways Coaching, specializing in executive function coaching for students of all profiles. She is the creator of Mastering EF, a course that takes educators from the science of the brain to investigating the individual student to knowing exactly which tools to reach for.

What Struggling Readers Actually Need: Closing the Gap Between Literacy Research and Classroom Practice

Dr. Vanessa Howard is Missouri Literacy Association Chair, former principal, university professor, and national presenter with 30+ years supporting educators and students. Her work focuses on structured literacy, dyslexia-informed practices, instructional coaching, and bridging research-based literacy practices with effective classroom implementation.

SDI and Tier One Phonics 

Dr. Karpen is an educational leader with over 24 years of experience in special education, supporting students, educators, and families. She serves as a Lead Teacher and instructional facilitator, providing coaching and job-embedded professional learning aligned to evidence-based practices. Her expertise includes special education law, IEP development, and High-Leverage Practices to strengthen specially designed instruction (SDI). Dr. Karpen is committed to advancing equitable, inclusive systems that improve outcomes for students with disabilities.

From Reluctance to Engagement: Reframing Literacy Through Motivation

Shea Kerkhoff is an associate professor of literacy and secondary education at the University of Missouri-St. Louis. Her new book, Adolescent Literacy: Integrating the Sciences of Reading and Writing in Grades 4-12, bridges research and classroom practice to reimagine literacy instruction for older students.

Creating a Neurodiversity-Affirming School

Emily Kircher-Morris, LPC, is the host of The Neurodiversity Podcast, which explores the psychological, educational, and social needs for enriching the lives of neurodivergent people. She is the author of several books for parents and educators related to supporting neurodivergent learners. She started her career in education and now works as a mental health counselor in private practice outside of St. Louis, Missouri, specializing in supporting neurodivergent people of all ages.

Making Good Activities Even Better: The Power of Cognitive Alignment

Dr. Laski is an Associate Professor at Boston College. Her research explores mechanisms that promote learning and how cognitive science can be used to improve educational activities, particularly for early math. Her articles are published in leading journals including Child Development, Mind, Brain, and Education, and Journal of Educational Psychology.

How Can We Make High Expectations Work for Our Students?

With 28 years of experience in Bronx schools, Edward Liu knows what it takes to help high-needs scholars succeed. During his 15+ years as a Social Studies teacher, Edward spent over a decade in all-ESL high schools, leading students to top Regents scores and helping Bronx English Language Learners achieve college graduation rates that rival the national average. A passionate advocate for teacher growth, he authored the book The More We Become and recently launched his 6-module course, How to Move Towards Becoming a Master Teacher, providing educators with a powerful blueprint to maximize their impact in the classroom.

Teaching Through Language: Constructing Knowledge and Developing Literacy

Diana Martinez is a Biliteracy Instructional Coach at Morton District 201 supporting multilingual learners from preschool through high school. Her work centers on evidence-based literacy and biliteracy instruction grounded in language development and learning science. She is pursuing a dual-major Ed.D. in Reading, Language, Literacy and Linguistics, Diversity and Equity at National Louis University.

Spectrum of Permissibility: How Music Theory Can Help Us Think about the Science of Learning

Rob McEntarffer taught high school English, psychology, and philosophy for 13 years. He became interested in educational measurement issues and worked as an Assessment/Evaluation specialist, then earned his PhD in Teaching, Learning, and Teacher Education. He now teaches in the College of Education at Doane University.

Are you Wrong Like Me?

Michael-Joseph Mercanti-Anthony (who goes by both “Mike” and “MJ” ) has spent the last quarter-century in public education and has previously chaired researchED NYC 2026 and researchED Greenwich 2024. After beginning his career as a high school history and English teacher, he currently serves as principal of Antonia Pantoja Preparatory Academy. He currently serves as chair of the Greenwich Board of Education and a member of the researchED USA Organizing Committee. His writings have appeared in Edutopia, Ed Leadership, The Learning Professional, and the Hechinger Report.

Healing Math Anxiety: Understanding and addressing the roots and remedies

Dr. John Mighton is an award-winning mathematician, playwright and author who had to overcome his own “massive math anxiety” before earning a PhD (Mathematics). As the founder of JUMP Math, he is recognized for ground-breaking work in advancing equity in math education to reveal the math prodigy within every child.

Teaching Through Language: Constructing Knowledge and Developing Literacy

Martin Mireles is a bilingual district instructional coach and literacy specialist for Cicero District 99. He leads curriculum design, professional development, and coaching focused on integrating structured literacy, cognitive science, and applied linguistics into multilingual and dual-language instruction. He presents nationally on evidence-aligned literacy practices. 

Using Memory Principles to Improve Curriculum Activities

Dan Nguyen is a Clinical Assistant Professor at the University of Texas at Austin, where he prepares students to be future secondary Social Studies educators. Previously, he spent almost two decades teaching high school Social Studies. His passion is developing concrete ways for educators to apply principles from cognitive science.

Masterful modeling: Making thinking visible

AJ Pettway is an instructional coach and education consultant with 20+ years of experience teaching and coaching in international, U.S. public, and private schools. He helps schools strengthen instructional coaching and professional learning systems by applying the science of learning to build teacher expertise.

The Power of Studying Student Work

An award winning Teach Like A Champion-featured math teacher, school leader, and superintendent, Paul has spent his career teaching and leading, driven by the study of positive outliers and the science of learning. His work focuses on teaching the science of learning and related high impact practices that lead to incredible growth in student learning outcomes and character.

Getting to Grips with the Research: Lessons from 38 Book Summaries (and Counting!)

Helen Reynolds is a teacher and author. She has taught science in public schools in the UK since 1988, and physics in private schools in Arizona from 2016.- 2025. She writes MS and HS science textbooks for the international markets. She is passionate about cognitive science applications in the classroom.

Healing Math Anxiety: Understanding and addressing the roots and remedies

Daniel serves as the Math Department Coordinator at Winston Prep NYC. He earned an M.S. in Mathematics Education at the University of Rochester and has spoken on math anxiety at several national conferences. Previously, Daniel earned a dual B.S. in Economics/Statistics from Duke and worked at BlackRock.

From Campus to Classroom: Equipping New Teachers to Start Strong and Stay

Carin Rook is the librarian at Ritenour Middle School with 15 years of experience in education. She has supported new educators for three years through Ritenour’s Boot Camp. Carin holds an MLIS and certifications in Early Childhood, Gifted Education, and Inclusive Classroom Teaching.

Beyond One & Done PD: Create a Science of Learning Collaborative

The Working Memory Mini-Lesson Teachers Couldn't Wait to Share: One District's Unexpected Results

Shane Saeed, Ed.D works for SVVSD in Longmont, CO. She is an Elementary ELA Curriculum Coordinator, author, and national speaker with a doctorate in educational equity. She co-hosts the Vrain Waves podcast and co-facilitates the Science of Learning Collaborative in her district. She enjoys collaborating with teachers globally via Instagram.

Taming stress, overwhelm, and imposter syndrome: An evidence-based survival kit for teachers

I study, write, and speak about how teachers and others doing tough vocational work can have better working lives. Clinical Assistant Professor at UBC. Doctor working with rural Indigenous populations in Canada, former legal aid lawyer, experienced educator and speaker. 

"Are We Getting Paid for This?": What One Teacher's 8th Grade Data Reveals About Retrieval Practice

Mike Schulist has taught middle school science for over 30 years and has always been fascinated by how the mind works — a curiosity reflected in his Master's thesis, his jazz piano combos, and his ongoing attempt to learn enough tennis to win a USTA match.

Inclusive Teaching: How do you teach 30 students at the same time?

Tom Sherrington is the Director of Teaching Walkthrus and an author. He writes the popular blog teacherhead.com. and his books include The Learning Rainforest and best-seller Rosenshine’s Principles in Action. Most recently he co-authored the popular Teaching WalkThrus series with Oliver Caviglioli, reaching 50 countries worldwide. With 30 years' experience as a teacher and school leader, Tom is in demand from schools around the world to deliver PD for teachers and leadership teams through WalkThrus. He is a regular keynote speaker and contributor to conferences and education festivals.

Teacher Perceptions of Self-Efficacy and Preparedness to Teach Multilingual Learners

Dr. Jessica Smogorzewski is an educational leader with experience across diverse school districts in the St. Louis area. Her work centers on improving outcomes for Multilingual Learners and advancing teacher self-efficacy. She is committed to data-informed practices, collaborative leadership, and creating inclusive learning environments that empower all students to succeed.

Beyond Burnout: What the Evidence Really Says About Teacher Retention

Dr. Jennifer Spencer is a speaker and researcher in teacher trauma, burnout, and retention. She has over ten years in disability services, classroom teaching, state education, and vocational rehabilitation. She holds a PhD in Educational Leadership, earned in 2025, and is the author of Teaching on Empty. Her work focuses on improving educator well-being, self-efficacy, and workforce sustainability.

Let’s Talk More About Instructional Design (and the Science of Learning)

Dr. Gene Tavernetti has been involved in education for over thirty years. He has served as coach, teacher, counselor, administrator, and consultant. He is the author of Teach FAST and Maximizing the Impact of Coaching Cycles and co-author of Digital Captives. He is a co-founder of Total Educational Systems Support (TESS) and holds a core belief about children and adults: Given the right environment and proper support, everyone can improve and succeed.

Background Knowledge: They Don’t Know What They Don’t Know

Seema has over twelve years of experience leading students, teachers, and leaders towards literacy success, influencing over 150,000 students in 350+ schools. She has held various positions in urban school districts, including reading specialist, literacy coach, reading/language arts director, and chief academic officer.

Seema holds master’s degrees in reading and education leadership from Teachers College, Columbia University and The George Washington University. She is also a reading specialist, Wilson® Dyslexia Practitioner, and Certified Academic Language Practitioner (CALP).

Closing Opportunity Gaps: Research-Informed Practices to Support Black Male Student Success

Dr. Kenneth D. Waters, is the Founder and Principal Consultant of The Distinguished Group, a leadership coaching and professional development firm that partners with schools and mission-driven organizations to strengthen culture, leadership capacity, and student outcomes. His work is grounded in his doctoral research on advancing Black male students’ academic achievement and postsecondary success, as well as his lived experience as an educator and school leader. Dr. Waters regularly facilitates trainings on equity, leadership, and organizational effectiveness and serves as an instructor and facilitator in higher education and professional learning settings.

Executive Functions for Every Classroom

Mitch Weathers is an educator, author, and internationally recognized voice on executive functioning in the classroom. He is known for translating brain science into practical strategies that work in real classrooms. Through his writing, speaking, and consulting, Mitch helps educators support skills like organization, task initiation, self-regulation, and follow-through while providing schools with a shared language and practical tools to better support students.

The Working Memory Mini-Lesson Teachers Couldn't Wait to Share: One District's Unexpected Results

Gretchen Wegner is a classroom teacher turned academic coach and founder of the Anti-Boring Learning Lab. With a master's in Curriculum and Instruction, she has built a national reputation helping coaches, tutors, and teachers translate cognitive science into actionable strategies for study skills, executive function, and metacognition — especially for neurodivergent learners. She speaks, writes, and teaches across the country from her home base in Oakland, CA.

Behaviour by Design: Designing Scaffolds to Improve Student Decision-Making

How to prevent AI study tools from eroding student learning

Richard Wheadon is a School Improvement Partner for Wrexham Local Authority. He is the author of Learning Habits and Thriving as a Supply, Substitute or Cover Teacher, and has delivered professional development to teachers and workshops for students and parents worldwide.

Let’s Talk More About Instructional Design (and the Science of Learning)

Glenn Whitman (@gwhitmancttl) is a history teacher at St. Andrew’s where he also directs the Center for Transformative Teaching and Learning that was awarded the International Mind, Brain, and Education Society's "Mission Award". Glenn is the co-author of Neuroteach: Brain Science and the Future of Education and co-designer of Neuroteach Global. Glenn has presented at public, private, and international school conferences world-wide including: Learning Forward, New Teacher Center Symposium, ASUGSV, SXSWedu, researchEd, National Association of Independent Schools Annual Conference, National Network of Schools in Partnership, International Mind, Brain, and Education Conference, and Learning and the Brain Conference.