Ep.168

Value

In this episode of The Literacy View, we have an amazing conversation with Assistant Superintendent Lynn Gaffney about why so many school initiatives fail and what actually leads to meaningful, lasting change. We dig into the realities of implementation, initiative overload, leadership decisions, and what schools need to stop doing if they want improvement efforts to truly stick.

Promise

An honest, practical conversation for educators and leaders who are tired of watching schools jump from one initiative to the next without real results. No buzzwords. No fluff. Just real talk about what actually works when it comes to improving schools and supporting students and teachers.

Bio-Lynn Gaffney is the Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum & Instruction and Chief Diversity Officer for the Watertown City School District. Passionate about empowering student success, she is committed to supporting educators, strengthening instructional practices, and creating school systems where all students can thrive academically and personally.

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Ep.167-What Actually Works In Schools

The Literacy View live from researchED.

VALUE:
In this episode with Jim Heal, we call out the truth most schools avoid. We are not failing because teachers are not working hard. We are failing because we keep chasing everything instead of committing to what actually works. Jim breaks down mental models, worked examples, and the science of learning in a way that actually makes sense for real classrooms. This is where research meets reality and where a lot of what schools are doing gets exposed for what it is.

PROMISE:
You will leave knowing exactly what to stop doing, what is worth doubling down on, and how to make your instruction actually stick. No more guessing. No more wasted time. Just clear, actionable moves you can use tomorrow that will actually impact student learning. No fluff. No hiding. No BS.

Jim Heal’s Resource Link:

https://www.learningsciencepartners.com/resources

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Join Us This Saturday Live In NYC!💜

🚨 WE’RE GOING LIVE RESEARCHED NYC 2026 🚨

No fluff. No boring PD. Just real conversations that actually matter.

Join us live 👇

🎤 Lynn Gaffney 9:00 AM
Making It Stick: Why School Initiatives Fail and What Actually Works
👉 https://www.youtube.com/live/4ismP8GCM3w?si=KXJZrHHlOaAeZPiQ

🧠 Zaretta Hammond 11:30 AM
If Students Aren’t Doing the Thinking, They Aren’t Learning
👉 https://www.youtube.com/live/JCpr3ulYvf0?si=Aw-TIPqJjrA_4hKa

🎙 Jim Heal 2:50 PM
The Initiative Carousel: Why Nothing Sticks and What Actually Works
👉 https://www.youtube.com/live/P6mtNiu7nLM?si=9ENJCfej9tu6h4m4

🎥 General Livestream All Day
👉 https://www.youtube.com/live/QcJ6wOygLOs?si=TJq90-dqBFYPqxUa

📅 May 2, 2026

👇 Clickable schedule attached below
Open it and tap any session

Let’s go. No BS. 🍻

👉 Drop I’M IN if you’re joining live and share it!

📎 ATTACH
👉  👇 ResearchEd NYC 2026 Clickable Schedule
https://drive.google.com/file/d/10F0ZYzsvqX5YTeLbwZ7yWeKiSKdZlMpQ/view

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Ep.165

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NEVER BEFORE‼️
The Controversial Four!

Ep.164

1) SoR gone wrong
⚠️$$$$$$ 🤔

Article: https://hechingerreport.org/new-york-ten-million-reading-instruction/?fbclid=IwdGRleARTu3JleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAo2NjI4NTY4Mzc5AAEeqbWxaS5IvvzlW4XxIdG4RN3kgnT7cDuSDppB69uyRhEscHxSzV6xlJ8Um3E_aem_2PbKgzuF_DYLzkAMMolz4g

2) LETRS

Article:https://epaa.asu.edu/index.php/epaa/article/view/8621?fbclid=IwdGRleARTu-FleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAo2NjI4NTY4Mzc5AAEeTZsqlLJ8uzBNbJh9BfsWwgGfLKZ7rlb8ue1HtgDCPGfCrpj6Kf0vAIoYHLQ_aem_zlmljByvtOiU7MRi2dp-0g&utm_id=97758_v0_s00_e0_tv0

3) IReady-https://open.substack.com/pub/thedigitaldelusion/p/i-ready-13-million-students-zero?utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web

4) Chromebooks
⚠️$$$$$$ 😤

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/29/technology/chromebook-remorse-kansas-school-laptops.html?unlocked_article_code=1.XFA.vfJk._ZwHxPwLRLGW&smid=nytcore-ios-share&fbclid=IwdGRleARTvBxleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZAo2NjI4NTY4Mzc5AAEe5vL57xFfJIeLBE9jAV1_QPvSo5BSY-aZ9df74t3t6cgr_J-DilVKLhF12vk_aem_oNIMmFa5gVfXdMQopDAAwQ

Do you see a theme here?

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Ep.163

VALUE 🔥

This episode is about the power of strong foundations and why they matter in every subject. We break down how the science of learning applies across literacy, math, science, and social studies so you can make smarter instructional decisions every single day. You will walk away knowing exactly what to prioritize, how to spot gaps early, and how to build knowledge and skills that actually stick.

PROMISE 🎯

We are saying the quiet part out loud. If foundational skills are not solid, students will struggle no matter the subject or grade. The brain is the brain. This is a real conversation about our responsibility as educators to build and strengthen those foundations from the start so students do not fall behind later. No fluff. No blaming. Just what works.

SCIENTISTS IN THE MAKING

Multiplication Facts in High School

How to Rebuild Weak Math

Foundations

MS. SAM

FEB 28, 2026

Marcie Samayoa is a tenth-year high school science teacher from Los Angeles, CA.

Article Discussed: https://open.substack.com/pub/scientistsinthemaking/p/multiplication-facts-in-high-school?r=6k3ev&utm_medium=ios

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Ep.162

VALUE 🔥

What if we have been thinking about small group instruction all wrong?

In this episode, Nell Duke brings the real talk on what actually matters in literacy instruction right now. We dig into the role of knowledge building, why science and social studies cannot keep getting pushed aside, and what it really means to use small group reading instruction wisely.

This is not surface-level PD. This is the kind of conversation that makes you rethink your schedule, your blocks, and what students truly need to become strong readers.

PROMISE 🎯

You will walk away knowing exactly why your literacy block may need a serious shift and how to start thinking differently about small groups, comprehension, and knowledge building.

If you have ever wondered

Are we overdoing small groups?

Are we sacrificing knowledge for skills?

What should literacy actually look like during the day?

This episode delivers answers you can actually use tomorrow.

Article: https://www.edweek.org/teaching-learning/opinion-yes-small-group-reading-instruction-works-but-use-it-wisely/2025/12

New Resource: https://greatfirsteight.org/

Guest Bio:Nell K. Duke is the executive director of the Center for Early Literacy and Learning

Success at Stand for Children, a professor of education and psychology at the University of Michigan, and the co-director of Great First Eight, a full-day early-childhood curriculum.

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Ep.161

🔥 Value

If you are questioning whether screens are helping or hurting your students or your own kids, this episode gives you clarity. We break down what screens may be doing to attention, language, and learning, and what actually matters in real classrooms and homes. You will walk away with concrete things to think about, discuss, and watch for.

🔥 Promise

This episode will challenge you to think more carefully about screen use and consider how it may be affecting kids in ways we cannot afford to ignore.

Article discussed:https://hechingerreport.org/ipads-in-kindergarten-youtube-videos-at-snack-time-parents-are-pushing-back-on-screen-time-in-the-early-grades/

Additional Articles:

https://www.educationnext.org/logged-in-tuned-out-fifteen-years-billions-of-dollars-later-what-has-learning-tech-accomplished/

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