In this episode, Stephanie and I speak with neuroscientist and former teacher Dr. Jared Cooney Horvath about what schools get wrong, and why so many well-intended initiatives fall apart in real classrooms.

We talk about why teaching is a craft, why teachers should be treated as the core experts, and why schools struggle to build shared, usable evidence about what works. Jared also challenges common assumptions about classroom technology and AI. He explains why these tools often function as production shortcuts, not learning supports, and why knowledge has to come before skills like critical thinking and creativity.

About Dr. Jared Cooney Horvath

Jared Cooney Horvath (PhD, MEd) is a neuroscientist, educator, and best-selling author who specializes in human learning and brain development. He is the creator of The Learning Blueprint, an international award-winning program helping educators and students understand how learning actually works.
Jared has conducted research and taught at Harvard University, Harvard Medical School, and the University of Melbourne, and has worked with more than 1,000 schools around the world. He is the author of six books, has published over fifty research articles, and his work has appeared in The New Yorker, The Atlantic, The Economist, Harvard Business Review, and ABC’s Catalyst.
Jared currently serves as Director of LME Global, an organization dedicated to bringing cutting-edge brain and behavioral science to educators, students, and communities. To inquire about working with him, or to learn more about his international award-winning Science of Learning programs (The Learning Blueprint for Teachers & The Learning Blueprint for Students), visit lmeglobal.com.
Socials:
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/jaredcooney
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jared-cooney-horvath-phd-med-730704b2/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jared.cooney.horvath/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lmeglobal.net

What actually drives student growth, and why do so few schools get it right? In this episode, Dr. Tequilla Brownie breaks down the core conditions that help students catch up and move forward. We talk about expectations, coherence, belonging, and why TNTP’s research continues to reshape how schools think about improvement.

Dr. Brownie also shares clear guidance for leaders who want to focus their teams, avoid ineffective approaches, and build the consistency needed for real gains. We end with a grounded conversation about AI, data, and the decisions schools should be making now.

About Dr. Tequilla Brownie

Dr. Tequilla Brownie is the CEO of TNTP, a national nonprofit that supports schools in 39 states and territories on work tied to student outcomes, strong instruction, and real access to opportunity. She oversees TNTP’s strategy, operations, partnerships, and research agenda.

Her path from rural poverty to Yale to leading TNTP shapes her clear view of how public systems support or limit young people. She is a respected national voice whose work has been featured in The New York Times, The Washington Post, USA TODAY, and on CNN. She has spoken at ASU GSV, TEDx, and to the National Governors Association, and has been recognized as a Pahara Fellow, a 2025 ASU GSV Power of Women Winner, and one of Brightbeam’s Top 30 Education Influencers.

Dr. Brownie serves on boards including Stand for Children, PIE Network, and ForwARd Arkansas. She is a Senior Fellow at FutureEd at Georgetown’s McCourt School of Public Policy, and a member of EdLoC and Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated. Before becoming CEO, she spent a decade at TNTP leading major growth efforts and building partnerships with districts and funders. Earlier in her career, she worked in Memphis City Schools on teacher effectiveness reforms. She is also a licensed therapist and former school social worker. Dr. Brownie holds degrees from Yale University, the University of Tennessee, and the University of Memphis.

In this episode, Stephanie talks with Haili Hughes about why so many teachers feel worn down and what actually helps. Haili explains how shared curriculum and clear systems give teachers more time, more confidence, and more control of their work. They unpack the difference between agency and autonomy, why doing everything alone does not make teaching better, and how small shifts in practice can cut workload without cutting quality. They also dig into retention, lethal mutations, and the gap between research and everyday classroom life.

About Haili Hughes
Haili Hughes is an educator, researcher, author, and Director of Professional Development across 11 schools in Merseyside, England. She has served as a commissioner on the Teaching Commission, writes widely about teacher retention and effective instruction, and is known for helping schools understand agency, curriculum alignment, and evidence informed practice. Before working in education, she was a national newspaper journalist, a path that shaped her interest in values, integrity, and teaching with purpose.