Research-Informed Teaching: What It Looks Like in the Classroom

How many educators have read a book, attended a conference, or pursued college or graduate work in how the brain learns? When the editors of Research-Informed Teaching asked their colleagues, they found that only 20% had.


That discovery led to a strategic decision by their school-they would train 100% of their current and future teachers and administrators in the science of teaching learning, using the promising principles, research, and strategies in mind, brain, and education (MBE).



The editors started collecting cases of MBE in action, resulting in this compilation of research-informed stories that will engage the reader in the transformative work of using research to inform their practice in a way befitting what it means to be an evidence-informed educator.



Every child, every day, everywhere deserves teachers and school leaders who know how the brain learns. This collection provides models of how to make that possible in your classroom, school, district, or program with your students.

Glenn Whitman is a history teacher and Dreyfuss Family Director of the Center for Transformative Teaching and Learning (CTTL) at St. Andrew's Episcopal School. He is the co-author of Neuroteach: Brain Science and the Future of Education, the co-designer of Neuroteach Global and Neuroteach Global Student, and the co-editor of Think Differently and Deeply, the international publication of the CTTL. Glenn earned his MALS from Dartmouth College and a BA from Dickinson College and has shared the work of the CTTL through publications such as Edutopia, Mind, Brain, and Education, ASCD Express, "Impact" from Chartered College, and EdSurge. He has presented around the world at public, charter, private, and international school conferences including: Learning Forward, New Teacher Center, Learning & Brain, Festival of Education, and SXSWedu.

Richard Coco is the Director of Communications and Marketing at St. Andrew's Episcopal School. He began his professional career in journalism, winning awards for his writing from both the North Carolina and South Carolina Press Associations. After leaving journalism, Richard entered athletics communications and was the media contact for the George Mason men's basketball team during its Cinderella run to the Final Four. Since coming to St. Andrew's in 2011, he co-edited every edition of Think Differently and Deeply, the international publication of the CTTL. Richard earned a BA from Brandeis University and is a frequent presenter at independent school conferences.

Dr. Ian Kelleher is the Dreyfuss Family Chair of Research at St. Andrew's Episcopal School and co-author of Neuroteach: Brain Science and the Future of Education. He grew up in the UK, got a PhD at Cambridge, then moved to the U.S., where he has spent the last twenty-nine years teaching chemistry, physics and robotics. He coached boys JV soccer for twenty years. Ian's work for the CTTL focuses on helping teachers translate Mind, Brain, and Education research into classroom practices, and measuring the impact. Ian has presented at Learning & the Brain, SXSWedu, the UK's Festival of Education, ResearchED, and NAIS Annual Conference, and written for publications including ASCD, Edutopia, EdSurge, Impact, and Mind, Brain and Education.