Science of Learning and Data-Driven Instruction with Kimberly Berens and Michael Mercanti-Anthony
Popular guest Dr. Kimberly Nix Berens returns to the show. She’s a scientist-educator, Founder of Fit Learning, and author of Blind Spots: Why students fail and the science that can save them. We’re also joined by Dr. Michael-Joseph Mercanti-Anthony, principal of Antonia Pantoja Preparatory Academy, a public school for students in grades 6-12 in the southwest Bronx.
We talk about:
- Defining the science of learning, and which students and subjects it applies to
- How instruction designed from the science of learning improves educational outcomes
- Causes of skepticism (earned and unearned) and how to combat it
- Why are schools resistant to implementing science-driven instruction?
- The difference between "evidence-based" and "data-driven” instruction
- Why "data-driven" instruction is essential for improving learning outcomes with individual students
- Building school-wide capacity: buy-in and training
- Certainty with approach vs. certainty in the linearity, outcomes
Listen to my previous conversation with Kimberly Berens about her book, Blind Spots: https://bit.ly/486xHpY
Visit https://bepodcast.network to learn more about the Be Podcast Network for educators.
About today’s guests
Kimberly Nix Berens, Ph.D., is a scientist-educator and Founder of Fit Learning. She co-created a powerful system of instruction based in behavioral science and the Technology of Teaching, which has transformed the learning abilities of thousands of children worldwide, including those who are struggling, average, gifted, or learning disabled. For more than 20 years, her system of instruction has produced one year’s worth of academic growth in only 40 hours of training. Her learning programs effectively target such essential areas as early learning skills, basic classroom readiness, phonemic awareness, reading fluency, comprehension, inferential language, basic and advanced mathematics, logical problem solving, grammar, and expressive writing. Learn more at http://www.drkimberlyberens.com
Dr. Michael-Joseph Mercanti-Anthony is the principal of Antonia Pantoja Preparatory Academy, a public school for students in grades 6-12 in the southwest Bronx. He is also an elected member of the Greenwich, CT Board of Education, where he served as chair of the 2024 researchEd Greenwich conference. He taught high school social studies and English for ten years before becoming an administrator. His writings have appeared in Edutopia, Educational Leadership, and the Hechinger Report. Learn more at http://mjma.info
About the host
Ross Romano is a co-founder of the Be Podcast Network and CEO of September Strategies, a coaching and consulting firm that helps organizations and high-performing leaders in the K-12 education industry communicate their vision and make strategic decisions that lead to long-term success. Connect on LinkedIn or Bluesky.
I also host Sideline Sessions, a podcast for coaches and parents of student-athletes. The show features conversations with coaches and performance experts in the NFL, NBA, NCAA, Olympics, and more. Listen here: https://bit.ly/3Rp0QGt
Creators and Guests
Host
Ross Romano
Co-founder of Be Podcast Network and CEO of September Strategies. Strategist, consultant, and performance coach.
Guest
Dr. Kimberly Berens
Scientist-educator, Founder of Fit Learning, author of Blind Spots: Why students fail and the science that can save them.
