In this episode of Knowledge for Teachers, host Brendan Lee sits down with Karen Robertson, national CEO of Life Ed Australia, to explore the escalating youth health crisis and the critical role of health literacy. Far from just kicking a ball around, modern preventative health requires a robust, evidence-backed approach.

Listeners will discover surprising data from the frontlines of education, including why 81 per cent of children aged two to five are already using the internet. Karen unpacks how to transition from traditional, fear-based warnings to a strength-based curriculum that builds critical thinking. Crucially, you will learn how Life Ed carries the load for time-poor educators, with research revealing that 89 per cent of teachers report significantly improved confidence in embedding wellbeing strategies post-visit.

Tune in for a thoughtful discussion packed with practical, research-grounded insights to help your students truly thrive.

You can connect with Karen:

Linkedin: @karen-robertson-mtc

Website: lifeed.org.au

You can connect with Brendan:

Twitter/X: @learnwithmrlee

Facebook: @learningwithmrlee

Linkedin: @brendan-lee-kft

Website:learnwithlee.net

Substack: knowledgeforteachers.substack.com/

Support the Knowledge for Teachers Podcast:

https://www.patreon.com/KnowledgeforTeachersPodcast

In this special follow-up to the popular episode with Dr. Kent Johnson and Andrew Kieta on the Morningside Model that Guarantees Two Years of Growth in One, host Brendan Lee draws out the practical learning science expertise of university lecturer Dr Russ Fox and MTSS leader Karina Stocker. This conversation bridges the macro principles of the Morningside model directly with the reality of the classroom through the lens of the Instructional Hierarchy.

Listeners will hear Karina and Russ break down how to spot the hidden "tool skills" that frequently block student progress in reading and mathematics. They challenge common misconceptions about explicit instruction, detailing why the "We Do" phase must be a dynamic, data-driven interaction to build accurate acquisition. Plus, they share how to transition students into fluency building by measuring the rate of correct responses rather than simple percentages.

If you’re keen to delve deeper into the key mechanisms behind the Morningside Model of Generative Instruction and more, then this conversation is essential listening.

Resources mentioned:

• MorningsideAcademy.org
• Ryan O’Donnell’s documentary about Morningside Academy: The Morningside Model of Generative Instruction
• Thomas Gilbert’s Mathetics
• S01E01 – Dr. Russ Fox on building relationships, routines and using reinforcers
• Trina Spencer: Learning How Learning Works Helps Teachers Teach
• Mastery Schools Australia
• Brendan Lee: "Engineering the Aha! When Discovery Learning Actually Works"
• Stocker, K. L., Fox, R. A., Swain, N. R., & Leif, E. S. (2024). Between the lines: Integrating the science of reading and the science of behavior to improve reading outcomes for Australian children. Behavior and Social Issues, 33(1), 504-531.

You can connect with Karina:

Linkedin

You can connect with Russ:

Linkedin

You can connect with Brendan:

Twitter/X: @learnwithmrlee

Facebook: @learningwithmrlee

Linkedin: @brendan-lee-kft

Website: learnwithlee.net

https://www.patreon.com/KnowledgeforTeachersPodcast

As teachers, we’ve all felt the frustration of watching a student fall through the cracks because the curriculum is moving faster than they are. We’ve all wondered: how do we actually catch them up without just ‘watering down’ the work?

In this episode, Brendan Lee is joined by Dr. Kent Johnson and Andrew Kieta from Morningside Academy. What makes this conversation so special is that it’s not just theory. Morningside has spent over 40 years in their Seattle lab school proving that these challenges have answers. They have essentially "cracked the code" on the most persistent problems we face in schools.

They dive into their world-renowned model of Generative Instruction, exploring how they use "Precision Teaching" to build effortless fluency and why they group students by achievement rather than age. You’ll learn why a student who is 100% accurate can still be struggling and how a "Money Back Guarantee" on student growth is actually possible when you engineer instruction with this much precision. This is a deep look at how we can stop "praying and spraying" our teaching and start giving every student the success they deserve.

Resources mentioned:

• MorningsideAcademy.org
• Morningside Summer Institute
• John Dewey: How We Think
• Lev Vygotsky
• Michael Maloney
• Israel Goldiamond
• Tom Gilbert - Mathetics
• Ogden Lindsley
• Carl Binder
• Owen White
• Norris Haring
• B.F. Skinner
• Jerome Bruner
• Fred Keller
• Brendan Lee: "Engineering the Aha! When Discovery Learning Actually Works"
• Ryan O’Donnell’s documentary about Morningside Academy: The Morningside Model of Generative Instruction

You can connect with Kent:

Linkedin

You can connect with Andrew:

Linkedin

You can connect with Brendan:

Twitter/X: @learnwithmrlee

Facebook: @learningwithmrlee

Linkedin: @brendan-lee-kft

Website: learnwithlee.net

https://www.patreon.com/KnowledgeforTeachersPodcast