October 2025 Newsletter

Hello,
This week we focus on connecting the science of how students learn with the strategies that make learning stick. From boosting comprehension to building confident writers, each article offers practical ways to strengthen learning at every level.

This edition of the Learning-Focused Newsletter explores:

  • Small Words, Big Impact: Why Ignoring Cohesive Devices Undermines Comprehension
  • The Golden Pencil Effect: Building Independent Kindergarten Writers
  • Color Isn't Comprehension: Why Graphic Organizers Matter More Than Highlighters
  • School Leaders Drive Improvement by Connecting the Science of Learning with High Yield Strategies
  • Secondary Novel Analysis: Night

    Enjoy!
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Small Words, Big Impact: Why Ignoring Cohesive Devices Undermines Comprehension
Small Words, Big Impact: Why Ignoring Cohesive Devices Undermines Comprehension

Small Words, Big Impact: Why Ignoring Cohesive Devices Undermines Comprehension

Many students can decode words but still miss the author’s meaning. This article reveals how overlooking small words like however and therefore can derail comprehension—and how a few simple teaching strategies can make all the difference.

The Golden Pencil Effect: Building Independent Kindergarten Writers
The Golden Pencil Effect: Building Independent Kindergarten Writers

The Golden Pencil Effect: Building Independent Kindergarten Writers

Guiding young students to become confident, independent writers can feel both exciting and challenging, especially when every child is learning at a different pace. In The Golden Pencil Effect, one kindergarten teacher shares how joyful routines, clear modeling, and celebration helped her students see themselves as real writers — and how you can spark that same independence in your classroom.

Color Isn't Comprehension: Why Graphic Organizers Matter More Than Highlighters
Color Isn’t Comprehension: Why Graphic Organizers Matter More Than Highlighters

Color Isn’t Comprehension: Why Graphic Organizers Matter More Than Highlighters

Too many classrooms mistake the glow of a highlighter for real comprehension. Highlighting and annotating look productive, but they rarely help students connect ideas or build lasting understanding. This article reveals why graphic organizers outperform these habits and how one simple protocol can transform surface reading into deep, connected thinking.

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Product Spotlight: Structured Review

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Do your students forget what they learned just days after you’ve taught it? Our free online course, Structured Review, shows you how to make learning last with quick, effective routines that build retention and reinforce mastery. You’ll discover how to turn brief review moments into powerful learning opportunities that stick.

Once you’ve experienced the difference Structured Review makes, explore our full collection of Targeted Courses — each one designed to strengthen a specific high-yield strategy and elevate your teaching impact. From Activating Strategies to Summarizing and Questioning, you’ll find everything you need to plan smarter and teach stronger.

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School Leaders Drive Improvement by Connecting the Science of Learning with High Yield Strategies
School Leaders Drive Improvement by Connecting the Science of Learning with High Yield Strategies

School Leaders Drive Improvement by Connecting the Science of Learning with High Yield Strategies

Schools work tirelessly to improve instruction, but too often, lessons look effective without truly building lasting understanding. Teachers focus on activity instead of learning, leaving students remembering less than they should. By connecting how the brain learns with what great teaching looks like, leaders can turn strategies into science-backed habits that strengthen memory, deepen thinking, and lead to measurable gains in student achievement.

Secondary Novel Analysis: Night
Secondary Novel Analysis: Night

Secondary Novel Analysis: Night

Elie Wiesel’s Night offers rich opportunities for literary analysis that extend beyond historical study. This article helps teachers uncover the novel’s key themes, symbolism, and narrative techniques while providing guidance on how to use the text to strengthen students’ analytical reading and critical thinking skills in secondary classrooms.

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Product Spotlight: Pathways to Student Engagement: A Guide for Math Instruction

Create Dynamic, Student-Centered Math Lessons

This research-backed guide helps math educators and leaders cultivate authentic, sustained engagement by integrating High-Yield Strategies within the Distributed Practice Framework. Learn how to launch lessons with Activating Strategies, strengthen learning through Collaborative Pairs and Error Analysis, and close with effective Summarizing strategies.

  • Kickstart thinking with purposeful Activating Strategies.
  • Use collaborative routines and error analysis to deepen understanding.
  • Boost retention with verbal, written, and visual summarizing.
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