Learning That Sticks by Bryan Goodwin & Tonia Gibson & Kristin Rouleau Summary

Learning That Sticks presents a brain-based six-phase model for K-12 instruction, blending cognitive science with practical strategies to help educators design lessons that align with how students process information. It emphasizes fostering curiosity, intentional teaching, and structured learning experiences to enhance retention and application. The book bridges theory and practice, offering tools to create engaging classrooms where students actively build lasting knowledge.

This book is ideal for K-12 teachers, instructional coaches, and curriculum designers seeking to align teaching practices with cognitive science. It’s also valuable for administrators aiming to support evidence-based professional development. Educators interested in moving beyond traditional methods to address how students actually learn will find actionable insights.

Yes, particularly for educators prioritizing research-backed methods. It combines neuroscience with classroom-tested strategies, offering a clear framework (the six-phase model) to improve lesson design. Reviewers praise its practicality in addressing the “black box” of student cognition, making it a standout resource for transforming teaching practices.

1. Become Interested: Spark curiosity and emotional safety.
2. Commit to Learning: Set goals to maintain focus.
3. Focus on New Learning: Engage actively with content.
4. Make Sense of Learning: Connect new ideas to prior knowledge.
5. Practice and Reflect: Reinforce through repetition and self-assessment.
6. Extend and Apply: Transfer learning to novel contexts.

The book positions curiosity as the foundation of learning, urging teachers to design “hook” activities (e.g., real-world problems or provocative questions) during the Become Interested phase. It stresses emotional safety and relevance, ensuring students’ brains are primed to engage deeply.

Key strategies include:

• Scaffolding complex tasks into manageable steps.
• Metacognitive prompts (e.g., “What’s confusing about this?”).
• Retrieval practice to strengthen memory.
• Peer-to-peer explanation to solidify understanding.

These align with the six-phase model, ensuring strategies match how the brain processes information.

Teachers can structure lessons around the six phases: start with curiosity-driving hooks, clarify learning goals, use interactive activities for new content, facilitate connections, embed low-stakes practice, and assign real-world projects. For example, a science lesson might begin with a surprising experiment (Phase 1) and end with a community-based conservation plan (Phase 6).

The book grounds its model in neuroscience, explaining how attention, memory encoding, and retrieval work. For instance, it highlights the brain’s tendency to filter out non-essential information, justifying the emphasis on curiosity and relevance in early learning phases.

Yes, it includes examples like:

• Case studies for problem-solving (Phase 3).
• Mind mapping to visualize connections (Phase 4).
• Peer teaching to reinforce understanding (Phase 5).

These activities are designed to align with each phase’s cognitive goals.

The six-phase model serves as a template for sequencing activities. Teachers can “zoom out” to ensure lessons follow the brain’s natural learning progression and “zoom in” to diagnose where breakdowns occur (e.g., insufficient practice time). This structure reduces guesswork and enhances intentionality.

Some educators note the model requires significant preparation time and may need adaptation for diverse classrooms. A minor critique is the limited focus on technology integration, though the core principles remain applicable across teaching contexts.

Unlike anecdotal guides, it offers a unified framework rooted in cognitive science, similar to Make It Stick but more actionable for K-12 settings. It avoids oversimplification, balancing theory with tools like phase-specific reflection questions and planning templates.