
Conceptually Speaking
Conceptually Speaking is a show about exploring the cognitive processes and social practices that help us make sense of our world. As as teacher-scholar interested in the intersection of educational theory, practice, and scholarship, I host conversations with guests ranging from practicing educators to neuroscientists and literary scholars to YouTube video essayists. Each episode shares a common purpose: to consider, critique, and reconceptualize what we think and feel about education. If you enjoy the show and want to learn more, subscribe wherever you get your podcasts, find me on Substack, and check out trevoraleo.com for more information, resources, and details on professional learning.
Conceptually Speaking
Michael Weingarth talks Learning, Adaptation, and Neuropsychology
Today’s episode of Conceptually Speaking features Michael Weingarth, founder of Pillars of Learning neuropsychological tutoring. In addition to his work creating personalized tutoring and test preparation programs for students, Michael has what I can only describe as an encyclopedic knowledge of all things science of learning related. In the few conversations we had leading up to the podcast, and during the podcast itself, I constantly found myself scribbling notes, book titles, and names of researchers I had to dig into. Our conversation today attempts to peel back the layers on a lot of the reductive and problematic assumptions that often accompany notions of learning and intelligence. It’s a great example of just how complex learning truly is and how much damage we can do when we attempt to flatten and quantify that complexity with faulty tools and instruments. In fact, the heart of Michael's work is focused on synthesizing and coordinating siloed perspectives, approaches, and domains of research to develop a more well-rounded understanding of how people learn. This episode is dense with resources, follower recommendations, and cutting-edge research, so grab a writing utensil and get ready to dive in. We hope you enjoy it.
https://pillarsoflearning.com/