Harvard M.Ed. Andrew Watson on Working Memory
Few things are more frustrating than feeling like your brain just won’t hold onto information. You try to follow directions. You lose track halfway through. You ask a question that was just answered. And eventually, you start wondering if something is wrong with you. In this episode of Executive Function for All, Brandon sits down with Andrew Watson — former high school teacher, Harvard M.Ed. in Mind, Brain, and Education, and author of Learning Begins — to unpack the science of working memory. Here’s the hard truth: Working memory capacity is limited for everyone. And despite what some programs claim, research does not strongly support that we can artificially increase it. But here’s the hopeful part: We can design systems that reduce overload and make learning more manageable. Andrew shares: • What working memory actually is • Why it feels so frustrating • Why low scores are not an academic death sentence • The 3-question framework: Anticipate. Identify. Solve. • Signs of overload that look like “not listening.” • How dual coding (visual + verbal instruction) increases usable capacity • Why emotional safety matters for cognitive performance This episode reframes memory struggles from character flaws to capacity constraints. Learn more about Andrew’s work at: https://translatethebrain.com/ Explore Untapped Learning’s mentoring and free resources: https://untappedlearning.com/ #WorkingMemory #ExecutiveFunction #ADHDSupport #EducationPodcast #UntappedLearning
