Episode
Harvard M.Ed. Andrew Watson on Working Memory
- Published
- Feb 20, 2026
- Duration seconds
- 2072
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Summary
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