Chalk Dust

SummaryIn this episode of Chalk Dust, Rebecca Birch and Nathaniel Swain are joined by renowned mathematician, educator and founder of JUMP Math, John Mighton. Drawing on classroom footage from Canadian primary classrooms, John shares the instructional principles that underpin his work: breaking complex ideas into manageable steps, ensuring every student experiences success, and building confidence through carefully sequenced learning.The discussion explores the relationship between motivation and achievement, challenging the idea that some students are simply “maths people” while others are not. John argues that confidence is not a prerequisite for success but a consequence of it. Through examples from lessons on place value and long division, he demonstrates how micro-scaffolding, structured inquiry, and deliberate practice can help students tackle sophisticated mathematical ideas while remaining engaged and optimistic.Throughout the episode, Rebecca, Nathaniel and John discuss the role of challenge, the importance of maintaining students in an optimal learning zone, micro-scaffolding, and how effective teachers create classrooms where every learner can participate in meaningful thinking. The conversation extends beyond mathematics into broader questions about motivation, differentiation, classroom culture and what it means to teach with both precision and humanity.Mentioned resources and explainersJohn MightonJohn Mighton is a mathematician, playwright and educator best known as the founder of JUMP Math. His work focuses on making mathematics accessible to all students through carefully sequenced instruction, micro-scaffolding and high expectations. His books can be found here, here and here. JUMP MathJUMP Math is an instructional approach and curriculum developed by John Mighton. The model emphasises breaking learning into small achievable steps while maintaining conceptual understanding and challenge.The 85% RuleA principle discussed by John suggesting that learners are most motivated when they are successful most of the time, but still experience enough challenge to stretch their thinking. The goal is to avoid both frustration and boredom.Structured InquiryRather than choosing between explicit instruction and discovery learning, structured inquiry carefully guides students towards important insights through well-designed questions, examples and prompts.Micro-ScaffoldingA teaching approach that breaks complex concepts into very small, manageable components so that students experience repeated success while building towards sophisticated understanding.Collective ConfidenceJohn discusses how confidence can become a collective classroom phenomenon. When students repeatedly experience success and see their peers succeeding, expectations about who can learn begin to change.Deliberate PracticeThe idea that expertise develops through carefully designed practice targeting specific areas for improvement. John discusses how this principle influenced his thinking about mathematics instruction.The End of IgnoranceJohn Mighton’s book exploring mathematics learning, intelligence, and the belief that far more students can succeed in mathematics than is commonly assumed.Listen or view, and support our work📨 Substack — sign up🍏🎧 Apple Podcasts — like, review and follow🎵💚 Spotify — follow and rate📺🔔 YouTube — subscribe and like✍️ Rebecca’s Substack — read more✍️ Nathaniel’s Substack — read moreTakeaways* Confidence often follows success rather than preceding it.* Mathematics learning can be transformed through careful sequencing and micro-scaffolding.* Students are most motivated when challenge sits just beyond their current level of mastery.* Structured inquiry offers a middle ground between direct instruction and pure discovery learning.* Small successes accumulate into powerful changes in student identity and motivation.* Effective teachers reduce unnecessary barriers while maintaining high expectations.* Differentiation does not have to mean different outcomes for different students.* Whole-class participation helps build collective confidence.* Conceptual understanding and procedural fluency can be developed simultaneously.* Teachers should think carefully about the size of the steps between learning tasks.* Classroom culture is shaped by what students experience themselves capable of doing.* Mathematical talent is often far more malleable than commonly assumed.* Deliberate practice principles have important implications for classroom teaching.* Motivation and learning are deeply interconnected.* Great teaching often looks simple because the complexity has been carefully designed behind the scenes.KeywordsJohn Mighton, JUMP Math, mathematics education, micro-scaffolding, structured inquiry, explicit instruction, deliberate practice, confidence, student motivation, mathematics teaching, classroom culture, differentiation, collective confidence, place value, long division, cognitive science, instructional design, mathematics learning, teaching strategies, Chalk Dust podcast This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chalkdust.media

SummaryIn this episode of Chalk Dust, Rebecca Birch and Dr Nathaniel Swain are joined by Hannah Pointon, a Year 3/4 teacher at Woodstock School in Hamilton, New Zealand. Hannah shares how her school has moved towards structured literacy, structured maths, explicit teaching, and teaching behaviour as a curriculum in its own right.Using early-year classroom footage, the episode explores how clear routines transform classroom life: lining up, entering the room, organising materials, whole-class reading, whiteboard responses in maths, and even collecting lunchboxes. Hannah shows how routines that look simple on the surface are deliberately taught, scaffolded, practised, and reinforced until they become calm, independent habits.Across the conversation, the hosts reflect on the difference between reacting to chaos and proactively teaching the behaviours students need for learning, safety, and belonging. The result is a classroom that feels purposeful, warm, and highly structured — not because students are constrained, but because they know exactly how to succeed.Mentioned resources and explainersStructured literacyA systematic approach to teaching reading that gives students explicit instruction in the skills and knowledge needed for reading success.Structured mathsAn approach to maths teaching that emphasises clear modelling, practice, fluency, and careful sequencing of foundational knowledge.The Writing RevolutionA writing approach that supports sentence-level and paragraph-level instruction through explicit, carefully sequenced routines.Teaching behaviour as curriculumThe idea that behaviour should not be assumed; it should be explicitly taught, practised, checked, and reinforced like any academic skill.Entry routinesHannah’s students line up, enter in order, put shoes away, sit down, and begin handwriting. The routine is scaffolded early in the year so students gradually become independent.Whole-class readingHannah uses routines such as tracking, echo reading, buddy reading, and self-reading to support fluency, accountability, vocabulary, and comprehension.TrackersStudents use a piece of paper to follow the line of text as they read. Hannah prefers paper over rulers because it is quieter and supports focused tracking.Whiteboard normsStudents practise answering on mini whiteboards, holding boards still, turning them together, and showing work even when unfinished. The routine supports participation and gives the teacher quick feedback.Fluency in maths factsThe episode highlights the importance of students knowing basic facts automatically so they are not held back by cognitive load when learning more complex maths.Pre-correctionNathaniel references Anita Archer’s principle: if you expect something, pre-correct it. Hannah’s routines show this in action by preventing predictable problems before they occur.Listen or view, and support our work📨 Substack — sign up🍏🎧 Apple Podcasts — like, review and follow🎵💚 Spotify — follow and rate📺🔔 YouTube — subscribe and like✍️ Rebecca’s Substack — read more✍️ Nathaniel’s Substack — read moreTakeaways* Behaviour needs to be taught explicitly, especially at the start of the year.* Clear routines reduce the need for constant correction because students know what success looks like.* Doing routines again is not punitive; it gives students another chance to practise correctly.* Entry routines help students shift from playground energy into learning mode.* Classroom organisation matters: simple systems for books, whiteboards, desks, and bags reduce friction.* Whole-class reading can build fluency, vocabulary, focus, and accountability when routines are carefully taught.* Echo reading supports expression, punctuation awareness, and fluent phrasing.* Mini whiteboards are powerful only when the response routines are also taught.* Maths fact fluency supports later mathematical understanding by reducing cognitive load.* Strong routines create safety, belonging, and calm — not just more learning time.Keywordsclassroom routines, behaviour curriculum, explicit teaching, structured literacy, structured maths, whole-class reading, echo reading, reading fluency, tracking, mini whiteboards, maths facts, classroom organisation, entry routines, pre-correction, cognitive load, student safety, classroom belonging, primary teaching, Woodstock School, Hannah Pointon This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chalkdust.media

SummaryIn this special episode of Chalk Dust, Nathaniel Swain and Rebecca Birch sit down with Adam Boxer to explore the thinking behind Carousel Teaching’s new video library. Rather than simply showcasing polished classroom clips, Adam explains how the platform is designed to pair tightly curated footage with explicit professional learning, commentary, and guidance so teachers understand not just what works, but why. The conversation focuses on one deceptively small but powerful domain of classroom craft: behaviour, transitions, and teacher presence.Using clips from Adam’s own classroom and from colleagues Abby and Jack, the episode examines how teachers can prevent disruption before it starts through eye contact, body positioning, clear instructions, visible scanning, and carefully calibrated countdowns. Adam argues that strong classroom culture is not built through friendliness or vague notions of “relationships” alone, but through clear routines, consistent expectations, and precise, replicable moves. Across the discussion, the hosts reflect on what makes video-based professional learning useful: the chance to see normal classrooms, normal friction, and the specific choices that make lessons run smoothly.Mentioned resources and explainersCarousel LearningCarousel Learning is Adam Boxer’s retrieval practice platform for students. It is designed to support retrieval and checking for understanding through structured classroom routines and digital tools.Carousel TeachingCarousel Teaching is the professional learning platform attached to Carousel Learning. It combines video exemplars, commentary, quizzes, and courses on specific aspects of classroom practice such as questioning, mini whiteboards, lesson starts, and behaviour management.Turnaround schoolAdam explains that the Totteridge Academy (more here), where the videos were filmed, is not a selective or “startup” school built from scratch with ideal conditions. It is a turnaround school: a previously low-performing school that has significantly improved. This matters because the strategies shown are intended to feel achievable in ordinary school contexts.Be seen lookingA technique Adam links to Teach Like a Champion. It is not enough for a teacher to scan the room; students need to know they are being scanned. Visible attention helps prevent disruption before it begins.Anticipate triggersA strategy for preventing predictable moments of chaos. For example, if the phrase “pack up” tends to trigger movement too early, the teacher structures instructions to avoid that premature response.Break eye contactOne of Adam’s highly specific behaviour techniques. After giving a correction, the teacher does not linger, negotiate, or invite backchat; they break eye contact and move on, signalling certainty and preventing escalation.Circulation and the “crab walk”Adam challenges the idea that teachers should constantly wander while addressing the class. Instead, he argues that movement should be purposeful and timed carefully, especially during independent practice. His “crab walk” describes circulating while keeping the body square to as many students as possible and the eyes up, maintaining oversight of the room.Metronomic and non-metronomic countdownsThe episode closes with a close look at countdowns. Adam distinguishes between evenly timed countdowns and flexible ones that adapt to the task. The key principle is that countdowns should preserve urgency while still being fair and achievable.Takeaways* Video-based professional learning is most useful when it is paired with explanation, commentary, and shared language about what teachers are seeing.* Teachers benefit from seeing normal classrooms, including moments of friction and correction, not just idealised footage.* Strong behaviour management is often proactive rather than reactive: positioning, scanning, timing, and clarity matter before correction is ever needed.* “Relationships” are valuable in themselves, but they are not a sufficient explanation for orderly classrooms.* Students do not behave simply because they like a teacher; clear routines, boundaries, and expectations still matter.* Teacher presence is communicated through body position, eye contact, and visible monitoring as much as through words.* Circulation is most effective when it is purposeful and timed well, rather than constant wandering during teacher talk.* Precise strategy names such as “be seen looking”, “anticipate triggers”, and “break eye contact” make coaching and implementation more actionable.* Countdowns can support pace and urgency, but they need to match the actual demands of the task.* Excellent classroom routines balance warmth, fairness, and high expectations.Listen or view, and support our work📨 Substack — sign up🍏🎧 Apple Podcasts — like, review and follow🎵💚 Spotify — follow and rate📺🔔 YouTube — subscribe and like✍️ Rebecca’s Substack — read more✍️ Nathaniel’s Substack — read moreKeywordsCarousel Teaching, Carousel Learning, Adam Boxer, classroom video library, professional learning, behaviour management, teacher presence, transitions, mini whiteboards, be seen looking, anticipate triggers, break eye contact, circulation, crab walk, countdowns, pace, classroom routines, instructional coaching, classroom craft, evidence-based teaching This is a public episode. 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SummaryIn this Season Two opener of Chalk Dust, Rebecca Birch and Dr Nathaniel Swain unpack what it means to start the year “right” through classroom routines that are warm, efficient, and culturally responsive. Drawing on classroom videos from AERO, they analyse entry routines, explicit logistical instructions, and minimally invasive behaviour corrections (the look, gesture cues, deliberate pauses, proximity). Across primary and secondary examples, they emphasise that strong routines aren’t about cold compliance; they are about building trust, reducing chaos, and freeing up attention for learning. The episode closes with a useful tension: aiming high while avoiding performative perfectionism—being yourself, staying firm, and focusing on the active ingredients that make routines work.Mentioned resources and explainersAERO (Australian Education Research Organisation)AERO provides evidence-informed guidance and classroom video libraries showcasing effective practice. In this episode, Rebecca and Nathaniel use several AERO clips as case studies for entry routines, instruction delivery, and behaviour support.Entry routinesThe predictable sequence for when students arrive: greeting, expectations, materials, and immediate settling. Strong entry routines reduce transition friction, increase time-on-task, and communicate calm authority without needing lots of talk.Checks for Understanding (CFU) in routinesQuick prompts that verify students can repeat or enact steps (for example: “What’s the first thing?”) before movement begins. CFUs prevent students from wriggling and prematurely moving off, especially when there are multiple steps.Nonverbal correctionsLow-disruption cues (a look, a hand signal, finger to lips, a pause) used mid-instruction to redirect behaviour without breaking lesson flow or escalating attention to the behaviour.ProximityA minimally invasive management move: the teacher continues teaching but shifts closer to off-task students. Done well, it communicates monitoring and support without public correction.Circulation and scanningThe practice of “working the room” with purpose: pausing to scan, moving to hotspots first, keeping sightlines open, and avoiding turning your back on the class. Cultural responsiveness: shame and psychological safetyThe episode highlights that some corrections can inadvertently shame students. Subtle moves (pause, name + “thank you”, neutral tone) maintain belonging and reduce escalation—particularly important in contexts where shame has cultural weight.Teacher presenceVisible leadership means being positioned well, monitoring, and signalling that learning is the priority. The discussion includes a practical nuance for early years settings where being physically at the students’ level can be appropriate.“Strong Voice” (Teach Like a Champion)Nathaniel links self-interruption and deliberate pausing to the idea that teachers can pause mid-sentence to signal “we’re not ready yet” without lecturing or escalating.“Pastore’s Perch”A positioning idea: standing at a room edge/corner can improve sightlines and scanning compared with standing in the middle. Rebecca names it explicitly and suggests it as a useful practical heuristic.Listen or view, and support our work📨 Substack — sign up🍏🎧 Apple Podcasts — like, review and follow🎵💚 Spotify — follow and rate📺🔔 YouTube — subscribe and like✍️ Rebecca’s Substack — read more✍️ Nathaniel’s Substack — read moreThanks for listening to Chalk Dust! Share with a colleague who enjoys evidence-informed teaching.Takeaways* Routines aren’t about being harsh; they create safety, predictability, and efficiency so learning can happen.* Greeting at the door can do double duty: relationship-building plus immediate, calm expectation-setting.* When instructions have multiple steps, holding movement until “when I say go” reduces chaos and keeps attention to the end.* CFUs work beautifully for routines: brief recaps (“What’s first?”) prevent confusion before students transition.* Nonverbal corrections protect lesson flow and psychological safety, particularly when students are sensitive to public attention or shame.* Proximity is an underrated intervention: it redirects without stopping teaching or spotlighting a student.* Scanning and circulation are expert skills that develop with practice and observation; novices often “look” without noticing what matters yet.* Education support staff are most powerful when routines are genuinely shared and seamless, not “helper on request”.* Teacher presence matters: being up, positioned well, and visible supports both behaviour and momentum—without needing to raise your voice.* Starting the year well means balancing high expectations with authenticity; aim for strong active ingredients, not impossible standards.Keywordsclassroom routines, entry routines, behaviour management, nonverbal corrections, proximity, circulation, scanning, checks for understanding, teacher presence, psychological safety, culturally responsive practice, AERO classroom videos, explicit instructions, start-of-year teaching, education support collaboration This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chalkdust.media

SummaryIn this episode of the Chalk Dust podcast, Nathaniel Swain and Rebecca Birch are joined by Teach Well General Manager, Katie Webster, and Western Australian primary teacher Kaitlin Rowan to explore the transformative impact of instructional coaching and deliberate practice on classroom teaching.Through a before–and–after analysis of Kaitlyn’s filmed lessons, the conversation highlights how building routines for full student participation elevates learning, strengthens classroom culture, and accelerates teacher development. The hosts unpack practical techniques from the Teach Well Masterclass Series, including choral response, whiteboards, calling non-volunteers, and gesture-based cues.The discussion reflects on why explicit instruction routines matter for long-term memory, how production effect and rehearsal strengthen learning, and the role of coaching cycles in helping teachers build fluency and confidence. Importantly, Kaitlyn shares the emotional journey of recording her early practice, receiving targeted feedback, and embedding techniques over time.The episode reinforces that expert teaching emerges through sustained professional learning, high expectations, and a supportive culture where teachers try, reflect, and refine.Mentioned resources and explainersTeach Well Masterclass SeriesA structured development program supporting teachers to embed high-impact explicit-instruction routines with coaching cycles, rehearsal, feedback, and classroom filming.Choral Response & CueingA technique to promote full participation and rehearsal, improving retention and automating core knowledge. Linked to production effect research and cognitive load theory.Mini-whiteboards & ‘Hover then Chin-it’Interactive formative assessment routines ensuring real-time visibility into student thinking. Supports responsive teaching and prevents passive learners.Cold Calling / Non-volunteersA technique to ensure high engagement and accountability, normalising contribution and shifting classroom culture towards full participation.Generative LearningStrategies that require students to produce responses rather than consuming information passively, improving schema development and transfer.Explicit InstructionA structured, teacher-led approach emphasising modelling, checking for understanding, guided practice, and independent practice. Related to Hollingsworth & Ybarra (EDI) and Teach Like a Champion.Listen or view, and support our work📨 Substack — sign up🍏🎧 Apple Podcasts — like, review and follow🎵💚 Spotify — follow and rate📺🔔 YouTube — subscribe and like✍️ Rebecca’s Substack — read more✍️ Nathaniel’s Substack — read moreThanks for listening to Chalk Dust! Share with a colleague who enjoys evidence-informed teaching.Takeaways* Teaching expertise evolves through deliberate practice, coaching, and reflection.* Participation routines enable every student to think, respond, and rehearse.* Production effect and rehearsal improve long-term memory.* Coaching cycles accelerate teacher proficiency through targeted feedback.* Whiteboards, choral response, and non-volunteers boost active engagement.* Full participation is learnable: expectations plus routines create culture.* Gestures and non-verbal cues streamline transitions and maintain pace.* Formative assessment must be visible and actionable.* High expectations are enacted through routines, not slogans.* Classroom culture of safety supports risk-taking and learning from mistakes.Keywordsexplicit instruction, Teach Well, teacher coaching, participation routines, choral response, whiteboards, formative assessment, generative learning, classroom culture, cognitive load, production effect, instructional routines, teaching practice improvement, Chalk Dust podcast, education research, professional learning, teacher development, student engagement, high expectations This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chalkdust.media

SummaryIn this episode of Chalk Dust, Dr Nathaniel Swain and Rebecca Birch are joined by John Hollingsworth, co-founder of DataWorks Educational Research and co-author of Explicit Direct Instruction: The Power of the Well-Crafted, Well-Taught Lesson. Known widely as the “Purple Book,” his work has shaped how teachers worldwide think about whole-class explicit teaching.Together, the team analyse classroom footage from maths, English, and science lessons, reflecting on how expert teachers use strategies such as “I’ll come back to you,” gestures, non-volunteer questioning, and sentence frames. John unpacks what effective checking for understanding looks like, why aiming for “80% whole-class success then corrective feedback” leads to 100% mastery, and how explicit instruction is far from “chalk and talk.”Themes include the role of choral response in normalising mistakes, how gestures and props strengthen memory, why teachers must “work the page” rather than read slides verbatim, and the motivational power of explaining lesson importance. John shares coaching insights from working in over 25,000 classrooms, emphasising structured processing time, randomisation, and pre-planned sentence stems.Mentioned resources and explainersExplicit Direct Instruction (EDI), the Purple BookHollingsworth and Ybarra’s foundational text on well-crafted lessons and whole-class explicit teaching.Gestures and kinesthetic strategiesNot to be confused with learning styles or VAK! Gestures are most powerful when they clearly align with meaning, such as iconic or representational movements rather than random hand-waving. Learning is supported both when students produce gestures themselves and when they observe them from teachers or peers. The benefits are particularly strong with complex or abstract material, or when students have weaker verbal memory. Gestures also help by offloading some of the cognitive load, giving learners a visual or embodied way to grasp relationships that would otherwise be carried verbally. Sentence frames and academic languageJohn’s recommendation is that teachers pre-write frames with academic vocabulary to ensure students orally rehearse complete, formal responses.Motivation and rationaleThe importance of telling students why they are learning something, linking lesson content to careers, tests, or future applications.Listen or view, and support our work📨 Substack — sign up🍏🎧 Apple Podcasts — like, review and follow🎵💚 Spotify — follow and rate📺🔔 YouTube — subscribe and like✍️ Rebecca’s Substack — read more✍️ Nathaniel’s Substack — read moreTakeaways* Explicit instruction is not “chalk and talk” but highly interactive, with student responses every 20–30 seconds* Randomisation of questioning prevents teachers from being misled by only hearing from the same few students* Gestures and props strengthen memory, even in secondary classrooms* Checking for understanding should move beyond surface answers, supported by sentence stems and academic vocabulary* Explaining lesson importance supports motivation and autonomy, linking learning to tests, careers, and real-world use* Structured processing time—pair-share, justification, complete sentences—is essential for real learningKeywordsexplicit teaching, John Hollingsworth, Rebecca Birch, Nathaniel Swain, Chalk Dust podcast, Explicit Direct Instruction, Purple Book, checking for understanding, non-volunteer questioning, I’ll come back to you, whiteboards, sentence frames, academic language, gestures, props, motivation, rationale, structured processing time, pair-share, classroom coaching, work the page, adaptive teaching This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chalkdust.media

SummaryIn this episode of Chalk Dust, Rebecca Birch and Nathaniel Swain are joined by instructional coach, author, and classroom management expert Dr Mark Dowley. Together, they step inside classrooms across Australia to see how great teachers start their lessons, from Year 9 maths to a Northern Territory prep class of fifty students.They unpack the anatomy of an effective entry routine, from greeting students at the door to getting pens moving in under a minute. Along the way, they show how routines set the tone for behaviour, protect learning minutes, and build a positive culture from day one, even with classes you’ve just inherited.The discussion covers how to reset routines when standards slip, why “do it again” is more about warmth than discipline, and how to make praise genuine rather than controlling. They explore similarities across contexts, from high-SES boys’ schools to mixed-age classrooms, looking at how to balance whole-school consistency with teacher autonomy.You’ll see how small tweaks, like reducing “friction” in transitions or controlling the pace of entry, help students get started calmly and confidently. Whether you teach early years or senior secondary, this episode shows why high expectations and consistent routines work for every age group.Mentioned resources and explainersThe Classroom Management Handbook Mark’s Amazon-bestselling guide to building culture, belonging, and behaviour in schools.Positive Narration Describing desired behaviour in the moment to set norms and build buy-in without over-praising. Here’s an explainer from Teach Like a Champ.Listen or view, and support our work📨 Substack — sign up🍏🎧 Apple Podcasts — like, review and follow🎵💚 Spotify — follow and rate📺🔔 YouTube — subscribe and like✍️ Rebecca’s Substack — read more✍️ Nathaniel’s Substack — read moreTakeaways* A tight start makes the whole lesson easier to manage.* “Do it again” works best when delivered warmly, not punitively.* Positive narration should feel authentic, not robotic.* High expectations and routines work for all ages; the principles don’t change.* Reduce friction by having everything students need ready to go.* Consistency across year levels smooths transitions, especially 6 to 7.* Small moments, like greeting at the door, set the tone for the whole lesson.* Teacher autonomy matters, but shared principles ensure every class starts strong.Keywordsclassroom management, entry routines, Mark Dowley, explicit teaching, positive narration, do it again, reducing friction, routines, behaviour expectations, checks for understanding, teacher autonomy, whole-school consistency, lesson starts, participation routines, K–12 transitions, instructional coaching, formative assessment, motivation, culture building This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chalkdust.media

SummaryIn this episode of Chalk Dust, Rebecca Birch and Nathaniel Swain explore effective teaching practices in secondary education, focusing on engagement strategies; the importance of chess for listening and thinking; and the application of self-determination theory. They discuss the significance of structured lesson plans, guided note-taking, and fostering student participation. The conversation emphasises the need for flexibility in lesson structure and the value of collaborative planning in enhancing student learning. In this conversation, Nathaniel and Rebecca discuss various teaching strategies, focusing on the importance of checks for listening (CFLs), checks for understanding (CFUs), and checks for thinking (CFTs) and how they enhance lesson quality. They explore the application of knowledge in real-world contexts, the significance of critical thinking, and the link between instruction and student engagement. The hosts also address the importance of creating a safe environment for student participation and the dynamics of teacher presence in the classroom. The conversation concludes with insights on effective pair shares and the rationale behind cold calling students to foster engagement and learning.Mentioned resources and explainersAERO (Australian Education Research Organisation)The Australian Education Research Organisation supports schools and teachers by providing evidence-based resources, video libraries, and research to improve teaching practice. Melissa’s lesson comes from their publicly available classroom video collection.Explicit Direct Instruction (EDI) EDI, developed by John Hollingsworth and Silvia Ybarra, is a structured, teacher-led instructional model. It includes clear learning intentions, worked examples, guided practice, and frequent checks for understanding. Rebecca and Nathaniel highlight how Melissa’s lesson uses EDI principles like modelling, providing a rationale, scaffolding, and high student response rates.TAPPLE Framework A core routine within EDI for checking understanding. Teachers present information (Teach), ask a question (Ask), pause to allow thinking (Pause), select a student (Pick), listen to the response (Listen), and provide immediate feedback or clarification (Effective Feedback). More here.Self-Determination Theory (SDT) A framework for understanding motivation developed by Deci and Ryan. It identifies autonomy, competence, and relatedness as basic psychological needs. Rebecca explains how providing a rationale for learning supports students’ sense of autonomy, increasing motivation and engagement. More here.Cold Call A technique where the teacher calls on any student to answer, ensuring all students are accountable for learning. Nathaniel explains how Melissa uses cold call after pair shares to maximise participation while keeping psychological safety high. See here for an article on how to even supports voluntary participation.Checks for Understanding (CFU) Frequent, intentional questions that allow teachers to gauge student understanding in real time and make adjustments. Nathaniel and Rebecca outline how Melissa uses multiple forms of CFU: checks for listening, checks for understanding, and checks for thinking.Listen or view, and support our work📨 Substack — sign up🍏🎧 Apple Podcasts — like, review and follow🎵💚 Spotify — follow and rate📺🔔 YouTube — subscribe and like✍️ Rebecca’s Substack — read more✍️ Nathaniel’s Substack — read moreTakeaways* Engagement strategies are crucial for effective teaching.* Learning intentions should be clearly communicated to students.* Self-determination theory highlights the importance of autonomy and competence.* Lesson structures can vary but should include core principles.* Guided note-taking helps students organise their thoughts.* Encouraging student participation enhances learning outcomes.* Incorporating checks for understanding improves lesson quality.* Real-world applications enhance student engagement and learning.* Critical thinking can be prompted through effective questioning.* Maintaining energy and structure keeps students focused.* Collaborative planning can ease teacher workload.* Immediate feedback allows for real-time adjustments in teaching.* Creating a safe environment encourages student participation.* Cold calling can be an effective strategy for engagement.Keywordseffective teaching, secondary education, student engagement, learning intentions, self-determination theory, lesson structure, guided note-taking, student participation, classroom strategies, collaboration, education, teaching strategies, checks for understanding, critical thinking, student engagement, lesson planning, classroom dynamics, teacher presence, collaborative teaching, immediate feedback This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chalkdust.media

SummaryIn this episode of the Chalk Dust podcast, Nathaniel Swain and Rebecca Birch visit the classroom of Queensland primary school teacher, Rebecca Sloots, the first teacher to be featured on the Teach Like a Champion practice archive. By exploring checking for understanding (CfU) and checking for quality (CfQ), the hosts unpack effective teaching practices, focusing on explicit instruction, CFU techniques, and the importance of peer feedback. They explore how generative learning fosters deeper student engagement and discuss the unique challenges of applying explicit teaching strategies in humanities education. The conversation emphasises the need for responsive teaching and the value of questioning strategies that encourage multiple interpretations. The importance of addressing misconceptions is discussed, as well as fostering a culture of improvement, and the role of formative assessment in enhancing learning. The commentary points to the need for teachers to adapt their practices, embrace imperfection in the classroom, and set professional growth goals based on observed classroom dynamics.Mentioned resources and explainersTeach Like a Champion – Official site for Doug Lemov’s Teach Like a Champion techniques. It provides an overview of this framework of effective teaching practices – a set of techniques and a shared vocabulary that help teachers achieve dramatic results in the classroom.Reading Reconsidered – Information on Reading Reconsidered, a practical guide to rigorous literacy instruction by Doug Lemov and colleagues. This resource offers clear, actionable strategies to help all teachers strengthen students’ reading skills – from tackling more complex texts and close reading, to building vocabulary and reading stamina – so that students become confident, independent readers. A variation on Beck and McKeown’s Questioning the Author reading comprehension and interpretation strategy is scaffolded for teachers in this book.Explicit Direct Instruction (EDI) – Hollingsworth & Ybarra – Overview of the Explicit Direct Instruction teaching approach developed by John Hollingsworth and Silvia Ybarra. EDI is a highly structured, step-by-step method for delivering well-designed lessons, emphasising clear objectives, teacher modeling, guided practice, and continual checking for understanding to maximise student success. TAPPLE is a check for understanding protocol that is mentioned.Generative Learning – Explainer on generative learning theory, which encourages students to actively generate information and make connections between new material and their existing knowledge. It describes how strategies like summarising, teaching others, or drawing concept maps help learners engage deeply with content and create more durable understanding.Questioning the Author – Here is a recent post from Nathaniel on this very useful instructional approach for generating quality discussions about text. Devised by Margaret McKeown and colleagues, Questioning the Author involves asking initially broad and open-ended queries about what has been read, followed by more specific questioning to dive deeper into the author’s intentions.Checking for Understanding – Article on why teachers should continuously verify students’ understanding during lessons and how to do it effectively. It outlines techniques for real-time formative assessment – for example, probing questions (beyond yes/no), sampling multiple students’ responses, and using cold calling – so that instruction can be adjusted based on what students have or haven’t grasped.Cold Calling – Guide to the cold call technique, as popularised by Doug Lemov. This strategy involves the teacher calling on students unpredictably (rather than only volunteers) to answer questions. The article explains how cold calling keeps everyone attentive and accountable, normalises active participation from all pupils, and creates a more inclusive classroom where each student is expected to think and respond.Listen or view, and support our work📨 Substack — sign up🍏🎧 Apple Podcasts — like, review and follow🎵💚 Spotify — follow and rate📺🔔 YouTube — subscribe and like✍️ Rebecca’s Substack — read more✍️ Nathaniel’s Substack — read moreThanks for listening to Chalk Dust! Share this with a colleague!Takeaways* Teaching is both a science and an art.* Effective teaching requires analysing classroom practices.* Check for understanding techniques are essential for student learning.* Peer feedback enhances student engagement and accountability.* Generative learning allows students to create multiple responses.* Explicit teaching can alleviate workload, but has its limits.* Dialogic conversations are necessary for deeper understanding.* Questioning the author promotes multiple interpretations.* Responsive teaching can coexist with explicit instruction.* Openness to a range of correct answers is crucial.* Teachers should address misconceptions directly to enhance learning.* Creating a culture of improvement helps students feel safe to make mistakes.* Perfectionism in students can hinder their learning process.* Check for understanding (CFU) should be integrated into lessons.* Teachers need to be responsive to student needs during instruction.* Feedback should include positive reinforcement alongside areas for improvement.* Decluttering routines can lead to more effective teaching practices.* Setting specific goals for professional growth can enhance teaching effectiveness.* Engaging students in peer feedback fosters a collaborative learning environment.Thanks for listening to Chalk Dust! Share this with a colleague!Keywordseducation, teaching, classroom instruction, explicit teaching, peer feedback, generative learning, check for understanding, humanities education, teacher strategies, Chalk Dust podcast, education, teaching strategies, classroom management, student engagement, formative assessment, explicit instruction, teacher development, learning culture, feedback, instructional practices This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chalkdust.media