Season Two, Episode 1: Starting right
About this episode
In this episode, Rebecca Birch and Dr Nathaniel Swain discuss effective classroom routines for starting the school year.
Summary In 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 explainers AERO (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 routines The predictable sequence for when students arrive…
More episodes of Chalk Dust
- Season Two, Episode 10: Professor Anna Stokke on Effective and Engaging Math(s) Instruction
- Season Two, Episode 9: Every Class is a Reading Class
- Season Two, Episode 8: Getting Hands-On
- Season Two, Episode 7: Everyone can learn mathematics with John Mighton
- Season Two, Episode 6: The Knowledge Rich Classroom of Laura Stam
- Season Two, Episode 5: The choreography of learning
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