Season Two, Episode 3: Getting nitty gritty with it
About this episode
Nathaniel Swain and Rebecca Birch discuss classroom management techniques with Adam Boxer, focusing on the Carousel Teaching video library.
Summary In 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…
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
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Chalk Dust podcast page.