They Behave For Me What are the quickest wins in improving teaching? With Craig Barton
Jan 23, 2026
Craig Barton, former secondary maths teacher and author who co-founded Diagnostic Questions, shares lessons from visiting hundreds of schools and writing practical books. He talks routines like mini-whiteboards and structured student talk. They explore why CPD often fails, how to sustain change, and sensible classroom uses of AI.
AI Snips
Chapters
Books
Transcript
Episode notes
Mass School Visits Sparked The Book Series
- Craig Barton spent 2–3 years visiting hundreds of maths departments and watching over a hundred lessons each month.
- He used those visits to distil common patterns and then wrote 16 focused books to share what he learned.
One-Off Fixes Rarely Change Practice
- Many teaching problems require sustained, iterative support rather than one-off fixes.
- Craig shifted from repeated school visits to writing books because the same issues recurred and needed long-term change.
Include Only Proven, Replicable Techniques
- Only include classroom strategies you've seen work at least three times in different schools.
- Test ideas across varied contexts to avoid relying on a single superstar teacher's success.
