Chalk Dust

Adam Boxer, science teacher and co-founder of Carousel Learning, explains the Carousel Teaching video library and its focus on classroom craft. The conversation highlights behaviour, transitions, teacher presence, eye contact, clear instructions, scanning, circulation techniques, and calibrated countdowns. Practical, specific classroom moves are emphasized over vague ideas of relationship-building.

SummaryIn this episode of Chalk Dust, Rebecca Birch and Dr Nathaniel Swain are joined by Jo-Anne Dooner and Geoff Ongley from Get Reading Right, Training 24/7 and Learning 24/7. The conversation explores how high-quality, knowledge-rich literacy instruction can be made accessible at scale — including in remote and international contexts.Using training videos rather than live classroom footage, Jo-Anne models a structured morning routine designed to build factual knowledge, grammatical metalanguage, and sentence construction over time. The episode unpacks how deliberate instruction in parts of speech, schema-building, chanting, live scribing, and gradual release culminates in a “quarantined” writing lesson with a clear end in mind.The discussion moves beyond classroom technique to the broader question of instructional coaching and teacher development. Rebecca and Nathaniel reflect on the importance of showing teachers what excellence looks like, especially in contexts where high-quality modelling is scarce. The episode closes with a powerful example from Fiji, where the implementation of morning routines has contributed to renewed student engagement and school attendance.Mentioned Resources and ExplainersKnowledge-Rich Curriculum (E.D. Hirsch; Natalie Wexler)Jo-Anne references the importance of background knowledge in writing. The idea is that students struggle to write not because of grammar deficits alone, but because they lack facts and schema to draw upon. Morning routines are used to deliberately build that knowledge base.Morning RoutineA 30-minute daily session focused on explicitly teaching factual knowledge, vocabulary, grammar metalanguage, and oral rehearsal. Knowledge is built cumulatively across the week and displayed on a “schema poster” for later retrieval in reading and writing lessons.Schema PosterA cumulative anchor chart that captures key facts from the week’s learning. Built gradually and used as a scaffold for writing, encouraging note-taking rather than copying.MetalanguageExplicit teaching of grammatical terminology (subject, predicate, clause, verb, preposition). Jo-Anne argues that young students can handle sophisticated metalanguage if it is taught deliberately and consistently.Live Scribing and Think-AloudModelling the writing process in real time, narrating decisions about capitals, spacing, verbs, and punctuation. This makes cognitive processes visible and reduces guesswork for novice writers.Gradual Release Across the WeekMonday–Tuesday: teacher modelling and repetitionWednesday: partner talkThursday: small-group rehearsalFriday: independent oral rehearsal in full sentencesTakeaways* High-quality literacy teaching begins with clarity about the final product and works backwards from there.* Students benefit from explicit knowledge-building before being asked to write.* Metalanguage is not beyond young learners when taught deliberately and repeatedly.* Live modelling and think-aloud reduce cognitive overload and make writing processes visible.* Repetition across the week builds fluency, confidence, and independence.* Instructional coaching is more powerful when teachers can see and analyse excellent models.* Structured routines can be adapted and scaled internationally, supporting teachers who may not have access to formal training.* Knowledge-rich instruction builds not just skill, but motivation and engagement.Listen or View📨 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 moreKeywordsknowledge-rich curriculum, morning routine, structured literacy, metalanguage, schema building, explicit instruction, live scribing, gradual release, instructional coaching, literacy block, modelling, professional learning, global education, evidence-based 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

They explore warm, efficient classroom routines that reduce chaos and build trust. You’ll hear about entry routines for different ages and subtle nonverbal corrections that keep lessons flowing. There’s discussion of clear logistical scripts with quick checks for understanding, purposeful teacher circulation and proximity, and ways to support neurodiverse and culturally responsive practice.

SummaryIn this episode of Chalk Dust, Rebecca Birch and Nathaniel Swain are joined by educator, designer, and author Peps Mccrea, Director of Education at Steplab and writer of the High Impact Teaching series. Together, they watch and unpack classroom footage from two outstanding UK teachers—Primary English teacher Isla Lago and science teacher Pritesh Raichura.The conversation explores why these lessons work so well: sharply defined routines, responsive checking for understanding, efficient use of visualisers, and the art of keeping teacher talk concise without losing warmth or personality. Peps explains how practices such as cold call, turn-and-talk, whiteboard checks, and scripting work together to build attention, motivation, and trust.Across both classrooms, the trio highlight how routines reduce cognitive load for students, free up teacher bandwidth, and create an environment where high expectations feel safe rather than authoritarian. They discuss how warmth and structure complement each other, why error culture requires trust, and how teachers can identify a small set of core routines to declutter and refine.This episode shows, with real footage, how clarity, consistency and care create classrooms where all students—especially the most vulnerable—can thrive.Mentioned resources and explainersPeps Mccrea’s High Impact Teaching seriesShort, practical books on attention, motivation, memory, and habits in classrooms.SteplabA coaching and professional learning platform that provides video examples, structured steps, and instructional frameworks.Culture of Error (TLAC)A classroom norm where mistakes are welcomed as learning opportunities, supported by teacher warmth and trust.Cold Call, Turn & Talk, Mini-Whiteboard CFUKey techniques for increasing global attention and making student thinking visible.Scripting & Economy of LanguageWe’re not talking about Direct Instruction. We’re talking about planning key questions, definitions, and phrases to reduce waffle and sharpen explanations.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• Routines free up attention—for teachers and students.• Thinking time matters; most teachers give far too little.• Cold call works because it increases whole-class accountability.• Concise teacher talk strengthens focus and reduces cognitive overload.• Whiteboard CFU is fast, humane, and more reliable than exercise books.• Warmth balances structure: students trust teachers who challenge and support.• By having greater consistency in norms and routines, more cognitive load is freed up for teachers and students alike. • A culture of error only works when students feel genuinely safe.• Visualisers simplify teaching, keep eyes on students, and reduce friction.• Identify a small set of routines, then practise them until they’re automatic.• Shared schoolwide routines elevate autonomy by removing behavioural friction.KeywordsSteplab, Peps Mccrea, explicit teaching, classroom routines, checking for understanding, mini whiteboards, cold call, turn and talk, culture of error, economy of language, scripting, instructional coaching, visualiser teaching, behaviour expectations, motivation, attention, habits, responsive teaching, teaching practice, 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 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, Rebecca Birch and Dr Nathaniel Swain are joined by Denarius Frazier, Regional Superintendent of Instruction for Uncommon Schools in New York City and Senior Advisor with the Teach Like a Champion team. Denarius, co-author of Reconnect: Building School Culture for Meaning, Purpose, and Belonging, shares how routines, feedback, and culture can transform classrooms into places of both rigour and belonging.Together, they analyse footage comparing Denarius’ own classroom with that of UK teacher Matthew Gray, focusing on practices like narrating the lap, culture of error, and show-calling student work. They also examine a lesson from master teacher Julia Addeo to explore how expert teachers respond in real time to patterns of misunderstanding while maintaining high expectations and warmth.Themes include how belonging is cultivated through competence, why predictability and shared routines lower cognitive load, and how monitoring and feedback can be systematised so every student experiences success during a lesson—not after it. The conversation bridges cognitive science and classroom craft, illustrating that belonging and excellence are not opposites but mutually reinforcing.Mentioned resources and explainersTeach Like a Champion 3.0Doug Lemov’s updated framework underpins much of the discussion, including active observation, show call, and habits of attention.Reconnect: Building School Culture for Meaning, Purpose, and BelongingCo-authored by Denarius Frazier, this book explores how predictability, structure, and academic success foster genuine connection in schools.Rosenshine’s Principles of InstructionReferenced when Nathaniel and Rebecca note that “monitoring independent practice” must be more than wandering the room—it should be intentional, transparent, and coachable.Daniel Willingham – Why Don’t Students Like School?Denarius cites Willingham’s model of working memory to explain how predictable routines and planned responses prevent cognitive overload for both students and teachers.Active Observation & Mastery ThresholdsFrazier outlines how teachers can respond to classroom data: reteach when mastery <50%, compare exemplars when 50–70%, and run “almost-there show calls” when >80%. These heuristics help teachers act on evidence rather than instinct.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• Belonging is built through competence, not just connection; students trust teachers who help them succeed.• “Naming the lap” makes feedback purposeful and visible, showing students what excellence looks like as they work.• The culture of error normalises mistakes as learning opportunities, building safety and inclusion through transparency.• School-wide consistency in routines reduces chaos and cognitive load, especially for adolescents.• Data-informed show-calls turn monitoring into responsive teaching, using student work as a mirror for collective growth.• Expert responsiveness isn’t improvisation; it’s structured anticipation guided by mastery data.• Classroom culture is the prerequisite for rigour: without predictability and attention habits, high-quality instruction cannot land.KeywordsDenarius Frazier, Teach Like a Champion, Reconnect, Uncommon Schools, explicit teaching, Rebecca Birch, Nathaniel Swain, Chalk Dust podcast, classroom culture, belonging, competence, feedback, show call, culture of error, Rosenshine, active monitoring, responsive teaching, working memory, cognitive load, data-informed instruction, predictability, routines. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chalkdust.media

John Hollingsworth, co-founder of DataWorks and co-author of the 'Purple Book', shares classroom-proven explicit teaching strategies. He breaks down checking for understanding, non-volunteer questioning, choral responses, and the 80% whole-class then corrective feedback approach. He also discusses gestures, props, pre-planned sentence stems, and tactics to keep students actively engaged rather than teaching to yourself.

SummaryIn this episode of Chalk Dust, Rebecca Birch and Dr Nathaniel Swain are joined by Dr Carl Hendrick, Professor of Education at Academica University of Applied Sciences and co-author of How Learning Happens and How Teaching Happens. Together, the team explore real classroom footage from Australian classrooms, reflecting on how teachers respond when learning doesn’t go exactly to plan.They analyse three lessons: Jeanette Breen’s Year 3 class tackling sentence kernels, Troy from Sophia College guiding students through sentence fragments in a secondary context, and Mark De Bruin from Cranbrook using a “Do Now” and visualiser work to develop literacy. Across these examples, Carl, Rebecca and Nathaniel highlight what expert teachers do when slides contain errors, students answer unexpectedly, or early practice shows misconceptions.Themes include how to pivot in real-time, why checking for understanding is more than asking “are we good?”, and how to create psychological safety so imperfect student work can be used as a springboard for improvement. They also discuss the role of cultural knowledge in English, why retrieval practice can fail if poorly executed, and how responsive teaching underpins explicit instruction.Carl reflects on the “illusions of learning” that shaped his forthcoming book, co-written with Paul Kirschner, and explains why engagement, apparent fluency, or polished lessons are not always indicators of genuine understanding.Mentioned resources and explainersHow Learning Happens / How Teaching HappensCarl’s earlier books with Paul Kirschner distilling core findings from cognitive psychology for teachers.The Writing Revolution (TWR)Referenced in Jeanette’s lesson, this approach uses sentence kernels to build syntactic and compositional fluency. Contact Ballarat Clarendon College for opportunities to complete this training at a time convenient for Australian participants. Retrieval PracticeCarl and Nathaniel note how surface-level “Do Nows” can fail unless they actually prompt students to connect prior knowledge. Christine Counsell’s writing on history teaching is mentioned as a model.Pedagogical Content Knowledge (PCK)Lee Shulman’s concept, invoked when Troy pivots his grammar explanation, illustrating how teachers need multiple representations of knowledge, not just content expertise.“Illusions of Learning” (forthcoming book)Carl previews his new book with Paul Kirschner and Jim Hill, addressing why engagement, confidence or “busyness” can mislead teachers about true learning. You can pre-order here. 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* Responsive teaching means pivoting when materials or answers don’t align with expectations.* Checking for understanding requires variety—listening, thinking, and retrieval are not the same.* Student work, even if imperfect, is a powerful lever for whole-class improvement.* Retrieval practice only works if students genuinely recall prior knowledge, not just copy prompts.* Cultural and content knowledge are prerequisites for deeper learning, particularly in English.* Explicit teaching is not only “telling,” it’s breaking down steps, modelling improvement, and making excellence visible.* Great lessons are built on earlier culture-setting and routines, not just what happens in the room that day.Keywordsexplicit teaching, Carl Hendrick, Rebecca Birch, Nathaniel Swain, Chalk Dust podcast, sentence kernels, The Writing Revolution, retrieval practice, do now, visualiser, student work, responsive teaching, adaptive teaching, pedagogical content knowledge, illusions of learning, guided practice, explicit instruction, classroom culture, checking for understanding 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 are joined by instructional coach and Knowledge for Teachers podcast host Brendan Lee. Together, they step inside a Year 3/4 classroom at Morwell Central Primary School, where Brendan delivers a real-time maths lesson on the commutative property of multiplication.They unpack the anatomy of a high-impact lesson, covering how mistake analysis can build reasoning, why mini whiteboard routines make or break lesson flow, and how classroom culture can be shaped in real time, even with a class you've never met. They explore the role of motivation, including how framing content as a “cheat code” gives students a reason to care, and why explicitly teaching mathematical vocabulary supports fluency and retention. Brendan explains how and when to fade scaffolds, the value of concrete–pictorial–abstract progressions, and how this links to dual coding and cognitive load theory. The episode also teases apart the subtle differences between checks for listening, understanding, and thinking, and offers practical strategies for maximising participation and feedback without overcomplicating the lesson. Whether you’re a primary or secondary teacher, maths specialist or not, this episode highlights just how responsive, structured teaching can lift engagement and understanding.Mentioned resources and explainersOchre EducationBrendan is a board member at Ochre, which provides free, evidence-informed teaching resources, including primary Mathematics, for Australian classrooms.The Knowledge for Teachers podcastHosted by Brendan Lee, this show features deep-dive conversations with leading educators.Concrete–Pictorial–Abstract (CPA) FrameworkA core maths instructional sequence. Brendan explains how his dot arrays and number lines support cognitive development by moving students gradually toward symbolic understanding.Fading ScaffoldsAlso called the guidance fading effect. Brendan shows how support is gradually withdrawn during guided practice so students experience successful independence.Checks for ListeningUsed to keep students focused and accountable, especially during teacher modelling. Brendan uses multiple checks to ensure students stay engaged during new learning. You can learn more from Craig Barton here.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* Clear routines build student confidence and help new teachers take control quickly.* Mini whiteboards are powerful, but only with tight behavioural expectations.* Mistake/error analysis is a gateway to mathematical reasoning.* Varying example formats increases transfer and reduces rote pattern-matching.* Even in a scripted model, responsiveness matters—especially in guided practice.* Motivation is built when students see the value in what they’re learning.* Vocabulary in maths should be taught explicitly—just like in English.* The best learning often happens in the “we do” phase, not the “I do” or “you do”.Keywordsprimary maths, Brendan Lee, explicit teaching, guided practice, mini whiteboards, commutative property, mistake analysis, worked examples, teacher routines, classroom management, CPA framework, dual coding, cognitive load, instructional coaching, adaptive teaching, formative assessment, motivation, vocabulary in maths, checks for listening, effective modelling This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chalkdust.media