Powered by RND

Chalk Dust

Nathaniel Swain
Chalk Dust
Latest episode

Available Episodes

3 of 3
  • Episode 4: Check, then Challenge
    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 Brendan shows how support is gradually withdrawn during guided practice so students experience successful independence.Checks for ListeningUsed to keep students focused and accountable, especially during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
    --------  
    34:30
  • Episode 3: Running the Secondary Room
    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
    --------  
    33:41
  • Sneak Preview - Chalk Dust
    Dr Nathaniel Swain and Rebecca Birch are teaming up for a new podcast series where we break down real classroom footage to uncover what makes great teaching great. Each episode, we pause the play, slow things down, and analyse the moves teachers make—connecting them to the research on how students learn best.✨ Teaching is both an art and a science, and this podcast lives right at that intersection.🎧👀 When we launch in a few weeks’ time, you’ll be able to listen to the audio version (with audio from real classroom clips) or watch the full video to catch every visual detail.Our first teaser video is out now, featuring a sneak peek of an upcoming episode with powerhouse Principal Manisha Gazula from Marsden Road Public.Sign up to the Chalk Dust Substack to get notified the moment it's released—and don’t forget to share it with all the educators in your circle. 👇🎧Find Chalk Dust wherever you like to listen to podcasts.✨Apple PodcastsSpotifyYouTube This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit chalkdust.media
    --------  
    3:16

More Education podcasts

About Chalk Dust

Welcome to Chalk Dust, the podcast that gives you a front row seat into some of the best classrooms in the world.  There are lots of great conversations about teaching and education happening around the world right now. There are already so many fantastic podcasts out there about evidence based practice, and we're so excited to bring you one more, but this one has a distinctive difference.  Each episode, Rebecca Birch and Nathaniel Swain break down real classroom footage to illuminate the moments that make great teaching great. Teaching is both a science and an art. There are proven techniques that we know to work, but applying them in real classrooms is where the complexity lies. Our goal? To help you develop the eye of an expert observer, so you can see what makes lessons effective and apply those insights into your own teaching or coaching practice. chalkdust.media
Podcast website

Listen to Chalk Dust, Everyday Māori and many other podcasts from around the world with the radio.net app

Get the free radio.net app

  • Stations and podcasts to bookmark
  • Stream via Wi-Fi or Bluetooth
  • Supports Carplay & Android Auto
  • Many other app features

Chalk Dust: Podcasts in Family

Social
v7.21.2 | © 2007-2025 radio.de GmbH
Generated: 7/22/2025 - 6:56:47 PM