Chalk Dust

Summary
In this episode of Chalk Dust, Rebecca Birch and Nathaniel Swain are joined by STEM educator Amber Haven to explore what happens when explicit instruction meets genuinely engaging hands-on learning. Using footage from Amber’s middle-school STEM classroom, the discussion follows a lesson on neutral buoyancy, revealing how carefully designed routines allow practical investigations to remain cognitively demanding rather than descending into chaos.
Amber demonstrates how retrieval practice, mini-whiteboards, Six Bricks, gesture, choral response and explicit behaviour routines work together to create classrooms where every student is thinking. Throughout the episode, Rebecca, Nathaniel and Amber discuss the importance of background knowledge, continuous checking for understanding, purposeful transitions, differentiation without lowering expectations, and designing practical activities that provide immediate feedback. The conversation highlights how high-quality classroom routines free students to focus on learning rather than logistics, making complex scientific concepts accessible through deliberate instructional design.
Mentioned resources and explainers
Amber Haven
Amber Haven is a STEM educator with more than 16 years of classroom experience and a strong focus on translating cognitive science into practical classroom strategies. She has presented at ResearchED conferences across the United States and at the Thriving Educators Summit, and her work has been featured by The Learning Scientists and in Powerful Classrooms by Patrice Bain.
Retrieval Practice
Throughout the lesson, Amber demonstrates retrieval as an ongoing classroom habit rather than a single lesson component. Students repeatedly retrieve knowledge through mini-whiteboards, questioning, gestures, closed sentences and practical activities.
Mini Whiteboards
Mini-whiteboards allow every student to participate, provide immediate formative assessment, and make thinking visible. Amber discusses the routines required to use them fluently throughout a lesson.
Six Bricks
Six Bricks is a hands-on retrieval strategy that uses coloured Duplo bricks to sequence concepts, definitions or problems. Students retrieve vocabulary while constructing a coloured stack, allowing rapid checking for understanding and high levels of engagement.
Continuous Checking for Understanding
Rather than reserving checks for understanding for isolated moments, Amber embeds them throughout explanations, transitions and instructions, ensuring students remain cognitively engaged from beginning to end.
Gesture and Dual Coding
The episode explores how gesture, movement and simple physical cues support memory and retrieval—even with older students who may initially resist participating.
Differentiation
Amber demonstrates how differentiation can maintain common learning goals while adjusting the amount of work or level of support individual students receive, rather than lowering expectations or creating entirely different tasks.
Practical Science with Explicit Instruction
The discussion explores how carefully sequenced demonstrations, clear success criteria and explicit routines allow practical science lessons to remain focused on conceptual understanding rather than entertainment.
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Takeaways
* Retrieval practice is most powerful when woven continuously throughout lessons.
* Strong routines allow practical learning to remain focused on thinking rather than managing behaviour.
* Mini-whiteboards provide rapid formative assessment while ensuring whole-class participation.
* Six Bricks offer a simple, flexible alternative to traditional matching and multiple-choice activities.
* Explicit behaviour instruction creates the conditions for successful hands-on learning.
* Practical activities should reinforce conceptual understanding rather than distract from it.
* Gesture and dual coding can strengthen learning well beyond the primary years.
* Immediate feedback helps students refine their thinking during practical investigations.
* Differentiation can preserve common learning goals while adjusting levels of support.
* Clear transitions minimise extraneous cognitive load during complex activities.
* Practical science lessons benefit from explicit modelling, routines and carefully sequenced instructions.
* Student engagement is strongest when cognitive engagement and physical activity work together.
* Background knowledge provides the foundation for successful inquiry.
* Effective classroom management enables ambitious learning experiences.
* Great practical lessons appear effortless because the routines have been carefully taught.
Keywords
Amber Haven, STEM education, retrieval practice, mini-whiteboards, Six Bricks, explicit instruction, science of learning, STEM, cognitive science, classroom routines, neutral buoyancy, formative assessment, gesture, dual coding, checking for understanding, differentiation, classroom management, practical science, cognitive engagement, Chalk Dust podcast


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Summary
In this episode of Chalk Dust, Rebecca Birch and Nathaniel Swain are joined by renowned mathematician, educator and founder of JUMP Math, John Mighton. Drawing on classroom footage from Canadian primary classrooms, John shares the instructional principles that underpin his work: breaking complex ideas into manageable steps, ensuring every student experiences success, and building confidence through carefully sequenced learning.
The discussion explores the relationship between motivation and achievement, challenging the idea that some students are simply “maths people” while others are not. John argues that confidence is not a prerequisite for success but a consequence of it. Through examples from lessons on place value and long division, he demonstrates how micro-scaffolding, structured inquiry, and deliberate practice can help students tackle sophisticated mathematical ideas while remaining engaged and optimistic.
Throughout the episode, Rebecca, Nathaniel and John discuss the role of challenge, the importance of maintaining students in an optimal learning zone, micro-scaffolding, and how effective teachers create classrooms where every learner can participate in meaningful thinking. The conversation extends beyond mathematics into broader questions about motivation, differentiation, classroom culture and what it means to teach with both precision and humanity.
Mentioned resources and explainers
John Mighton
John Mighton is a mathematician, playwright and educator best known as the founder of JUMP Math. His work focuses on making mathematics accessible to all students through carefully sequenced instruction, micro-scaffolding and high expectations. His books can be found here, here and here.
JUMP Math
JUMP Math is an instructional approach and curriculum developed by John Mighton. The model emphasises breaking learning into small achievable steps while maintaining conceptual understanding and challenge.
The 85% Rule
A principle discussed by John suggesting that learners are most motivated when they are successful most of the time, but still experience enough challenge to stretch their thinking. The goal is to avoid both frustration and boredom.
Structured Inquiry
Rather than choosing between explicit instruction and discovery learning, structured inquiry carefully guides students towards important insights through well-designed questions, examples and prompts.
Micro-Scaffolding
A teaching approach that breaks complex concepts into very small, manageable components so that students experience repeated success while building towards sophisticated understanding.
Collective Confidence
John discusses how confidence can become a collective classroom phenomenon. When students repeatedly experience success and see their peers succeeding, expectations about who can learn begin to change.
Deliberate Practice
The idea that expertise develops through carefully designed practice targeting specific areas for improvement. John discusses how this principle influenced his thinking about mathematics instruction.
The End of Ignorance
John Mighton’s book exploring mathematics learning, intelligence, and the belief that far more students can succeed in mathematics than is commonly assumed.
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Takeaways
* Confidence often follows success rather than preceding it.
* Mathematics learning can be transformed through careful sequencing and micro-scaffolding.
* Students are most motivated when challenge sits just beyond their current level of mastery.
* Structured inquiry offers a middle ground between direct instruction and pure discovery learning.
* Small successes accumulate into powerful changes in student identity and motivation.
* Effective teachers reduce unnecessary barriers while maintaining high expectations.
* Differentiation does not have to mean different outcomes for different students.
* Whole-class participation helps build collective confidence.
* Conceptual understanding and procedural fluency can be developed simultaneously.
* Teachers should think carefully about the size of the steps between learning tasks.
* Classroom culture is shaped by what students experience themselves capable of doing.
* Mathematical talent is often far more malleable than commonly assumed.
* Deliberate practice principles have important implications for classroom teaching.
* Motivation and learning are deeply interconnected.
* Great teaching often looks simple because the complexity has been carefully designed behind the scenes.
Keywords
John Mighton, JUMP Math, mathematics education, micro-scaffolding, structured inquiry, explicit instruction, deliberate practice, confidence, student motivation, mathematics teaching, classroom culture, differentiation, collective confidence, place value, long division, cognitive science, instructional design, mathematics learning, teaching strategies, Chalk Dust podcast


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Summary
In this episode of Chalk Dust, Rebecca Birch and Dr Nathaniel Swain are joined by Laura Stam, a third grade teacher in Wyoming, writer of The Knowledge Exchange on Substack, 2024–2025 Goyen Fellow, and founding board member of The Reading League Wyoming. Laura takes us inside a knowledge-rich history lesson on the earliest Native American peoples of North America, with a particular focus on the Arapaho and Shoshone peoples of Wyoming.
The episode explores how a text-based lesson can be highly interactive, precise, and content-rich without becoming fragmented. Using a knowledge organiser, document camera, shared reading, choral responses, pair shares, sentence stems, and a co-constructed Venn diagram, Laura shows how students can build deep knowledge while also practising reading, speaking, listening, and writing. The conversation highlights how explicit teaching can remain flexible and responsive when the content itself drives the lesson.
Across the episode, Rebecca and Nathaniel unpack the small moves that make the lesson work: high participation, full sentence responses, careful questioning, purposeful pauses, and frequent opportunities for students to rehearse and elaborate their thinking. The result is a classroom where students are excited to contribute, but supported enough to do so with precision and confidence.
Mentioned resources and explainers
The Knowledge ExchangeLaura’s Substack, focused on building teacher knowledge through practical resources, classroom examples, and reflections on evidence-informed teaching.
The Reading League WyomingLaura is a founding board member of The Reading League Wyoming, part of a broader movement supporting knowledge about evidence-aligned reading instruction.
Core Knowledge History and GeographyLaura adapted parts of the lesson from Core Knowledge History and Geography materials on the earliest Americans, then supplemented them with local content on the Arapaho and Shoshone peoples.
Knowledge organiserA one-page resource that captures key knowledge for a unit, including timelines, maps, vocabulary, and important facts. In this lesson, the knowledge organiser supports retrieval, review, previewing, and coherence across lessons. More on this here.
Document camera / visualiserLaura uses a document camera rather than slide decks so she can move flexibly between texts, maps, organisers, and student work. It allows live modelling, annotation, and co-construction.
All hands upA participation routine where all students prepare an answer and raise their hands, giving the teacher a sample of responses while maintaining high accountability.
Sentence stemsStructured sentence starters that help students answer in full sentences and elaborate their thinking. Laura uses them to support oral responses and later written work.
Pair share: windows and doorsStudents are assigned as “windows” or “doors” partners so they know who speaks first. This keeps pair discussion efficient and gives every student an opportunity to rehearse.
Shared reading with cloze responsesLaura reads aloud while students follow the text and chorally supply missing words when she pauses. This keeps attention high and gives students frequent opportunities to respond.
Phrase readingStudents are called on to read short sections aloud, with support as needed. Laura uses this carefully so all students can participate without embarrassment.
Advance organiserNathaniel connects Laura’s knowledge organiser to the idea of an advanced organiser: a structure given before learning that helps students make sense of new information.
Venn diagramLaura uses a co-constructed Venn diagram to help students compare and contrast the Arapaho, Shoshone, Inuit, and Eastern Woodlands peoples. This supports conceptual links across lessons.
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Takeaways
* Knowledge-rich lessons can be highly interactive when students are given frequent, purposeful opportunities to respond.
* Knowledge organisers help students see the structure of a unit and retrieve important information across lessons.
* A document camera can support flexible teaching, live modelling, and co-construction more fluidly than a slide deck.
* Full sentence responses help students clarify their thinking orally before writing.
* Pair shares distribute enthusiasm and give all students a chance to rehearse ideas, not just the keenest hands.
* Stopping during shared reading helps students hold on to important information rather than losing the beginning of the paragraph.
* Cloze responses during reading keep attention high and help students practise key vocabulary in context.
* Explicit teaching does not have to be rigid; in a text-based lesson, the content can guide the movement between modelling, guided practice, and independent work.
* Co-constructed notes and diagrams reduce cognitive load before students move into independent writing.
* Strong scaffolding makes independent practice calmer, more productive, and more successful.
Keywords
knowledge-rich curriculum, Laura Stam, The Knowledge Exchange, Core Knowledge, knowledge organiser, document camera, visualiser, shared reading, cloze responses, phrase reading, full sentence answers, sentence stems, pair share, all hands up, Venn diagram, advanced organiser, explicit teaching, cognitive load, Native American history, Arapaho, Shoshone, classroom talk


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Summary
In this episode of Chalk Dust, Rebecca Birch and Dr Nathaniel Swain are joined by Hannah Pointon, a Year 3/4 teacher at Woodstock School in Hamilton, New Zealand. Hannah shares how her school has moved towards structured literacy, structured maths, explicit teaching, and teaching behaviour as a curriculum in its own right.
Using early-year classroom footage, the episode explores how clear routines transform classroom life: lining up, entering the room, organising materials, whole-class reading, whiteboard responses in maths, and even collecting lunchboxes. Hannah shows how routines that look simple on the surface are deliberately taught, scaffolded, practised, and reinforced until they become calm, independent habits.
Across the conversation, the hosts reflect on the difference between reacting to chaos and proactively teaching the behaviours students need for learning, safety, and belonging. The result is a classroom that feels purposeful, warm, and highly structured — not because students are constrained, but because they know exactly how to succeed.
Mentioned resources and explainers
Structured literacyA systematic approach to teaching reading that gives students explicit instruction in the skills and knowledge needed for reading success.
Structured mathsAn approach to maths teaching that emphasises clear modelling, practice, fluency, and careful sequencing of foundational knowledge.
The Writing RevolutionA writing approach that supports sentence-level and paragraph-level instruction through explicit, carefully sequenced routines.
Teaching behaviour as curriculumThe idea that behaviour should not be assumed; it should be explicitly taught, practised, checked, and reinforced like any academic skill.
Entry routinesHannah’s students line up, enter in order, put shoes away, sit down, and begin handwriting. The routine is scaffolded early in the year so students gradually become independent.
Whole-class readingHannah uses routines such as tracking, echo reading, buddy reading, and self-reading to support fluency, accountability, vocabulary, and comprehension.
TrackersStudents use a piece of paper to follow the line of text as they read. Hannah prefers paper over rulers because it is quieter and supports focused tracking.
Whiteboard normsStudents practise answering on mini whiteboards, holding boards still, turning them together, and showing work even when unfinished. The routine supports participation and gives the teacher quick feedback.
Fluency in maths factsThe episode highlights the importance of students knowing basic facts automatically so they are not held back by cognitive load when learning more complex maths.
Pre-correctionNathaniel references Anita Archer’s principle: if you expect something, pre-correct it. Hannah’s routines show this in action by preventing predictable problems before they occur.
Listen or view, and support our work
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Takeaways
* Behaviour needs to be taught explicitly, especially at the start of the year.
* Clear routines reduce the need for constant correction because students know what success looks like.
* Doing routines again is not punitive; it gives students another chance to practise correctly.
* Entry routines help students shift from playground energy into learning mode.
* Classroom organisation matters: simple systems for books, whiteboards, desks, and bags reduce friction.
* Whole-class reading can build fluency, vocabulary, focus, and accountability when routines are carefully taught.
* Echo reading supports expression, punctuation awareness, and fluent phrasing.
* Mini whiteboards are powerful only when the response routines are also taught.
* Maths fact fluency supports later mathematical understanding by reducing cognitive load.
* Strong routines create safety, belonging, and calm — not just more learning time.
Keywords
classroom routines, behaviour curriculum, explicit teaching, structured literacy, structured maths, whole-class reading, echo reading, reading fluency, tracking, mini whiteboards, maths facts, classroom organisation, entry routines, pre-correction, cognitive load, student safety, classroom belonging, primary teaching, Woodstock School, Hannah Pointon


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Summary
In this second part of their conversation with Adam Boxer, Rebecca Birch and Nathaniel Swain move from behaviour and presence into the micro-detail of questioning, participation, and formative assessment. Using a retrieval practice clip, Adam unpacks how tightly structured classroom talk—particularly through “name at end” questioning, deliberate wait time, and systematic student selection—ensures every student is cognitively engaged.
The discussion highlights how seemingly small choices in questioning routines shape accountability, attention, and the flow of classroom thinking. Adam reframes familiar ideas such as “cold call” and “no opt out” into more precise, actionable language, arguing that naming strategies clearly improve teacher implementation. The episode also explores “looping” as a formative assessment technique, where teachers return to students to probe understanding and track learning in real time.
Beyond technique, the conversation turns to subject knowledge, with Adam suggesting that while it matters, classroom control and participation structures are foundational. The episode closes with a broader reflection on professional learning, teacher buy-in, and the importance of giving teachers practical, effective strategies that genuinely improve classroom experience.
Part 1 (Episode 3) is below if you’re new to the pod and want to dive in here first.
Mentioned resources and explainers
Carousel Learning
Carousel Learning is Adam Boxer’s retrieval practice platform for students. It is designed to support retrieval and checking for understanding through structured classroom routines and digital tools.
Carousel Teaching
Carousel Teaching is the professional learning platform attached to Carousel Learning. It combines video exemplars, commentary, quizzes, and courses on specific aspects of classroom practice such as questioning, mini whiteboards, lesson starts, and behaviour management.
Teach Like a Champion
A widely used framework (and book!) for classroom techniques, including “cold call” and participation strategies discussed and critiqued in the episode.
‘Name at end’ questioning
A questioning technique where the teacher asks the question first, provides thinking time, and only then names the student. This maximises participation and ensures all students prepare an answer.
Looping
Adam’s preferred term for returning to a student after an initial response to reassess understanding, supporting ongoing formative assessment.
Takeaways
* Precise questioning routines—especially “name at end” with built-in wait time—ensure all students are thinking, not just those volunteering answers.
* Replacing broad labels like “cold call” with tightly defined techniques improves clarity and implementation for teachers.
* Formative assessment can be embedded in live classroom talk through strategies like looping back to students and probing partial understanding.
* Small instructional decisions, such as how a teacher responds to an incorrect or repeated answer, can reveal or obscure key diagnostic information.
* Strong classroom participation structures matter more than perfect subject knowledge, particularly for early career teachers.
* Teacher expertise develops through structured interaction patterns that reveal misconceptions and build understanding over time.
* Effective professional learning focuses on actionable techniques that reduce classroom friction and improve teacher experience.
* Teacher buy-in is often a response to prior poor professional learning; providing clear, effective strategies is the most reliable way to rebuild it.
* Naming and codifying techniques helps teachers see, remember, and apply them more consistently in practice.
* Even experienced teachers continue to refine their practice through close analysis of classroom footage and micro-level decisions.
Listen or view, and support our work
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✍️ Nathaniel’s Substack — read more
Keywords
Carousel Teaching, Carousel Learning, Adam Boxer, questioning strategies, name at end, looping, formative assessment, classroom talk, retrieval practice, participation, wait time, teacher presence, instructional coaching, professional learning, classroom 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