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Chalk Dust

Nathaniel Swain
Explicit Instruction
Student Engagement
Teaching Strategies
Teaching Practices
Literacy Education
Instructional Coaching
Morning Routine
Literacy Instruction
Education
Community Property Of Multiplication
Prior Knowledge Activation
Mistake Analysis
Vocab In Mathematics
Primary Education
Teaching Routines
Explicit Direct Instruction
Classroom Management
Teacher Training
Curriculum Development
International Education

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 epi... more

PublishesMonthlyEpisodes23Founded2 years ago
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Artwork for Chalk Dust

Latest Episodes

Summary

In this episode of Chalk Dust, Rebecca Birch and Nathaniel Swain are joined by Dr Staci Bain, literacy leader, co-founder of Educate America and author of Empowered to Teach and Lead. Through classroom footage, Staci demonstrates how precise... more

Summary

In this episode of Chalk Dust, Rebecca Birch and Nathaniel Swain are joined by Kris Boulton, founder and CEO of Unstoppable Learning, to explore atomisation, an approach to instructional design that breaks complex learning into carefully seq... more

Summary

In this special in-person episode of Chalk Dust, recorded at researchEd Melbourne at Haileybury, Rebecca Birch and Nathaniel Swain are joined by Professor Anna Stokke, mathematician, educator and host of the Chalk & Talk podcast. Together th... more

Summary

In this episode of Chalk Dust, Rebecca Birch and Nathaniel Swain are joined by Andrew McCrorey, an experienced educator and instructional leader at Monterey Secondary College in Victoria. Drawing on classroom footage from a secondary setting... more

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Recent Guests

Staci Bain
Literacy leader, co-founder of Educate America and author of Empowered to Teach and Lead
Educate America
Episode: Season Two, Episode 12: Big-style Belonging with Dr. Staci Bain
Kris Boulton
International teacher educator and education writer specialising in evidence-informed instructional design
Unstoppable Learning
Episode: Season Two, Episode 11: The Penny Promise with Kris Boulton
Anna Stokke
Professor of Mathematics and Statistics, University of Winnipeg; host of Chalk & Talk
University of Winnipeg, Chalk & Talk
Episode: Season Two, Episode 10: Professor Anna Stokke on Effective and Engaging Math(s) Instruction
Andrew McCrorey
Educator with over 20 years of experience focusing on explicit instruction and trauma-informed practice
Monterey Secondary College
Episode: Season Two, Episode 9: Every Class is a Reading Class
Amber Haven
Educator with 16 years of classroom experience; specializes in translating evidence-informed practices into practical teaching
Independent educator; educator speaker
Episode: Season Two, Episode 8: Getting Hands-On
John Mighton
Founder of JUMP Math, Ashoka Fellow, Officer of the Order of Canada
JUMP Math
Episode: Season Two, Episode 7: Everyone can learn mathematics with John Mighton
Laura Stam
Third grade teacher and writer, Substack The Knowledge Exchange
The Knowledge Exchange / Substack
Episode: Season Two, Episode 6: The Knowledge Rich Classroom of Laura Stam
Hannah Pointon
Year 3-4 teacher at Woodstock Primary
Woodstock School, Hamilton, New Zealand
Episode: Season Two, Episode 5: The choreography of learning
Adam Boxer
Founder/CEO of Carousel Learning
Carousel Learning
Episode: Season Two, Episode 4: The power of precision

Hosts

Rebecca Birch
Co-host of Chalk Dust; host with expertise in classroom observation and education coaching
Dr. Nathaniel Swain
Co-host of Chalk Dust; instructional coach and education professional

Reviews

4.8 out of 5 stars from 70 ratings
  • What a great concept!

    I love the way that Nathaniel and Rebecca took a teacher with exemplary skill and dissected her classroom practice. It was both inspiring and practical. I can’t wait for the next episodes!

    Apple Podcasts
    5
    Jubes006
    Australiaa year ago

Listeners Say

Key themes from listener reviews, highlighting what works and what could be improved about the show.

Guest expertise typically shines through with practical demonstrations and real-world impact.
Strong focus on evidence-based strategies and coaching for implementation.
The hosts break down clips in a way that makes complicated methods feel accessible.
Highly actionable, with clear takeaways you can try next class session.

Chart Rankings

How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.

Apple Podcasts
#108
Canada/Education/How To
Apple Podcasts
#151
United Kingdom/Education/How To
Apple Podcasts
#38
Australia/Education/How To
Apple Podcasts
#154
Germany/Education/How To
Apple Podcasts
#44
China/Education/How To
Apple Podcasts
#45
Mexico/Education/How To

Talking Points

Recent interactions between the hosts and their guests.

Season Two, Episode 12: Big-style Belonging with Dr. Staci Bain
Q: Do you think part of your TikTok following is that there is a gap in those kind of more concrete strategies and skills?
Bain says educators need concrete strategies for belonging as well as systems that reduce workload. Clunky systems and too many initiatives can leave teachers without the energy to create a supportive classroom culture.
Season Two, Episode 12: Big-style Belonging with Dr. Staci Bain
Q: Has the strategy of imagining the letter got anything to do with things like embodied cognition?
Swain describes embodied cognition as using gestures or the body to support working memory, while Bain explains that skywriting makes students' visualized letters observable and helps her diagnose errors in the moment.
Season Two, Episode 11: The Penny Promise with Kris Boulton
Q: Would you say, Kris, that we're looking to go as slower, sorry, as fast as you can, but as slow as you must in this sort of approach?
Boulton agrees, explaining that teachers must balance the number of examples and the time students need to respond. Faster practice can allow more learning within a lesson, but examples must still be sequenced so students can understand them.
Season Two, Episode 11: The Penny Promise with Kris Boulton
Q: Would you mind giving us an atomized explanation of what atomization is as you describe it in your work?
Boulton describes breaking what is taught into four fundamental elements, each with a prescribed way of communicating it. Clear instruction should allow only one logical interpretation, making the teacher responsible for confusion and misconceptions.
Season Two, Episode 10: Professor Anna Stokke on Effective and Engaging Math(s) Instruction
Q: What makes the explicit instruction approach here effective in math class?
The approach centers on high engagement through frequent student contributions, rapid pace, clear sequencing, and ongoing checks for understanding, all delivered with fidelity to a well‑designed script while preserving teacher voice.

Audience Metrics

Listeners, social reach, demographics and more for this podcast.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Chalk Dust

What is Chalk Dust about and what kind of topics does it cover?

The show focuses on breaking down real classroom footage to illuminate what makes teaching moments effective. Across episodes, hosts explore explicit instruction, structured routines, retrieval practices, and formative questioning, often using video demonstrations to illustrate practical moves in math, reading, science, and classroom management. Guests range from researchers and instructional coaches to practicing teachers and founders of education platforms, with frequent emphasis on scalable practices, professional development, and coaching for implementation in diverse schools. A standout throughline is the idea that teaching is both a science and an art, demanding precise routines, rapid feedback, and thoughtful pacing to build independ... more

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Which podcasts are similar to Chalk Dust?

These podcasts share a similar audience with Chalk Dust:

1. Chalk & Talk
2. Knowledge for Teachers
3. Melissa & Lori Love Literacy ® | Science of Reading for Teachers
4. Science of Reading: The Podcast
5. Reach All Readers

How many episodes of Chalk Dust are there?

Chalk Dust launched 2 years ago and published 23 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.

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What guests have appeared on Chalk Dust?

Recent guests on Chalk Dust include:

1. Staci Bain
2. Kris Boulton
3. Anna Stokke
4. Andrew McCrorey
5. Amber Haven
6. John Mighton
7. Laura Stam
8. Hannah Pointon

To view more recent guests and their details, simply upgrade your Rephonic account. You'll also get access to a typical guest profile to help you decide if the show is worth pitching.

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