In this episode, Nathaniel Swain revisits the importance of resetting classroom routines after the end-of-year break, drawing together his previous writing with insights from guest contributor Sara Dower. The discussion makes a clear case for why routines must be explicitly taught, carefully rehearsed, and consistently reinforced, rather than assumed or simply stated. Referencing the work of Tom Bennett and Doug Lemov, the episode explores practical routines—such as classroom entry, attention signals, and the strategic use of Do Now tasks—that help reclaim instructional time and reduce behavioural friction, allowing teachers to focus on learning.

The episode is generated using AI hosts from Google NotebookLM, synthesising these ideas into a structured, evidence-informed conversation.

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* Routines to drive your teaching: 5 things to try

* Making everyday excellence routine - from guest contributor Sara Dower

Nathaniel Swain, PhD is a teacher, instructional coach, and writer. He is soon to launch a new way to access targeted and bite-sized professional learning: Luminary is coming.

Get full access to Dr Nathaniel Swain at nathanielswain.substack.com/subscribe