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Teaching math so students learn with Craig Barton (Ep 63)
In this episode, Anna is joined by Craig Barton, former secondary maths teacher, host of the Mr. Barton Maths Podcast, author of How I Wish I’d Taught Maths, and a new Tips for Teachers book series. Craig reflects on how his teaching evolved after engaging deeply with learning science and educational research.
Together, they explore what effective explicit instruction looks like in math from atomisation and worked examples to checking for understanding, purposeful practice, and problem solving across the I do, we do, you do phases. This practical, research-informed episode is essential for educators looking to improve math outcomes by aligning instruction with how learning works.
This episode is also available in video at www.youtube.com/@chalktalk-stokke
SHORT COURSE
La Trobe Short Course: Evidence-informed Mathematics Teaching – An Introduction https://shortcourses.latrobe.edu.au/evidence-informed-mathematics-teaching
CRAIG BARTON'S BOOKS & WEBSITE
Order How I Wish I’d Taught Maths here: https://shorturl.at/rGTin
Craig Barton’s Tips for Teachers books & websites: https://mrbartonmaths.com/
TIMESTAMPS
[00:00:22] Introduction
[00:05:09] What changed Craig’s mind about how to teach math
[00:09:07] When struggle isn’t productive
[00:12:29] Essential components of a well-structured, explicit instruction lesson
[00:14:54] An introduction to atomisation
[00:16:16] Purposeful practice
[00:21:08] More on atomisation
[00:23:58] Examples of atomisation
[00:27:03] Summary of atomisation
[00:27:49] How to deal with wide skill ranges in the math classroom
[00:31:36] Engelman & Carnine’s Theory of Instruction
[00:32:30] Tips for the ‘I do’ stage
[00:38:24] Importance of checking for listening
[00:44:17] Tips for the ‘We do’ stage
[00:45:51] A ‘we do’ fraction example
[00:49:23] Atomisation helps with struggle
[00:52:24] Tips for the ‘You do’ stage
[00:54:13] How to use purposeful practice
[00:55:24] How to set students up to solve non-routine problems
[01:03:56] How to effectively teach problem solving
[01:09:05] The importance of structure
[01:09:53] Can explicit instruction in math be interactive?
[01:12:01] Where to find Craig
[01:13:08] Final thoughts
RELEVANT PREVIOUS EPISODES
Cognitive load theory with Greg Ashman
https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-thbad-13cea56
Raising student achievement with Dylan Wiliam
https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-kduiw-15bba36
Project Follow Through: Direct Instruction’s overlooked success with Marcy Stein
https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-a9fqx-17a2ffb
Using the Instructional Hierarchy to teach math with Brendan Lee
https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-3zux7-193d0fc
EPISODE TRANSCRIPT
https://www.annastokke.com/transcripts/ep-63-transcript
MUSIC
Intro & Outro: Funk Jazz Big Band - ColorFilmMusic
Website: www.annastokke.com
FB: Chalk & Talk
IG: @chalkandtalkpodcast
Tiktok: @chalkandtalkpodcast
X: @rastokke
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/anna-stokke-3a1b4c
Bluesky: @rastokke.bsky.social
View all episodes
By Anna Stokke
4.8
7878 ratings
In this episode, Anna is joined by Craig Barton, former secondary maths teacher, host of the Mr. Barton Maths Podcast, author of How I Wish I’d Taught Maths, and a new Tips for Teachers book series. Craig reflects on how his teaching evolved after engaging deeply with learning science and educational research.
Together, they explore what effective explicit instruction looks like in math from atomisation and worked examples to checking for understanding, purposeful practice, and problem solving across the I do, we do, you do phases. This practical, research-informed episode is essential for educators looking to improve math outcomes by aligning instruction with how learning works.
This episode is also available in video at www.youtube.com/@chalktalk-stokke
SHORT COURSE
La Trobe Short Course: Evidence-informed Mathematics Teaching – An Introduction https://shortcourses.latrobe.edu.au/evidence-informed-mathematics-teaching
CRAIG BARTON'S BOOKS & WEBSITE
Order How I Wish I’d Taught Maths here: https://shorturl.at/rGTin
Craig Barton’s Tips for Teachers books & websites: https://mrbartonmaths.com/
TIMESTAMPS
[00:00:22] Introduction
[00:05:09] What changed Craig’s mind about how to teach math
[00:09:07] When struggle isn’t productive
[00:12:29] Essential components of a well-structured, explicit instruction lesson
[00:14:54] An introduction to atomisation
[00:16:16] Purposeful practice
[00:21:08] More on atomisation
[00:23:58] Examples of atomisation
[00:27:03] Summary of atomisation
[00:27:49] How to deal with wide skill ranges in the math classroom
[00:31:36] Engelman & Carnine’s Theory of Instruction
[00:32:30] Tips for the ‘I do’ stage
[00:38:24] Importance of checking for listening
[00:44:17] Tips for the ‘We do’ stage
[00:45:51] A ‘we do’ fraction example
[00:49:23] Atomisation helps with struggle
[00:52:24] Tips for the ‘You do’ stage
[00:54:13] How to use purposeful practice
[00:55:24] How to set students up to solve non-routine problems
[01:03:56] How to effectively teach problem solving
[01:09:05] The importance of structure
[01:09:53] Can explicit instruction in math be interactive?
[01:12:01] Where to find Craig
[01:13:08] Final thoughts
RELEVANT PREVIOUS EPISODES
Cognitive load theory with Greg Ashman
https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-thbad-13cea56
Raising student achievement with Dylan Wiliam
https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-kduiw-15bba36
Project Follow Through: Direct Instruction’s overlooked success with Marcy Stein
https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-a9fqx-17a2ffb
Using the Instructional Hierarchy to teach math with Brendan Lee
https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-3zux7-193d0fc
EPISODE TRANSCRIPT
https://www.annastokke.com/transcripts/ep-63-transcript
MUSIC
Intro & Outro: Funk Jazz Big Band - ColorFilmMusic
Website: www.annastokke.com
FB: Chalk & Talk
IG: @chalkandtalkpodcast
Tiktok: @chalkandtalkpodcast
X: @rastokke
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/anna-stokke-3a1b4c
Bluesky: @rastokke.bsky.social
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