Mr Barton Maths Podcast

In this episode of the Mr Barton Maths podcast, Professor Victoria Simms discusses her research on children's mathematical thinking and the importance of family involvement in early education. She emphasises the role of the home environment in shaping children's mathematical experiences and the need for supportive resources for parents. The discussion also covers the challenges of early education, the impact of sibling interactions, and the long-term effects of early mathematical experiences. Vic shares insights on data-collection methodologies in educational research and highlights the importance of fostering positive mathematical experiences at home. Access the show notes here: podcast.mrbartonmaths.com/213-research-in-action-30-supporting-families-with-mathematics-with-vic-simms

In this episode of the Mr. Barton Maths podcast, Craig is joined by Chris Shaw, a mathematics educator with nearly 30 years of experience. They discuss Chris's transition from secondary school teaching to a full-time role at Loughborough University, where he is involved in teacher training and research. The conversation delves into the importance of effective explanations in mathematics education, the challenges of pursuing a PhD, and the role of sense-making in teaching. Chris shares insights from his research on what constitutes a good mathematical explanation and the significance of example selection in teaching. The episode concludes with reflections on the complexities of teaching and the ongoing quest for effective educational practices. Read the show notes here: podcast.mrbartonmaths.com/212-research-in-action-29-explanations-and-reasoning-with-chris-shore

In this conversation, Hugo Lortie-Forgues discusses his background in psychology and education, focusing on misconceptions in learning fractions and the importance of understanding educational programs. He emphasises the need for clear communication of research findings, particularly regarding the effectiveness of educational interventions and the uncertainty that accompanies them. The discussion also touches on the challenges teachers face in interpreting research and the importance of evaluating the quality of educational studies.Visit the shownotes here: https://podcast.mrbartonmaths.com/211-research-in-action-28-considering-uncertainty-when-interpreting-educational-research-with-hugo-lortie-forgues/

In this conversation, Andrew Manches, a Professor of Children and Technology at the University of Edinburgh, discusses the intersection of technology and early childhood education. He emphasizes the importance of understanding how children interact with technology and the potential benefits and challenges it presents. The conversation explores innovative tools that blend physical and digital learning, the role of gestures in communication, and the complexities of conducting research in educational settings. Manches advocates for collaboration between researchers and educators to enhance learning experiences and prepare children for a digital future.View the show notes here: https://podcast.mrbartonmaths.com/210-research-in-action-27-technology-and-learning-with-andrew-manches/

In this conversation, Silke Goebel, a professor at the University of York, discusses her research on number processing in children, the cognitive and cultural aspects of numerical cognition, and the influence of language on learning mathematics. She explores how numbers are represented in the brain, the concept of subitizing, and the challenges posed by different number systems across cultures. The discussion also touches on the impact of bilingualism and reading direction on numerical understanding, as well as practical takeaways for teachers and parents to support children's mathematical development. Access the show notes here: https://podcast.mrbartonmaths.com/209-research-in-action-26-linguistic-influences-on-number-processing-with-silke-goebel/

Kris Boulton and maths teacher Duncan Grantham join me to discuss creating maths resources using AI. You can access the shownotes here: mrbartonmaths.com/blog/atomisation-in-action-4

Kris Boulton and maths teacher Lee Wheeler join me for the third in our monthly deep-dives about how to apply the principles of Atomisation in the classroom. This time we look at problem-solving, prerequisite knowledge, and overtisiation. Access the show-notes here: mrbartonmaths.com/blog/atomisation-in-action-3

Ollie Lovell and Mark Dowley have written a fantastic book - The Classroom Management Handbook. In this conversation, we dive into three of Ollie and Mark’s 10 behaviour principles: Master your own behaviour to influence others, Treat behaviour as a curriculum, and Success is the greatest motivator. We then discuss my favourite part of the book - the worked example or scripts that Ollie and Mark have written to show teachers exactly how to enact these principles in their classrooms. Whether you are a novice teacher or an experienced practitioner, there will be something in this chat, and indeed in the book, for you. You can access the show notes here: mrbartonmaths.com/blog/classroom-management-handbook

Science teacher and educational guru Adam Boxer joins me to discuss why he thinks the way CPD is traditionally delivered in schools is broken, and how we can fix it. We discuss three common models of CPD - the one-off inset, the yearly whole-school focus, and instructional coaching - and Adam outlines just how difficult it is to make them effective. We then discuss Adam's alternative. You can access the show notes here: mrbartonmaths.com/blog/adam-boxer-cpd/

Regular listeners will know that each month, I get together with my good friend and podcasting arch-enemy Ollie Lovell. This is the fifth in our series of conversations where we seek to agree upon a maths lesson structure. This time around, we continue our discussion of the Do Now, this time focusing on how to respond to the checks for understanding, and addressing reasons why the Do Now can take too long. As ever, we go super deep. So, I hope people enjoy it. Access the show-notes here: mrbartonmaths.com/blog/lesson-structure-5

Kris Boulton and maths teacher Lee Wheeler join me for the second of our series of Atomisation in Action episodes, where we discuss the benefits and challenges of applying the principles of Atomisation in the classroom. This time, we discuss how Atomisaiton can go wrong, and how it works with sets and mixed-attainment classes. You can access the show notes here: mrbartonmaths.com/blog/atomisation-in-action-2

This episode, Neil Almond, creator of the amazing Teacher Prompts newsletter, returns to the show. We begin by reflecting on some recent developments in the world of AI and then turn our attention to Neil’s AI spin on Neil Postman's Technology Principles, where Neil expresses caution about the impact AI could have on our students' education and the role of teachers. You can access the shownotes here: mrbartonmaths.com/blog/ai-in-education-3

This is the first in what I hope will be a new series of episodes focusing on Atomisation and its potential impact on student learning. Access the show notes here: mrbartonmaths.com/blog/atomisation-in-action-1

This is the second instalment in a series of episodes examining the role of AI in education. On this episode, I am joined by James Radburn. As you will hear, James has devoted considerable time to considering the positive benefits and pitfalls of AI in education. Today, after James shares three practical use cases of AI that all listeners can use, we dive into the tricky areas of AI literacy for both teachers and students. What is the minimum that all teachers and students need to know about AI, and what are the ethical implications? You can access the shownotes here: mrbartonmaths.com/blog/ai-in-education-2

In this engaging conversation, Craig Barton and Ollie Lovell discuss various teaching strategies, focusing on the 'Do Now' structure in classrooms. They explore the importance of checking for understanding, the effectiveness of mini whiteboards, and how to manage latecomers. The discussion also touches on their upcoming Aussie tour, providing insights into their teaching philosophies and practical classroom management techniques. In this conversation, Craig and Ollie delve into the intricacies of teaching strategies, focusing on the importance of establishing effective routines, gathering and responding to feedback, and optimizing communication in the classroom. They discuss the complexities of teaching, the necessity of splitting up gathering and responding to feedback, and reflect on the ongoing podcast series, emphasizing the depth of discussion required to improve teaching practices. You can access the show notes here: mrbartonmaths.com/blog/lesson-structure-4

I hope this will be the first of a series of episodes investigating AI's role in education. Specifically, I am interested in how AI can save teachers time, help them do their jobs better, or ideally both. I am also interested in the role AI may play in the future in acting as an intelligent 1-to-1 tutor for our students. So, in this first conversation, Neil and I cover the basics of what exactly AI is, cover some of Neil’s use cases for the likes of ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini and NotebookLM, and then Neil reins me back in when I get a bit carried away about where education might be heading.You can view the show notes here: mrbartonmaths.com/blog/ai-in-education-1

This is the third in our series of conversations where we seek to agree upon a maths lesson structure. This time around, we continue our discussion of the Do Now, this time focusing on the choice of content, and what students do whilst working on the Do Now. As ever, we go super deep. So, I hope people enjoy it.Show-notes: mrbartonmaths.com/blog/lesson-structure-3

In this episode, Ollie and I tried something different. I’ve been working with a school to help develop a departmental lesson structure with their maths team. I know Ollie had been doing something similar with a school he has been working with, so it seemed a good idea to chat through our ideas to see where we agreed and differed. My original plan was to cover this all in one pod. But, as you will hear, I may have been a bit optimistic about that. So, we are going to turn this into a series of episodes. Given how far we got in this conversation, we should just about wrap up our dive into a lesson structure by 2029. Access the show notes here: mrbartonmaths.com/blog/lesson-structure-2

In this episode, Ollie and I tried something different. I've been working with a school to help develop a departmental lesson structure with their maths team. I know Ollie had been doing something similar with a school he has been working with, so it seemed a good idea to chat through our ideas to see where we agreed and differed. My original plan was to cover this all in one pod. But, as you will hear, I may have been a bit optimistic about that. So, we are going to turn this into a series of episodes. Given how far we got in this conversation, we should just about wrap up our dive into a lesson structure by 2029. You can access the show-notes here: mrbartonmaths.com/blog/lesson-structure-1

Ollie Lovell sent me a recording of a maths lesson he had recently taught in a school he has been supporting. I suggested we discuss the lesson, centring around Ollie’s planning, the decisions he made, and his responses in the lesson. Fortunately, Ollie agreed, hence what you are listening to now. I have shared the video clips from the sections of the lesson that we discussed on the show-note page here: mrbartonmaths.com/blog/ollie-lesson