#195 Devloping a lesson structure – episode 1 (with Ollie Lovell)

Craig Barton
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Sponsor details

This episode of the Mr Barton Maths podcast is proudly supported by Casio Education. Check out the fantastic resources they have available for teachers here: education.casio.co.uk/mr-barton-maths

Episode details

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.

Episode summary

In this conversation, Craig Barton and Ollie Lovell discuss the intricacies of lesson structures in mathematics education. They explore the importance of establishing effective lesson phases, the purpose of the ‘Do Now’ activity, and the need for a consensus on teaching methods. The dialogue emphasizes the significance of planning, student engagement, and the role of teachers in facilitating learning. Through their exchange, they aim to create a comprehensive framework for effective teaching practices. In this conversation, Ollie and Craig discuss the purpose and effectiveness of ‘do now’ activities in the classroom. They explore the balance between using do nows for retrieval practice versus assessing prerequisite knowledge, and how to effectively drive homework through quizzes. The conversation emphasizes the importance of clear objectives for do nows and the need for teachers to be responsive to student needs during lessons. They also debate the integration of do nows with weekly quizzes and the implications for student learning and retention

Takeaways:

  • The importance of a structured lesson plan.
  • Consensus among educators can enhance teaching effectiveness.
  • The ‘Do Now’ serves multiple purposes in a lesson.
  • Retrieval practice is essential for student retention.
  • Lesson phases should be clearly defined and understood.
  • Effective teaching requires flexibility in lesson planning.
  • Problem-solving should be integrated into lessons regularly.
  • Teacher-led instruction is crucial in the ‘I do’ phase.
  • Clear vocabulary is necessary for effective communication among educators.
  • Planning should consider both individual lessons and sequences of lessons. The primary purpose of a do now should be to assess retrieval.
  • Do nows can serve multiple purposes, but clarity is key.
  • It’s important to communicate the purpose of do nows to students.
  • Weekly low-stakes quizzes can effectively drive homework completion.
  • Teachers should be responsive to student performance during do nows.
  • Integrating do nows with quizzes can complicate lesson planning.
  • Retrieval opportunities should be spaced out to enhance memory retention.
  • Avoid including prerequisite knowledge in do nows to maintain structure.
  • A clear structure for do nows helps manage classroom time effectively.
  • Teachers should aim for a variety of retrieval opportunities throughout the week.

Ollie’s stuff

  • Sign up for Ollie’s newsletter here: edthreads.ollielovell.com
  • On Twitter, Ollie is @ollie_lovell
  • Ollie’s website is ollielovell.com 
  • You can check out Ollie’s podcast, The Education Research Reading Room here
  • Ollie’s first book, Cognitive Load Theory in Action, is available from Amazon
  • Ollie’s second book, Tools for Teachers, is available from Amazon

My usual plugs

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