
Mr Barton Maths Podcast
Craig Barton interviews guests from the wonderful world of education about their approaches to teaching, educational research and more. All show notes, resources and videos here: https://www.mrbartonmaths.com/blog/
Latest episodes

Feb 9, 2019 • 2h 43min
#073 Naveen Rizvi: Scripted lessons, examples and social media
Naveen Rizvi is Maths Curriculum Advisor for United Learning, and has previously taught at Michaela and Great Yarmouth schools, both of which have been in the public eye over the last few years. In what will no doubt prove a controversial episode (always good for the listening figures!) Naveen takes us through how she plans a sequence of lessons on rearranging formulae, completed with a scripted resource booklet which you can download from the podcast page. It is fascinating listening.
For more information about today’s guest, plus links to the websites, resources and ideas they mention, please visit the show notes page: http://www.mrbartonmaths.com/blog/naveen-rizvi-part-1-scripted-lessons-examples-and-social-media/

Jan 25, 2019 • 2h 42min
#072 Chris Smith: Injecting fun into lessons, Resources, Pi Day, Revision Days
Chris Smith is a maths teacher, Pi Day lover, TED Talker, popular newsletter writer, and the 2018 Scottish teacher of the Year. In this conversation we cover everything from lesson planning, time-management, running successful revision days, and the role of fun in maths lessons. Enjoy!
For more information about today’s guest, plus links to the websites, resources and ideas they mention, please visit the show notes page: http://www.mrbartonmaths.com/blog/chris-smith-injecting-fun-into-lessons-resources-pi-day-revision-days/

Jan 6, 2019 • 2h 34min
#071 David Didau: Making kids cleverer
David Didau is a former English teacher turned educational consultant, blogger and author. He has written two of my favourite educational books of all time: What If Everything You Knew About Education Was Wrong? and What Every Teacher Needs to Know About Psychology, which he co-wrote with former podcast guest Nick Rose. David now has a new book out - Making Kids Cleverer: A manifesto for closing the advantage gap - and it is a little on the controversial side! In this thought-provoking conversation we cover everything from intelligence, IQ, heritability, cognitive load theory, desirable difficulties, and parenting!
For more information about today’s guest, plus links to the websites, resources and ideas they mention, please visit the show notes page: http://www.mrbartonmaths.com/blog/david-didau-making-kids-cleverer/

Dec 17, 2018 • 2h 54min
#070 Jo Morgan: 100th Maths Gems Special
In this special podcast to celebrate Jo's 100th Maths Gem blog post, we end up talking about so much more than resources - although there is plenty of chat about that, so don't you worry. We also cover the role of fun in lessons, practical use of cognitive science in teaching, SSDD problems, what Jo has learned this year, and plenty more besides. Oh, and there is even a quiz!
For more information about today’s guest, plus links to the websites, resources and ideas they mention, please visit the show notes page: http://www.mrbartonmaths.com/blog/jo-morgan-100th-maths-gems-special/

Dec 2, 2018 • 2h 22min
#069 Helen Williams: Early Years teaching and manipulatives
Dr Helen Williams has been teaching, and learning about mathematics teaching, for over 30 years. Her particular expertise is in learning maths with children from 3 to 8 years of age, which is most certainly not my area of expertise! In this wide-ranging conversation, we discuss exactly what an early years maths lesson might look like, why manipulatives are so important for children of all ages, and why Helen is not exactly sold on Cognitive Load Theory!
For more information about today’s guest, plus links to the websites, resources and ideas they mention, please visit the show notes page: http://www.mrbartonmaths.com/blog/helen-williams-early-years-teaching-and-manipulatives/

Nov 19, 2018 • 2h 37min
#068 Becky Allen: Workload, happiness, expertise, progress, pupil premium
Professor Becky Allen is Professor of Education at UCL Institute of Education, co-creator of TeacherTapp, and the co-author of The Teacher Gap. Here we discuss just how happy (or unhappy!) teachers are, and what the very best schools are doing about it. We also discuss the mistakes schools make in terms of Pupil Premium students and measuring progress, both of which may well contribute to teacher unhappiness, with little positive benefits. There is so much in this conversation!
For more information about today’s guest, plus links to the websites, resources and ideas they mention, please visit the show notes page: http://www.mrbartonmaths.com/blog/becky-allen-workload-happiness-expertise-progress-pupil-premium/

Nov 8, 2018 • 2h 46min
#067 Bernie Westacott: Teaching maths with visuals and manipulatives
Bernie Westacott is a master of teaching key mathematical concepts in a visual way, using manipulatives and other representations. In this episode he takes me through 3 demonstrations: introducing number, operations with negative numbers, and simultaneous equations. In a world first for the Mr Barton Maths Podcast, this episode is available in both audio and also video so you can see Bernie in action, and watch me struggle!
For more information about today’s guest, plus links to the websites, resources and ideas they mention, please visit the show notes page: http://www.mrbartonmaths.com/blog/bernie-westacott-teaching-maths-with-visuals-and-manipulatives/

Oct 29, 2018 • 1h 21min
#066 Hannah Fry: algorithms, love and being a mathematician
Dr Hannah Fry is a mathematician, and a legend. In this interview we discussed her career, books, and TV work, covering topics such as the role maths can play in relationships, parenting, solving crime and driverless cars. The includes a discussion of Hannah's book Hello World, which is outstanding.
For more information about today’s guest, plus links to the websites, resources and ideas they mention, please visit the show notes page: http://www.mrbartonmaths.com/blog/hannah-fry-algorithms-love-and-being-a-mathematician/

Oct 7, 2018 • 1h 6min
#065 Conference Takeaways: MathsConf16 – Glasgow
After MathsConf16 at Glasgow High School on 6th October 2018, Stuart Welsh (@maths180) and I sat down to share our thoughts and takeaways on the sessions we had seen. We discuss atomising - which was very much the word of the day - provocative statements in maths education, teaching perimeter, solving linear equations with 100% success guaranteed, and much, much more.
For more information about today’s guest, plus links to the websites, resources and ideas they mention, please visit the show notes page: http://www.mrbartonmaths.com/blog/conference-takeaways-mathsconf16-glasgow/

Sep 23, 2018 • 1h 4min
#064 Conference Takeaways: researchED Scotland – September 2018
After researchED Scotland at Dollar Academy on 22nd September 2018, Chris McGrane (@ChrisMcGrane84) and I sat down to share our thoughts and takeaways on the sessions we had seen. We discuss the 7 myths of education, the role of metacogntion, feeding forward, curriculum, variation and smashing the bell-curve.
For more information about today’s guest, plus links to the websites, resources and ideas they mention, please visit the show notes page: http://www.mrbartonmaths.com/blog/conference-takeaways-researched-scotland-september-2018/