Bart Oswald

Educator & Assistant Principal | Blogging on learning, teaching, leadership & evidence-informed practices | Views are my own |

[Bart Oswald @bart_oswald]

Every lost minute at the start of a lesson adds up. By the end of the year, that’s weeks of learning time gone.
Here’s why school leaders must treat routines as non-negotiable 👇

[Bart Oswald @bart_oswald]

@DaveWessels Using an approach that builds on the essential knowledge that manages the cognitive load of the learners/players, utilising the science of learning supports knowledge sticking and then being available for problem solving and creativity in play. Sweller et al.

[Tom Bennett OBE @tombennett71]

I see a lot of schools, and in many of them behaviour is below what it could and should be. Very often I see some of the most common strategic mistakes in these schools:

1. Vague expectations of behaviour
2. No staff training in implementing the school behaviour policy
3. A belief that teachers should ‘own’ the behaviour (which usually means in essence that they shouldn’t bother anyone else with it)
4. Gaseous boundaries that can be crossed without consequence
Inconsistent consequences
5. An emphasis on restorative and purely therapeutic techniques over clear routines

Some of these strategic errors are believed to be virtues, eg ‘we believe that children must only behave because they want to, because extrinsic motivators are immoral.’ A lot of these mistakes stem from a Progressive view of the child, and how they behave in classrooms.

1. Children are naturally inclined to be good
2. Children are naturally curious about school work
3. Children will learn by themselves how to behave if we let them
4. Children will do things correctly as long as we ask them nicely

These are lovely but deeply flawed premises. Basing your institutional system of behaviour on these will lead to sub-optimal outcomes, very often disastrously so.

And when they don’t work, the most common reason cited for why is an appeal to society: these kids are poor, these kids are disadvantaged, what can you expect from kids like this? Too rarely do people reflect that it may be the strategies of the school, powered by the assumptions of helplessness mentioned above this sentence, that are the major factors in their outcomes.

Demographic disadvantage is a powerful thing, but it is not destiny, and I’ve seen hundreds of schools ignore the temptation to settle for less, and build cultures where everyone flourishes, not just the fortunate recipients of privilege.

[Bart Oswald @bart_oswald]

Strong routines aren’t about control.
They’re about freedom:
➡️ Freedom for teachers to teach
➡️ Freedom for students to learn
Full blog here 👉 https://t.co/vZeBAjZHzC
#EduTwitter #SchoolLeadership #InstructionalLeadership #ScienceOfLearning

[Bart Oswald @bart_oswald]

Every lost minute at the start of a lesson adds up. By the end of the year, that’s weeks of learning time gone.
Here’s why school leaders must treat routines as non-negotiable 👇

[Bart Oswald @bart_oswald]

The payoff?

More teaching time

Lower student anxiety

Equity for vulnerable kids

Calmer staffrooms and classrooms
And—energy saved for what really matters: quality teaching.

[Bart Oswald @bart_oswald]

Practical examples that work:
🚪 Entry: Calm line-up + “Do Now” task → zero lost time
🔄 Transitions: Countdown or call-and-response → seconds, not minutes
🏁 Exit: Reflection instead of early pack-up → learning sealed in

[Bart Oswald @bart_oswald]

As leaders, routines don’t embed themselves.
They must be:
Led (modelled daily)

Protected (reinforced when they drift)

Coherent (consistent across classrooms, not just one)

[Bart Oswald @bart_oswald]

Cognitive Load Theory (Sweller, 1988): Predictable routines reduce mental strain, freeing students to focus.

Berry Street (Brunzell et al., 2016): Predictability = safety for vulnerable students.

Grattan Institute (2023): Consistency builds calmer, fairer schools.

[Bart Oswald @bart_oswald]

Routines aren’t just classroom management.
They’re a statement of what we value:
✔️ Calm
✔️ Consistency
✔️ Predictability

[Bart Oswald @bart_oswald]

@Smithre5 100% agree – coherence matters more than aggregation.
Here are my thoughts on how an open source, high-quality curriculum could save teachers time, reduce workload, and improve equity: https://t.co/w6SUYCFFM0

[Bart Oswald @bart_oswald]

Open source curriculum could transform schools.
Save time. Reduce workload. Close equity gaps.
Here’s why we need to stop guarding great teaching resources and start sharing them: https://t.co/IcCT3mOqMM

[Ben Carroll @BenCarrollMP]

When it comes to maths in the classroom, we’re helping our kids to thrive.

[Doug Lemov @Doug_Lemov]

Contrary to platitudes, learning really is to a large degree about acquiring knowledge & information. Saying so does not diminish its importance, the complexity of teaching or the wide range of social cognitive & psychological benefits it brings. It needs no dressing up in robes.

[Erin Fazekas @ErinFazekas]

A key takeaway from Manisha Gazula from @MarsdenRoad at @SharingBestPrac: "appreciating student mediocrity is patronising & has minimal impact. Success is the greatest motivator." We know students learn mostly the same. Let's raise the bar and teach them.

[Bart Oswald @bart_oswald]

@Brad_Nguyen_ A system-wide, department-led solution is the only way to fix this and support early, effective interventions.

[Bart Oswald @bart_oswald]

@Brad_Nguyen_ 💯 Agree! The other side is Secondary schools should receive NAPLAN, PAT and other key data before the school year begins for year 7s, once enrolment is confirmed. With 20+ feeder primaries, we see huge inconsistency in what gets shared.

[Bart Oswald @bart_oswald]

💯

[David Morkunas @DaveMorkunas]

This point often gets lost in the debate about whether teachers should create their own resources. Hard to overestimate just how much time Ochre has saved teachers around the country.

[𝗗𝗿 𝗡𝗮𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗶𝗲𝗹 𝗦𝘄𝗮𝗶𝗻 @NathanielRSwain]

**Sharing Best Practice - Melbourne North**
I'm excited about this opportunity to connect with educators, academics, and allied health professionals to share insights and collaborate on evidence-based best practices!
https://t.co/u8BLTpXydG