🎯 High expectations. But what does that really mean?

Craig and Dave are diving into one of education’s favourite buzzwords — and giving it a proper reality check! For them, it’s not about piling on pressure; it’s about purpose.

In this episode, we unpack how homework can be used as a tool to prepare students for lessons, boost memory retention, and actually make learning easier — not harder. It’s all about making homework something students can achieve, enjoy, and see the value in.

Discover how:
✅ homework can be short, focused, and achievable (no long essays or parental help required!)
✅ the flipped classroom approach helps students prepare for lessons and embed knowledge
✅ note-taking with the Cornell method turns simple homework into higher-order thinking
✅ Smart Revise personalised goals help students manage their workload and track progress

It’s not about making tasks harder – it’s about creating routines, habits, and consistency that really set students up to succeed.

📚 Teachers, if you’ve ever wondered how to get students to actually do their homework and engage meaningfully with lessons, this video is for you.

Check out all our Computer Science teaching resources in our Resource Centre:
https://craigndave.org/study-tools/resource-centre

Check out Smart Revise -
https://smartrevise.craigndave.org/

✉️ Questions? Drop us a line at admin@craigandave.co.uk

💬 Expect laughs, honest reflections, and a few classroom stories along the way — whether you’re a teacher, head of department, or just curious about how schools really work.

#TeachingLife #EducationUK #SecondaryEducation #TeacherStories #Chalkface #CraignDave #UKSchools #ClassroomInsights #EdChat

Craig and Dave reminisce about the days of CD-ROMs, dot-matrix printers, and mischievous bus networks — and connect those stories to a timeless truth: technology will fail you sooner or later. So how do you keep a Computer Science lesson productive when the Wi-Fi dies?

This episode explores practical unplugged activities, quick-print resources, and strategies to stay calm and keep learning moving when digital systems go down. It’s part nostalgia, part survival guide for every modern teacher.

👉 Don’t forget to subscribe, so you never miss an At the Chalk Face episode.

Whether you’re a teacher, school leader, or just curious about the future of education, this discussion offers a thought-provoking look at innovation, flexibility, and what’s next for classrooms in England.

🔗 More from us:
Website & resources – Craigndave.org
Smart Revise – https://smartrevise.craigndave.org/

#Teaching #Education #Pedagogy #CraigAndDave #AtTheChalkface #TeacherLife #news #educationnews #EducationUK #Teaching #ComputerScience #AtTheChalkFace #TeachingLife #NonSpecialistTeachers #SecondaryEducation #TeacherStories

At the chalk face: Non-specialist teachers curse or cure?

Non-specialist teachers: The classroom reality no one talks about
Did you know a third of Year 7 lessons are taught by teachers who aren’t specialists in that subject? 🤯

Craig and Dave are back on the chalk face to tackle a topic every teacher has an opinion on — non-specialist teaching.

From teaching biology with no science background to discovering how to book a Bunsen burner two weeks in advance (!), this episode dives into the reality behind timetabling decisions, the pressure on schools, and why “you only have to stay one step ahead of the students” might be more true than you’d think.

In this episode, we chat about:
Why so many teachers end up teaching outside their specialism
What makes someone a “specialist” anyway?
How non-specialists can still make a huge impact
The long-term effects of non-specialist teaching on students
And a few confessions from Craig and Dave’s own classrooms!

👀 Watch now for an open, funny and surprisingly relatable discussion about the juggling act teachers face every day.

Great teaching isn’t just about degrees — it’s about connecting with students, building relationships, and staying one step ahead.

💬 Expect laughs, honest reflections, and some eyebrow-raising stories about life in the classroom — whether you’re a teacher, head of department, or just curious about how schools really work.

👉 Don’t forget to like, subscribe, so you never miss an At the Chalk Face episode.


Whether you’re a teacher, school leader, or just curious about the future of education, this discussion offers a thought-provoking look at innovation, flexibility, and what’s next for classrooms in England.

🔗 More from us:
Website & resources – Craigndave.org
Smart Revise – smartrevise.online

#Teaching #Education #Pedagogy #CraigAndDave #AtTheChalkface #TeacherLife #news #educationnews #EducationUK #Teaching #ComputerScience #AtTheChalkFace #TeachingLife #NonSpecialistTeachers #SecondaryEducation #TeacherStories