How high expectations drive student achievement with Doug Lemov (Ep 75)

In this episode, Anna Stokke is joined by Doug Lemov, author of Teach Like a Champion and one of the most influential voices on effective teaching practice. They discuss educational equity and why strong teaching, clear behaviour routines, high expectations, and academic rigor are essential for helping every student succeed.

They also discuss practical classroom strategies, including how to use cold calling effectively, active observation in math class, and building a culture where students are engaged and accountable for learning. Teachers, school leaders, and anyone interested in evidence-based education will find practical, actionable insights in this conversation.

This episode is available in video at www.youtube.com/@chalktalk-stokke

TIMESTAMPS [00:00:22] Introduction [00:03:06] Teach Like a Champion – is it about social justice? [00:05:36] Why some stress is essential for learning [00:10:38] School culture and how students respond – Asha’s story [00:16:28] How can you change school culture? [00:23:01] Why behaviour expectations are important [00:30:28] Why it’s important to be upfront about classroom policies [00:37:25] Teaching Techniques: Active Observation [00:45:36] Teaching Techniques: Cold Calling [00:53:06] The false positives of volunteer responses [00:58:36] Why having a mental model of how learning happens is critical for teachers [01:03:48] Final thoughts

RESOURCES

Teach like a Champion: https://teachlikeachampion.org/

Basketball leadership Teacher article https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7167858/2026/04/03/dusty-may-michigan-basketball-leadership-teacher/

EPISODE TRANSCRIPT https://www.annastokke.com/transcripts/ep-75-transcript

RELEVANT PREVIOUS EPISODES 

Inside one of England’s top-performing non-selective schools with Robert Peal https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-p7uyp-1ad62d6

The case for practice and the power of Math Corps with Alex Kontorovich  https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-d8bef-1916f6d

Educational leadership: Improving math and literacy with Scott Hill https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-vpzf8-16d0c17

Stress and learning with Dan Rosen https://www.podbean.com/ew/pb-94vv4-147a254

MUSIC Intro & Outro: Funk Jazz Big Band -  ColorFilmMusic

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