Teachers Talk Radio

Department development is about having a vision and ambitious goals for implementation. Guest Emily Folorunsho discusses the curriculum as the key driver, all while creating authentic team buy-in and a culture of professional collaboration. Pre-mortems, use of data, clear systems, CPD and wellbeing that all a part of building a dynamic department.

Brent (@BrentPoland1) and Adam (@aspence81) dust down the abacus and run the numbers past special guest, Dr Tom Bennison, expert in Maths teaching. In part 2 they discuss a former children’s laureate' view that children should be allowed to learn online instead of going to school.

Children’s Centre Head, Ciara Rush, dives into the unique experiences of leading in the Early Years.  She explores how the focus on early childhood development at a children centre contrasts with the structures academic goals of some schools, and the varied needs of staff, families and communities served by each.

Lucy and Hannah discuss whether women experience inequality in education. They share personal stories, facts, data and insights around this important topic. 

Teaching writing in primary can often feel like a mystifying art form mastered by few. In this episode, we get into the nuts and bolts of one school's approach to redesigning their writing curriculum and approach to the teaching of the subject. Olly Cakebread is in the midst of a mission to drive the improvement of writing in his school and he's keen to share his plan and ideas with you.

Tom is joined by Sarah Hobson who this year enters her 21st year of teaching and leading in schools. In this show, Sarah shares what initially inspired her to become a teacher and reflects on how that motivation has evolved over the years. She discusses the changes she’s made to her teaching style over the past two decades, as well as the significant shifts she’s noticed in education, particularly in technology and student behavior. Adapting to new trends and tools hasn't been without its challenges, but Sarah has found ways to maintain her passion for teaching. She recalls a memorable moment that reaffirmed her commitment to the profession, while also sharing insights on how she has adapted to the changing needs and expectations of students. For those new to the field, Sarah offers valuable advice, highlighting the most rewarding aspects of her own career. Looking ahead, she reflects on the future of education and considers the role she hopes to play as she continues to teach. Enjoy the show!  A bit about Sarah: "My teaching has evolved over the past 21 years specialising in many areas of education. Having experience of different educational establishments and through my specialist provision role as an Assistant Headteacher and Outreach manager in a PRU, my area of focus and expertise has developed into supporting and managing behaviours, safeguarding, inclusion, mental health and strengthening communication skills. Trauma informed teaching and working through barriers to learning are key areas of interest to me. As a Deputy Head in charge of Inclusion, I thrive working within a senior leadership team and seek to strategically lead and drive a school forward. My teaching specialism is in Drama with English"

Secondary teacher Rae and Primary teacher Lianne discuss the importance of creative subjects and developing creative skills across the curriculum throughout all key stages.

Patrick de Boer joins us in this episode as we explore the intricacies of CLIL in a conversation about bilingual education in the Netherlands and Germany, training of CLIL teachers, classroom strategies and assessment.

Decentering ELT (English Language Teaching), Action Research, and Artificial Intelligence and ELT were the main subjects me and my guest, Brazilian teacher Leonardo Lima spoke about on this show.

On The Weekly Review, Lucy Neuburger, John Gibbs and Shaniqua Edwards-Hayde discuss hot topics in the week's news with host, Paul Hazzard. This week's stories: Pay-as-you-go schooling: parents under pressure to fund essentials https://www.theguardian.com/money/article/2024/sep/02/pay-as-you-go-schooling-parents-under-pressure-to-fund-essentials 'It stains your brain': How social media algorithms show violence to boys https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c4gdqzxypdzo Guidance to limit phone use in NI schools brings UK into alignment https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c785qx6nvg3o Shows Reviewed: Rethinking Assessment: The Late Show with James Radburn Teacher wellbeing tips: The Late Show with Hannah Wilson and Lucy Neuburger Start the Year Well: The Late Show with Claire Bills Inclusion in Leadership:  The Late Late Show with Chris Wilkinson