English teacher Belen Albarracin joined me to talk about the exciting collaborative projects she does with her learners, including TED-ED Talks and interactive choose-your-own-adventure stories.

'Getting CPD Right' hosted by Sarah Kate Towlson, featuring special guests Carole Noble, Assistant Head of Teaching and Learning and Dean Williams, Assistant Head. The show delves into best practices for Continuing Professional Development (CPD) in both public and private education, highlighting the hurdles and challenges that school leaders, in the UK and internationally, face in getting it right for all staff. Through expert discussions and valuable insights, Sarah and her guests explore practical strategies to overcome these obstacles, empowering educators with the confidence, knowledge and tools they need to enhance their skills, support their teams, and drive meaningful improvements in their schools and classrooms.

On the last Saturday off the summer, Darren plans his goals for the term, talks through effective goal setting processes and gives you the space to join in and come up with your own goals for the next 16ish weeks.

Carl chats with Neil Rawes, an experienced secondary vice principal, about whether hope is making a comeback in schools. They discuss signs that life in schools may be getting better again ranging from the pay award to Ofsted reform and the forthcoming curriculum review.

Morgan and Tod discuss the wonderful whirlwind that is starting at a new school. They explore how it's more than just the initial insets and inductions—it's about deep acculturation and truly investing in the school's vision. How can a school make new staff feel valued and seen. Schools can create opportunities for extended training, leveraging data, social events with parents, focus groups with student leadership or seeing community outreach in action. This sets high expectations, but it also sets up new teachers for success.

Tom Rogers and Hannah Wilson host a one off special supported by Futurum Careers to discuss the career aspirations of young people, particularly in the areas of STEM (Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) and SHAPE (social sciences, humanities and arts for people and the economy). Two incredible guests join the conversation; Julia Black, President of the British Academy, advisor to the Bank of England and Professor of Law and Professor Louise Archer of the Aspires Project and Professor of Sociology at UCL. In this far ranging conversation built for anyone interested in careers education, we explore how students choose future careers, which subjects are on the rise and fall, how can we open pathways to students to follow their dreams and how can schools and teachers use practical strategies to support students on their journeys. Free STEM and SHAPE resources are available via the Futurum website here: https://futurumcareers.com/stem-shape-activity-sheets

Rory Braddell, an expert in instructional design, dives deep into the fundamental aspects of creating effective educational materials. He explains the ADDIE model and the vital roles within an instructional design team. The conversation highlights the importance of understanding learning theories and the challenges posed by AI-generated content, which often lacks a human touch. Insightful discussions on data analysis, cognitive overload, and the iterative nature of instructional design reveal how teacher collaboration can enhance learning experiences.

Christopher talks with author, academic and zine-maker Dr Jeanne Scheper about the zine as a medium facilitating individual creative freedom; its connections with protest movements and alternative subcultures; and its value as a teaching tool in the university seminar room.

Marina Falasca from Argentina joins me to chat about her work as a teacher, teacher trainer, curriculum designer, and researcher, especially when it comes to integrating EdTech to enhance students' learning experiences and outcomes. 

On The Weekly Review, Lucy Neuburger, John Gibbs and Brent Poland discuss hot topics in the week's news with host, Paul Hazzard. This week's stories: ‘Too many of us have reached our critical mass of disruptive students’ https://www.tes.com/magazine/teaching-learning/secondary/teachers-reaching-burnout-disruptive-students-behaviour-schools Miss Pope, my science teacher, would have approved of music and ice lollies in class. Exams aren’t the only way to learn https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/article/2024/aug/23/science-teacher-music-ice-lollies-exams 5 ways schools should approach critical thinking to spot fake news https://www.tes.com/magazine/teaching-learning/general/how-schools-should-approach-critical-thinking-pupils-spot-fake-news Shows Reviewed: Decoding Leadership : The Saturday Breakfast Show with Darren Lester GCSE Results Special: Education Tonight Tips for starting in a new school: The Late Show with Tom Rogers