Beyond Survival: The New Teacher Podcast

This week we have a vitally important topic that we hope all listeners will benefit from. Colin McGill interviews Lynn McCann and Catrina Lowri on how we can best support neurodivergent teachers to thrive in school. Lynn McCann is an Autism, ADHD and PDE Specialist teacher and author. She is the owner of Reach out ASC, which is a team of neurodivergent teachers working to support autistic, ADHD and PDE young people in schools. Catrina Lowri is the founder of Neuroteachers. She is a neurodivergent teacher who has over twenty years experience as a SENCO, special needs and advisory teacher. In tackling this question, they explore:1. What are the specific issues faced by neurodivergent teachers? 2. Why is it important that we have neurodivergent teachers in the teaching profession? 3. What can mentors/school leaders/ITE lecturers do to support neurodivergent teachers and student teachers? 4. What advice would you give to a neurodivergent student teacher about to embark on a school placement? 5. What can we do to improve the retention of neurodivergent teachers?Thank you for listening. If you find the episode useful, please do pass it on! 

Calmness is a game-changer in the teaching world! Discover how maintaining a serene presence can enhance the learning environment. The discussion delves into practical strategies to help educators remain composed, benefiting both themselves and their students. Learn why calmness is crucial for fostering deeper engagement and a secure atmosphere in the classroom. It's all about equipping teachers with the tools for success.

The podcast returns this week after a bit of break. Colin and Jamie have been busy finishing off their new book 'The Essentials in Learning to Teach', which you can pre-order here and which will be out in February. This episode explores how you can make a really positive impression in schools. It breaks this down into how you can manage the stress of starting in a school, how you can build positive relationships with staff members, and how you can start to form really positive relationships with students. We hope you find it really useful and look forward to sharing regular episodes with listeners from now! 

Today's episode is fantastic conversation between Colin and Hayley Guy. Hayley just completed her PGDE (teacher-education/training) year in Scotland with us at Edinburgh Napier University. In this practical and helpful conversation Colin and Hayley discuss:What was the most important piece of learning during your PGDE?What advice do you have for managing the PGDE workload while raising a young family?What was the biggest challenges you faced during your PGDE and how did you overcome them?How has your PGDE year prepared you for being a probationer teacher?If you could go back in time to August 2023, what advice would you give yourself?Thank you for listening, please do pass on the episode to others if you found it helpful. 

Today is the second episode in the A-Z of teacher skills and focusses on b: belonging. It looks at why creating a culture of belonging is a vital teacher skill. It then goes on to give some practical strategies for how you can ensure young people feel they belong in your classroom. 

Discover the essential skill of assertiveness in the classroom. Learn how to balance authority with respect to create a positive learning environment. Explore practical, actionable strategies for both verbal and non-verbal communication. This discussion offers insights that empower teachers to present themselves confidently and effectively manage classroom dynamics.

The hosts dive into the excitement and challenges of starting a new school year. They emphasize the importance of establishing effective classroom routines and cultivating connections with colleagues. A focus on the significance of remembering student names highlights inclusivity. Discussions on balancing personal life with teaching stress underscore the need for hobbies and self-care. Listeners also get insights into navigating social media communities among educators, all while looking forward to a successful term ahead.

This talk gives a brief overview of an online event on Thursday May 23rd from 4 o'clock to 5 o'clock 'A Teaching and Learning Masterclass'. All the money raised from this event will go directly to charity. For just five pounds you can support the brilliant charity 'Health in Mind' and have an hour of practical guidance no how to improve your teaching from one of the UK's best authors, education consultants and Headteachers Bruce Robertson. You can see all of Bruce's brilliant books here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/stores/Bruce-Robertson/author/B0CK2MJ2RV?ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1&qid=1715939722&sr=8-1&isDramIntegrated=true&shoppingPortalEnabled=trueYou can buy a ticket here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/a-teaching-and-learning-masterclass-tickets-906718578677?aff=oddtdtcreatorAny donations for my marathon run for Health in Mind would also be massively appreciated: https://www.justgiving.com/page/jamie-thom-1714850068670.You can read more about Health in Mind and the services they offer to support mental health here: https://health-in-mind.org.ukAs always, thank you so much for listening and supporting the show. We will be back in August, so have a wonderful summer! 

This week's guest is Alex Quigley. Alex is a former English teacher and school leader, who now works for the Education charity Education Endowment Foundation. He has written many best selling books, including his latest 'Why Learning Fails'.  Alex's website is: https://alexquigley.co.ukIn this episode we answer the question: why does learning fail? In answering that central question , Alex also answers:What inspired your new book Why Learning Fails?What role does 'patchy prior knowledge' have in learning and what can teachers do about it? What role does 'overconfidence' have in learning and what can teachers do about it? What role does an inability to work independently have in learning and what can teachers do about it? What advice might you offer teachers at the start of their careers to enjoy a positive career in education?I hope you really enjoy the episode, if you do please do pass it on. You can get in touch with me via my website https://jamiethom.co.uk

Today's episode of 'Beyond Survival: The New Teacher podcast' is the monthly episode with Colin McGill. Colin is my colleague in the PGDE at Edinburgh Napier University, and is the programme leader. You can follow him on Twitter @colinmcgill.Today we are answering the question: what feedback will really help my learners? In answering that question we also answer:What is the purpose of feedback? What are some mistakes teachers make in giving feedback?What makes verbal feedback effective? What makes written feedback effective? How does whole class feedback work and what will help give it impact? I hope you enjoy the episode! You can also watch it on the YouTube channel here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ov3zjup2V3s.Colin and I are both running the Edinburgh Marathon in two weeks for a brilliant charity Health in Mind. Any sponsorship for us would be massively, massively appreciated!Jamie: https://www.justgiving.com/page/jamie-thom-1714850068670Colin: https://www.justgiving.com/page/colin-mcgill-1706570297927Thank you so much.