Those Who Can't

We kick off our 101 series with a focus on developing safe and respectful relationships in the classroom. We all know why it's important to build good rapport with our students, but how do you do it? Listen in as we talk through some practical tips for building better relationships.

Back by popular demand! In this episode we throw a few curly questions at each other and talk through how we might handle some challenging situations.

In this episode we talk about the excitement and challenges of starting in a new role. Whether you're taking on a new role in your existing school, or moving to a new school, we hope you'll find something in this podcast to help you to start well.

The new school year is coming! The summer holidays are coming to an end and you're getting ready to embark on a new school year. You've got all your shiny new stationary ready to go and it's time to step into the classroom. How can you make sure you start the new school year on the right foot? In this episode we reflect on the routines and practices that have helped us to make sure we start the new year well.

In this episode we talk about all the things we wish we knew. There are some parts of this job you can learn at university and there are other things you only learn on the job. Listen in as we try to throw out a few little nuggets of wisdom plucked from the well-trodden paths of our own classrooms.

Welcome back dear listeners. After a summer break, we're back for Season 2 to explore the education world. Are you a rule breaker or a rule follower? In this episode we consider why schools have so many rules and what value they add to our work as educators. How can we make rules helpful and relevant to students and when can be be a little bit flexible? What are rules for? Are we even enforcing the right ones? We might not have all the answers but we'll see what we can do.

In this episode we try to answer the question 'how long should you stay in one role'? Obviously, the answer depends on the individual but as usual, we've got some opinions. We talk about some of the things you should consider if you're trying to decide whether to stay in the role you're in, or to look for greener pastures elsewhere.

In this episode Matt and Kate throw some scenarios at each other giving you a real-time perspective on how they would handle some challenges that might typically arise in a real-life school context. If you listen carefully, you might even hear the gears turning in their heads as they offer they answer "what would you do?"

It's quiet in here ... a little too quiet. What is "quiet quitting"? Is it just a generational phenomenon or has it started to filter all the way through the education industry? In this episode we chat about the quiet quitting movement and dive into the changing nature of teacher workloads. We consider how and why boundary management is so important for teachers who want to be able to balance their working life with all the other parts of life.

In this episode we respond to something Kate stumbled across while casually doomscrolling. We offer our thoughts on three things we have learned in the last three years. Our discussion focuses on parents, connection, work-life balance and failure.

We're back! Well, Kate's back. After giving everyone a bit of time off over the school holidays we're back with a special episode. On her recent travels to Harvard, Kate had an opportunity to talk to some fantastic educators about the challenges they face in their work.

Feel like you might be at risk of burn out? In this episode we talk about some of the practical things you can do to protect yourself from burnout. We also consider what you can do to get back on track if you're caught in the burn out spiral.

In this episode we tackle the issue of burnout. What is burnout, what does it look like and how can we recognise the signs that we're at risk? We explore some of the factors that can put teachers into a burnout tailspin and we consider the impact of "carer fatigue" in the teaching profession.

Are there really bad teachers out there? The truth is, just like any profession, some people aren't very good at their job. In this episode, we explore the idea of the "bad teacher" and consider the qualities we'd prefer not to see in the teaching profession, everything from eating chalk to hating kids.

Kate spoke to her teacher friends to collect some insights into what teachers want parents to know. In this episode we talk through the list and offer our own reflections. We cover topics like tutoring, failure, performance pressure, resilience and why you should leave maths teaching to the maths teachers.

In this episode we talk with Dr Mark Williams about the impact of devices on our kids. Most schools in Australia put a device in every child's hand but how is this technology really impacting learning. Mark unpacks some of the myths about learning on screens and offers a strong case to consider going screen-free in your classroom.

In this episode we chat to our friend Dr Mark Williams about some of the mental health challenges that we see in schools today. We explore some of the reasons for the rise in mental health challenges and discuss some things schools can do to support the development of healthy brains and healthy kids.

In this episode we talk through some practical tips for responding to escalating or challenging behaviours. We consider our default responses to big behaviours and some reasons to unlearn some unhelpful responses. We offer some ways to interpret oppositional behaviours in order to develop appropriate responses and talk about why cascading threats rarely works and why strategies built on good relationships usually do.

In this episode we welcome special guest Dr Mark Williams, an internationally renowned professor of cognitive neuroscience and author of 'The Connected Species'. Mark shares his wisdom on the science of connection and offers some practical tips on how teachers can develop and strengthen their relationships with students. In a wide-ranging conversation we talk about in-groups and out-groups, responding to bullying and the importance of physical touch.

In this episode we cover the reported crisis in the industry and consider why so many teachers are leaving the profession. If you follow the education discourse in the media you will have heard about teacher dissatisfaction and teacher shortages. We provide some context to that discussion and provide advice to teachers who are thinking about leaving.

In this episode we consider the role of homework at school, discussing whether homework is an important aspect of student learning or a total waste of time. We provide some examples of homework done well and explore a variety of viewpoints about homework including students, parents and teachers.

In this episode we welcome back Marty Moore from the 'No Bullshit Leadership' Podcast to talk about how he was influenced by his own schooling experience. We think about the teachers that have a lasting impact on us, the predictors of success and the formative power of education. Marty also reflects on being a parent and some of the factors that came into play when choosing a school for his own daughters.

In this episode, we react to some recent coverage in the media about the growing interest in private schools enrolments. We consider the appeal of private education and explore what private schools have to offer that have parents sprinting from the maternity ward to the registrar's office. Are private schools really as bad as the media would have us believe? You'll have to listen to find out.

In this episode we chat with special guest Martin Moore. Marty is a highly regarded executive leader, author and podcaster with a wealth of experience in CEO leadership development. He shares some fantastic tips about leadership in education, exploring the similarities between principalship and CEO leadership in the corporate world. We talk about working at the right level, the importance of trust in leadership and whether "corporate" is really such a dirty word.

In this episode we talk about school uniforms. Are they necessary? Why do we make kids wear uniforms? Why is it so hard for Kate to decide what to wear every day? Is it true that Matt looks great, no matter what he's wearing? If you want to find out the answers to these important questions, you'd better tune in to Episode 15.

In this episode we chat with Stuart Coppin about his experience working in girls' education. We explore the merits of single-sex educational settings for girls and grapple with the issue of single-sex vs co-education. Are girls and boys so different? We might not have all the answers, but we'll see what we can do.

In this episode we speak with our very first in-studio guest, Stuart Coppin. Stuart is a passionate educator and school leader with experience in a range of contexts, most recently in girls' education. We "grill our guest" and ask Stuart about his career development and the tips he has to offer to educators and aspiring educators.

In this episode we talk through the concept of diversity and inclusion. What does an inclusive classroom look like and how can we foster a sense of belonging, connectedness and individual authenticity? With a particular focus on being neuro-affirming, we offer some tips to help you foster an inclusive environment in your class.

In this episode we offer a few tips for staying on top of your own wellbeing. We tackle the issue of holding reasonable workplace boundaries and talk about some aspects of wellbeing that are within our control. We also wrestle with the prickly question of how to pronounce the word "schedule". Spoiler alert - Kate knows the correct answer and Matt just guesses.

In this episode we explore some of the fantastic experiences available outside of the classroom, including learning opportunities for teachers and students. Teaching isn't just about reading, writing and 'rithmatic. There's plenty of great learning opportunities to be had in the areas of co-curricular, service learning and professional development.

In this episode we'll talk about the issue of whether or not you need a mentor to help you to develop your teaching career. Is it necessary to have a mentor? At what stages in your career can a mentor help you develop? Is mentoring totally overrated or can having a mentor add value as you grow your career as a teacher? We might not have all the answers here, but we'll see what we can do.

In this episode we give you a few tips for building and maintaining productive relationships with your students' parents. Parents are their children's first teachers and they play an important role in schools. Learn about helicopters and snow-ploughs and take your approach to working with parents to the next level.

In this episode we talk through how you can bounce back after you teach a s*** lesson. Sometimes things don't go to plan, despite how well prepared we are for class. There's lots of reasons that a lesson can miss the mark or go off the rails so it's important to have a plan to get things moving in the right direction again.

Let's get practical! In this episode we give our top tips for improving the behaviour management in the classroom. From understanding what's happening in the child's brain to setting clear expectations, we reckon these tips might take your behaviour management over the top.

In this episode we reflect on what makes for a good staffroom culture. What does a good staffroom look and feel like? Where does workplace toxicity come from? We'll talk through some of the workplace cultures we've experience and consider how you can contribute to lifting the vibe in your staffroom. At the end of the day, it's all about the vibe.

What's your worst f*** up in the classroom? We all make mistakes! In this episode, we talk about some of the most embarrassing f*** ups in our otherwise illustrious teaching careers. If you've ever got it totally wrong, this one is for you.

Is it really true that those who can't, teach? What does the expression mean and where did it come from? Is it just something that people say to put us down or is there something to it? In this episode we consider how the teaching profession is perceived by others.

One of the great joys of teaching is getting to work with students with diverse personalities, backgrounds and behaviours. This is also one of the biggest challenges. In this episode we talk about the "worst" kid in your class and how you can reframe your perspective on the naughty kids and change the dialogue about student behaviour.

In this episode we'll explore the reasons to join the noble profession of teaching. We talk about some of the reasons we became teachers and why, after all these years, we'd do it again!