Got an experience to share or an idea for a future episode? Email us on beyondmailbag@twinkl.co.uk.

Trigger warning: this episode contains details of illness and trauma.

If you'd like to learn more about Outward Bound, visit www.outwardbound.org.uk.

And if you'd like some help with home education, have a look at our top tips, here.

If you’ve got an idea for an episode, or you’d like to be a guest on the show, tell us all about it by emailing BeyondMailbag@twinkl.co.uk.

If you’d like to get involved with Project 3580, you can find out more and contact Neil on Instagram @project3580.

TRIGGER WARNING: This podcast contains details of child poverty and death.

Marie and Jodi chat to transition expert Louise Herbert about starting at Big School, and how we can help those scared year 7s.

This episode we chat to Sophie Ainsworth from RAiISE, who shares teaching tips for how to support students with a chronic illness.

Jack Reed, a PhD candidate, and Emily Wormald from The Outward Bound Trust, discuss how outdoor education lessons can be transformative for students – with and without mobile phones!

This episode, we talk to former OFSTED Inspector Graham Tyrer, who busts some of the myths surrounding OFSTED inspections.

If you are feeling overwhelmed at work, please reach out to your union or The Samaritans on 116 123.

Teaching creative writing in the classroom is something that all English teachers have pondered upon in their time as educators. How do I approach it? What would enthuse my students? How do I foster a love for reading? What would help us unearth our next star writers?

Luckily, our regular hosts, Marie and Jodi, have an author’s brain to pick on the creative writing process. She talks us through her love for writing young adult fiction, her preferences for not planning a story, and her change of heart on reading graphic novels. The conversation brings about some interesting points to consider when teaching young learners about writing and when aiming to impart healthy reading habits.

Reading, writing and a good cuppa go hand-in-hand so we don’t see why a podcast about it should be any different - get the kettle on and join for this week’s creative journey!

Timings

00:00 - Welcome to this week’s episode, ‘Are We Teaching Creative Writing All Wrong?’

04:37 - From down under, we welcome our guest, Verity Croker.

08:57 - To plan or not to plan - the process of creative writing in the classroom. The ‘plotters’ and ‘pantsers’, if you will!

14:42 – Representation in literature.

15:42 - Graphic novels as a literary device.

18:54 - Two stars and a wish - teaching creative writing without planning(!?), reading through diverse mediums, and can we get more free reading time in schools?

#educationpodcast #IYOTYW

Marie and Jodi talk to Emma Dadswell, English teacher and ghost hunter, who talks about her favourite ghost stories and shares tips for bringing the supernatural into the classroom.

To make sure you catch the podcast, hit like and follow us!

However, it wouldn't be the same discussion without someone heavily involved in the strike action so we’ve invited on Emma Rose, NEU VP and MFL teacher (amongst many other things!).

Interspersed with messages on the strikes from UK-based teachers, the show discusses a wide range of issues rooted within the reasons for taking action. This includes the current working conditions for teachers, public perception of the strike action and the effect this has on teachers, current standards of education, views on other unions taking action and many more fascinating issues.

Time to get that kettle on - and get the travel mug ready if you’re out on the line! - and join us for this episode’s hot topic.

Don’t forget, you can get involved in the chat by messaging us at BeyondMailbag@twinkl.co.uk

For singletons within the education world, dating is often sidelined and neglected as a result of a hectic schedule. However, on the rare occasion we do find some social time, how do we go about finding someone special?

This week’s guest, Tom Rogers, not only discusses dating for teachers in general, but also his wonderful solution to match-making outside of the classroom - Edudate. We delve into the success stories of the site, its initial creation, and what the future holds for teachers seeking unions more desirable than those held between them and their marking!

Speaking of love. We love a good cuppa. Must be time to unite warm beverages with cups and join us for this heart-warming(!?) episode of IYOTYW…

Don’t forget, you can get involved in the chat by messaging us at BeyondMailbag@twinkl.co.uk

Timings

00:00 - Welcome to this week’s episode, ‘Three teachers and a dating site’...

01:42 - Are you swamped with chocolates, cards, champagne and other luxurious gifts on Valentine’s Day? Or are you sick of it?!

04:20 - Welcome to this week’s guest, Tom Rogers, founder of Edudate.

10:01 - Are teachers harder to match up than other professionals?

15:05 - Is it easier to date someone in the same profession?

20:27 - Should we celebrate Valentine’s Day in the classroom?

23:54 - Two stars and a wish.

Fancy signing up to find true love? Visit www.edudate-me.com

#educationpodcast #IYOTYW

Marie and Jodi are not alone in discussing this groundbreaking software, however, as they are joined by the founder of ThirdBox and Director of Edufuturists, Dan Fitzpatrick. Dan provides us with a well-informed human take on the prospect of an AI-led future.

For those not in the know, ChatGPT is an AI chatbot that aims to give detailed answers to any question we throw at it. It can be used to write various texts including essays, poems, stories and even lesson plans, and we can also have conversations with it…

This particular AI is still relatively early, although its current application is impressing, worrying and sparking us into conversation about the future of its use. Marie and Jodi discuss its potential in and around the classroom, including its use in marking student work and providing us with information on specific topics. How does it learn? Where did it get its information from? How does it respond to us and understand human speech patterns? So many questions to mull over!

Unfortunately, advanced AI is not yet able to make us a cuppa. So let’s get the kettle on ourselves before settling down for this week’s episode.

If you'd like to learn more about Dan Fitzpatrick and ChatGPT, visit ThirdBox.org.

Timings

00:00 - Welcome to this week’s episode, ‘Will robots take over the classroom?'

01:05 - Putting it to the test.

03:11 - Welcome to this week’s guest, Dan Fitzpatrick, the Strategic Lead for Digital and Director of Edufuturists.

10:31 - The big question: will ChatGPT change the world?

15:57 - Some feedback from you, our audience.

16:58 - Is ChatGPT always correct?

22:57 - Does use of ChatGPT fit with our current educational structure?

31:16 - The future of technology as depicted in film!

41:06 - 2 stars and a wish.

#educationpodcast #IYOTYW

The educational world has been in deep discussion since the Prime Minister’s comments on prolonging mathematical education for 16-19 year-olds in the UK. What shape would further compulsory maths courses take? Who would teach it? What would it mean for other subjects? 

We discuss the difficulties presented in everyday adult life without competent financial skills as well as the gaps and inconsistencies left by a school curriculum that does not always match what’s needed in the world of employment.

There’s plenty to mull over this week so you’d best get out that special mug for an extra large cuppa and join us for all the latest ramblings!

Timings

00:00 - Welcome to this week’s episode, ‘Maths 'til you die?’.

00:59 - What do we think about Rishi Sunak’s comments on making maths mandatory until 18?

“Right now, just half of all 16-19 year-olds study any maths at all, yet in a world where data is everywhere and statistics underpin every job, letting our children out into that world without those skills is letting our children down.”

04:46 - This week, we welcome Bippit founder and financial expert, Sam Lathey, into the IYOTYW studio.

08:36 - What’s Jodi’s experience of learning about budgeting in school?

12:52 - Penny for your thoughts? Drop us an email at beyondmailbag@twinkl.co.uk to tell us your thoughts, ideas and anecdotes on that vast educational world out there.

14:59 - A message from one of our listeners; an English teacher in New Zealand.

17:39 - Maths made mandatory until 18 - a massive opportunity?

21:55 - Is financial education a practical solution for moving forward real-life numeracy skills?

23:34 - Two stars and a wish.

If you'd like to learn more about Bippit, visit www.bippit.com.

#educationpodcast #IYOTYW

Important Note: This episode deals with teacher wellbeing and mental health. If you are triggered by this subject then now may not be the time to listen to it. Equally, if you continue to listen and find it challenging then make sure that you have someone on hand that you can talk to about your feelings.

When did it become the norm to accept detrimental teacher wellbeing? What factors contribute to this? How could we change this culture? These are amongst the questions we ask in between anecdotal examples to highlight the problems we face.

Teachers not only take the weight of a hefty workload. They provide essential emotional support to hundreds of students on a weekly basis in addition to liaising with parents on limitless numbers of issues. The strain manifests itself in different ways on different teachers but the telltale signs are often there - sleepless nights, inability to switch off, heightened anxiety, low energy levels, to name a few.

Our guest this week, Sadie, offers her valuable input from the perspective of an educational specialist and a keen advocate for promoting positive mental health. This leads us back to our key questions on teacher wellbeing and gets us hoping for fundamental improvements in the way teachers are allowed to do their jobs in future practice.

It never hurts to know you’re not alone so let’s share our experiences with you - whilst welcoming your input - with a hot cuppa and an warm atmosphere in the IYOTYW studio!

Timings

00:00 - Welcome to this week’s episode, ‘You Don’t Have to be Mad to Work Here…’

06:06 - Teacher wellbeing and how we set boundaries

13:17 - New year’s resolutions

14:45 - Hello to Sadie, an RSE specialist and champion of wellbeing

16:06 - Are schools a breeding ground for mental health issues?

30:33 - Three stars and a wish

#educationpodcast #IYOTYW

Join Marie and Jodi (in between mouthfuls of mince pie) for the latest from IYOTYW, a cosy spot for classroom-centred chit chat. We rustle through a range of seasonal teaching topics that cover decoration ideas for Christmas in school to activity suggestions and winter jokes (cue tumbleweed…).

And warming this week’s winter seat is Claire, an English and Drama teacher. She shares her experience of Christmas lessons in schools, her approach to pre-break teaching and her wishes for fun festive learning.

So pull up an armchair and join us at the fireplace of festivities for this snow-tinted edition of IYOTYW.

Timings

00:00 - Welcome to this week’s episode, ‘

01:58 - Activity and decoration ideas for Christmas in school - https://www.twinkl.co.uk/l/nuicp

03:43 - The ceremonial hanging of the lonely bauble…

04:45 - The Pirate Game - https://www.twinkl.co.uk/l/6jocs

07:20 - What do you get if you cross a snowman and a vampire?

08:20 - Wave hello to this week’s guest, Claire, an English and Drama teacher.

14:50 - Email us with your views on dating as a teacher, at beyondmailbag@twinkl.co.uk

15:40 - Christmas “jokes”

22:10 - Three stars and a wish

#educationpodcast #IYOTYW

Each teacher’s endeavours to pursue hobbies and personal passions outside of school is often met with obstacles (marking, planning, clubs, parent’s evenings, open evenings, training, more marking…). However, some of us still manage to lead mini lives away from our day job.

This week’s guest on IYOTYW, James, manages to do just that as he enjoys a bit of fossil hunting here and there (but mostly on beaches). Not only does he talk us through his blossoming interest in geology but also his entrance into teaching and the unusual path he was put upon.

So, prepare yourselves to dig into the secret lives of teachers with the company of our first guest of this theme…and, you know the drill, get that mandatory cuppa on to warm the room further!

Timings

00:00 - Welcome to this week’s episode, ‘The Secret Lives of Teachers: Fossil Hunter’.

00:51 - Hello to our guest, James!

09:27 - Getting into fossil hunting…

15:54 - Where teaching and hobbies collide.

26:30 - Three stars and a wish

If you'd like to find out more about fossils on the Isle of Wight, and perhaps meet James on a fossil hunt, visit www.islandgems.co.uk.

#educationpodcast #secretlivesofteachers

So why is behaviour management important?

If subject knowledge is the meat of teaching, then behaviour management is the plate you serve it up on. And yet, behaviour management in schools can often be a mixed bag, with some having stringent policies, while others prefer to just wing it...

On IYOTYW this week, Marie and Jodi chat with Sarah, a teacher with experience of both mainstream and specialist settings, about the challenges of behaviour management in schools. As well as their usual anecdotes and laughs, they question the received wisdom of a ‘one size fits all’ behaviour management classroom strategy, they look at the thorny issue of swearing, and they discuss the importance of SLT support with school behaviour management policies.

So put your feet up, open the biscuits, and listen while our hosts put the teaching world to rights…

00:00 Welcome to this week’s episode, ‘Three Strikes and You’re Out!’

00:38 Why is behaviour management so hard?

05:40 Teacher training and behaviour management.

14:06 Welcome to this week’s guest, Sarah: chemist, teacher and behaviour specialist extraordinaire!

18:48 Why knowing your students is crucial.

21:43 Strategies for the classroom.

28:38 Two stars and a wish: our episode highlights.

#educationpodcast #behaviour management

As a student you might have paid close attention to what your teachers wore on a daily basis and, as a teacher, you might be subjected to varying levels of dress codes depending on the type of school. 

Are visible tattoos prohibited? Have you experienced differing dress standards between genders and have you disagreed with any particular rule? But, for now, stick on your most comfortable clothing - perhaps that onesie you keep for ‘re-charge’ sessions! - get a cuppa ready and enjoy this week’s ramblings on the theme: ‘what should teachers wear in school?’...

Timings:

00:00 Welcome to this week’s episode, ‘Does My Bum Look Big in This?‘

00:51 What should teachers wear in school?

11:54 Greetings to this week’s guest, Paul!

18:48 Non-school uniform days

27:55 Two stars and a wish!

If you’ve had this conversation, on either side, how has that conversation gone? Have there been any misconceptions that negatively affected the perception of teachers? How do you think this might affect morale and teacher retention rate?

Our guests this week, Callie and Henry help us better understand both sides of the coin as Henry speaks about his specific experience of teaching and work-life balance whilst Callie brings a non-teacher’s perspective to reflect on our topic under the microscope.

Despite the importance of teaching and the huge amount of work involved, there are still a number of negative tropes thrown at the profession. Jodi and Marie, our guests, discuss their own ideas on the topic and how these public perceptions might have come to be.

So get the kettle on and let’s listen in…

Have you ever been subject to learning walks or conducted your own? Or are you on the outset of this and wondering what they are? Here, we look at the real-life experiences of Jodi, Marie and this week’s guest, Deb, in regards to learning walks and how different schools approach them. Were they used as structured observations for formal CPD or were they aimed at placing emphasis on best practice or were they used to place teachers first as a supportive tool (or something else…)?

Mixed in with the sharing of different practice, unique pain points and constructively used practice, our teacher podcast team offers supportive tips and advice as well as a warm atmosphere to complement your hot cuppa as you soak in the conversation!

00:00 Welcome to our podcast - meet Marie and Jodi.

06:40 Learning walks as structured observation for teachers

09:57 Disaster experiences!

11:15 Welcome to this week’s guest, Deb!

24:50 Two stars and a wish for positive practice

Marie and Jodi take the hosting hotspots as they provide a bit of back and forth on the importance of residential trips, school trip horror stories, and other first hand experiences of getting the students away from the classroom. There’s even a chance to win your very own school trip in the form of a Harry Potter tour (including additional goodies), courtesy of Warner Bros. and Beyond!

Competition information: https://www.wbstudiotour.co.uk/schools-competition/?utm_medium=social&utm_source=twinkl&utm_campaign=schools-competition

English teacher of 17 years, Robyn, also joins the chat this week as she takes a short trip down memory lane to remember inadvertently losing a class of students early in her career and why she was held up from retrieving them! Not wanting to leave her alone, Marie reveals her dad’s school trip that went horribly wrong by way of two students left overnight in the woods…

Join Jodi and Marie for episode 1 of IYOTYW as they discuss a range of instantly relatable themes to teachers and home educators. These topics include classroom management strategies, institutionalised bladders and what their thoughts are on that old-school piece of advice: ‘Don’t smile ‘til Christmas’...

We kick off this brand new education-based podcast by conversing on issues and situations familiar to teachers of all ages. Jodi and Marie warm the room with cathartic conversation that touches on new (school) year resolutions, planning and preparation, teacher types and advice to new teachers.

Of course, any educational podcast of this nature wouldn’t be complete without a few amusing anecdotes, intriguing stories and entertaining guests. IYOTYW ticks the box on all fronts here!

So grab a coffee (or water, PE teachers!) and soak up the school-centred chat you didn’t know you needed in your life.

So, ignore that pile of marking! Pop on your headphones, sit back, and relax as you listen to their super-professional trailer. And don't forget to subscribe to listen to their first full episode - if they ever get around to finishing it!