Teachers Talk Radio

Konstantinos discusses with guest Dr Jonathan Wright how creativity is taught in higher education, exploring risk-taking, imagination, feedback, AI, employability, and the realities shaping contemporary creative classrooms and student experiences.

In this show, Tom Rogers speaks to Welsh headteacher Alun Ebenezer about discipline, behaviour, boundaries and the growing debate over whether schools have become too soft. From closing wellbeing rooms and bringing parents into lessons, to challenging what he sees as a culture of over-labelling and lowered expectations, Ebenezer has become one of the most controversial voices in British education. But are stricter schools exactly what many teachers and parents now want? The conversation explores resilience, SEND and mental health debates, attendance, behaviour culture, parenting, Wales vs England, inclusion, competitive sport, and why some school leaders believe schools have become overly therapeutic. Are firm boundaries the key to restoring standards or is there a danger schools lose compassion in the process?

Join Tom Rogers and Dave Brown for a Teachers Talk Radio special with experienced teacher and author Carmel Bones discussing her new book, Clockwork Classrooms: Solutions for Smoother Running Lessons. Drawing on more than thirty years of classroom experience, Carmel shares practical, time-saving approaches designed to help lessons run more smoothly, reduce friction in the classroom, and make teaching more sustainable. The conversation explores how small changes to routines, interactions and classroom systems can have a major impact on behaviour, workload and learning culture. From simplifying classroom practice to reconnecting educational research with day-to-day teaching reality, this show will unpack the strategies behind “clockwork classrooms” and ask what genuinely helps lessons flow effectively in 2026’s challenging school environment.

In this show, Darren explores the hidden pressures faced by high-achieving students, focusing on the growing impact of imposter syndrome and perfectionism in education. Why do some of the most successful pupils feel as though they are “not good enough”? And how can teachers, parents, and school leaders recognise when academic ambition becomes emotionally damaging? Drawing on current research into student wellbeing, motivation, anxiety, and performance under pressure, Darren examines how perfectionism can fuel exam stress, undermine confidence, and contribute to burnout in academically able learners. Darren also discusses the difference between healthy striving and maladaptive perfectionism, alongside practical, evidence-informed strategies schools can use to support pupils during exam season.

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