Coffee Teach Sleep Repeat

What makes a difference to the learning that happens in a classroom? Is it what we teach, how we teach it, or something that happens in the space between teacher and learner?

In this episode, we explore the work of humanistic psychologist Carl Rogers and his ideas about the relationships that make learning possible. Through empathy, genuineness and unconditional positive regard, Rogers challenges us to look beyond the content we teach and consider how learners experience us.

What does it mean to understand the world from someone else’s perspective? How can we challenge learners without defining them by their mistakes? And what happens when we begin to question the assumptions we bring to our relationships?

This isn't an argument that relationships replace subject knowledge, high expectations or effective teaching. It is an invitation to consider how these things are experienced by the people we teach.

Because teaching is not simply about helping learners acquire knowledge. It is also about creating the conditions in which they can grow.

So, what kind of teacher makes learning possible? And what might that require us to change?

Enjoy your coffee. Keep teaching. Remember to sleep. And keep reflecting on the space between us.

In this special Staffroom Sessions episode of Coffee • Teach • Sleep • Repeat, we are joined by colleagues for an honest conversation about teacher identity, professional learning, experience and the realities of becoming a teacher.

Drawing on personal experiences and professional reflections, the discussion explores the idea of teaching, the moments when we begin to feel like teachers, and the messy, uncertain spaces where professional learning often takes place. We consider the role of experience, the limits of expertise, the influence of colleagues and communities, and the commitments and contexts that shape our professional lives.

From the swampy lowlands of practice to the recognition that nobody learns to teach alone, this conversation challenges the idea that becoming a teacher is a destination we eventually reach. Perhaps teaching is better understood as a process of always becoming.

Because becoming a teacher isn't simply about knowing more, doing more or gaining experience. It's also about questioning what we think we know, learning from others, and remaining open to the possibilities of who we might become.

Pour yourself a coffee and join us in the staffroom.

Coffee • Teach • Sleep • Repeat — conversations about teaching, learning and the ideas that make us think again.

What does it really mean to become a reflective teacher?

In this episode, we explore Donald Schön’s influential work on professional learning and the reflective practitioner, examining how teachers draw on experience, judgement and professional knowledge while navigating the unpredictable realities of classroom practice.

We consider Schön’s concepts of knowing-in-action, reflection-in-action and reflection-on-action, alongside his idea of professional artistry: the often tacit, situated expertise that develops through practice. We also venture into the “swampy lowlands” of professional learning, where the neat solutions offered by theory and technical expertise can become less useful when teachers encounter complex, uncertain and messy problems.

With new teachers and ECTs in mind, the episode considers how reflection can become more than simply looking back at what happened. For mentors, it also raises questions about how we support mentees to develop the professional judgement, curiosity and confidence to reflect meaningfully on their practice.

Because becoming a reflective practitioner involves learning to think about teaching while you are teaching, as well as learning from what happens afterwards.

Once upon a time, we were all beginners.

In this episode, we explore Jean Lave and Etienne Wenger’s theory of Situated Learning, focusing on the idea of legitimate peripheral participation. We consider what happens when a new teacher enters an established professional community, beginning at the edge through observation, supported participation and gradually increasing responsibility.

Drawing on the concept of communities of practice, the episode considers how teachers learn through participation in the everyday practices of their profession, while also developing a professional identity and a growing sense of belonging. We also explore mentoring as an invitation into practice: making tacit professional knowledge visible and creating opportunities for newcomers to move from watching, to contributing, to taking greater responsibility.

Because nobody starts as an expert. Learning to teach is a process of becoming.

What happens when our assumptions about learning, teaching and ourselves are challenged? This episode explores Jack Mezirow’s theory of Transformative Learning, considering how critical reflection, dialogue and experience can reshape the ways we understand the world and our professional practice. A practical introduction for teachers and education professionals interested in learning that can change perspectives.

Theory may not give you the answer, but it might give you a better question.

In The Offence of Theory, Maggie MacLure challenges the idea that educational research should simply tell us “what works”. Theory can feel uncomfortable because it refuses to provide easy answers. Instead, it asks us to question why we believe something works, whose voices are being heard, whose are missing, and what assumptions might be shaping our thinking without us even realising it.

This spotlight explores eight ideas from MacLure’s argument. Rather than attempting to summarise every aspect of the paper, it focuses on some of its most thought-provoking arguments and considers what they might mean for teachers developing their professional knowledge.

The accompanying TeacherStu Spotlight is available through request and on LinkedIn.

Welcome to Coffee. Teach. Sleep. Repeat.

Teaching isn’t a job with all the answers, it’s a profession built on questions.

In this pilot episode, Stuart Mitchell introduces Coffee. Teach. Sleep. Repeat. a podcast for Associate Teachers (Trainee Teachers), Early Career Teachers (ECTs), Mentors and Experienced Teachers who want to think more deeplyabout teaching and professional learning.

Using the simple metaphor of a bus journey, this episode explores what to expect from the series, why educational theory still matters in today’s classrooms, and how research can help us become more thoughtful, reflective and confident educators.

Future episodes combine accessible educational theory with practical classroom insights, exploring the work of influential thinkers including Maggie MacLure, Jack Mezirow, Lave and Wenger, Donald Schön, Carl Rogers and many more. Each episode is accompanied by a TeacherStu Spotlight resource, helping you translate big ideas into everyday teaching practice.

Whether you’re studying for your BEd, PGCE or PG Cert, beginning your teaching career, mentoring others or simply passionate about education, this podcast offers short, thought-provoking conversations to accompany your professional journey.

So grab a coffee, hop on board, and join the conversation.

Keywords:teacher podcast, education podcast, teacher training, PGCE, Associate Teacher, Early Career Teacher, ECT, mentoring, teacher education, professional learning, educational theory, reflective practice, classroom practice, TeacherStu.