Fraction of a Teacher

Season 3 is here and we’re officially ECT2s.

After the summer break, Jen and Francis are back behind the microphones to reflect on the start of their second year as Early Career Teachers.

Francis has returned to the same school, classroom and some familiar classes, while Jen has started ECT2 in a new school, now giving two very different perspectives on what September feels like the second time around.

They talk about setting expectations, reducing cognitive load, building relationships with pupils and parents, finding a teaching style that actually works for you, and why having more capacity is allowing them to focus on the individual pupils in front of them.

There are also some very practical teacher hacks involving timers, class books and remembering where on earth you got to with three classes studying exactly the same topic.

And with the ECT journey entering its final year, they finish with a bigger question:

Who do we want to be as teachers by the end of ECT2?

Welcome to Season 3 of Fraction of a Teacher.

As the school year comes to an end, so does our second season of Fraction of a Teacher.

In this episode, we reflect on everything ECT1 has taught us. From surviving the uncertainty of September to saying goodbye to students, returning to university as newly qualified teachers, and preparing for the challenges of ECT2, this is an honest conversation about growth, identity and the reality of a first year in teaching.

We discuss:

• Looking back on our biggest moments of growth during ECT1.
• What it was like returning to the University of Chichester to speak to the next PGCE cohort.
• The emotional experience of leaving students and changing schools.
• Why routines, relationships and consistency matter more than ever.
• How we’re preparing for ECT2 and the teachers we hope to become.
• Our answer to the question that inspired this podcast: What fraction of a teacher do we feel we are now?

Whether you’re about to start your PGCE, beginning ECT1, continuing into ECT2, or simply interested in the realities of life in education, we hope this episode reminds you that growth isn’t about comparing yourself to other teachers, it’s about knowing a little more than you did yesterday.

Thank you to everyone who has listened, supported and encouraged us throughout Season One. We’ll be back in September with a brand new monthly season following our ECT2 journey.

Have a wonderful summer.

What if effective behaviour management starts long before you give a warning or sanction?

In this episode, we explore why the strongest classrooms are built through routines, relationships and consistency rather than simply reacting to poor behaviour. By exploring the practical side of Teacher Standard 7, we discuss the impact of losing your classroom for six weeks to preparing for a fresh start in ECT2. We reflect on the lessons we’ve learned about creating learning environments where students know what to expect and feel safe enough to succeed.

We also discuss:

• Why routines matter more than we realised.
• The hidden impact of classroom culture.
• Rewards, sanctions and positive reinforcement.
• Whether lesson observations capture what students actually experience.
• How we’ll approach behaviour differently in September.

Whether you’re a trainee teacher, ECT or experienced educator, this episode is a reminder that behaviour isn’t something we simply manage, it’s something we build, one interaction at a time.

This week, Jen is joined by her partner Claire for an honest conversation about what life looks like beyond the classroom.

People often talk about the holidays, the early finishes, and the perks of teaching but what about the planning at 10pm, the emotional highs and lows, the endless conversations about learning, and the days when there’s simply no energy left to speak?

Together, Jen and Claire explore what it’s really like living with a teacher, from work-life balance and supporting each other through demanding careers, to the surprising similarities between teaching and coaching. They discuss reflection, wellbeing, relationships, and why sometimes the most important thing you can do after a difficult day is take the dog for a walk.

Whether you’re a teacher, live with one, or are simply curious about the reality behind the profession, this episode offers a candid and heartfelt look at the side of teaching that rarely gets talked about.

In this episode:

• The myth of the “8–3” school day
• How teaching affects life at home
• Why reflection matters in both teaching and coaching
• Supporting a partner through a demanding career
• Work-life balance, wellbeing, and finding time to switch off
• Claire’s advice for anyone living with a teacher

🎙️ Fraction of a Teacher: honest conversations about teaching, learning, and life beyond the classroom.

Assessment is more than marks, grades, and data drops. In this episode of Fraction of a Teacher, Jen and Francis unpack how assessment can actually shape learning rather than simply measure it.

From mini whiteboards and exit tickets to QLAs, self marking, and revision strategies, we explore the difference between confidence and competence, the role of low stakes assessment in reducing maths anxiety, and why feedback should lead to action rather than just sit in a book in purple pen.

Jen also shares insights from her Solent Maths Hub metacognition inquiry, including how “No Hiding Exit Tickets” helped students attempt more GCSE questions and develop greater ownership over their learning.

This episode is a reflective conversation about assessment, metacognition, motivation, and helping students become resilient learners both inside and beyond the maths classroom.

In this solo episode of Fraction of a Teacher, Jen reflects honestly on the pressure teachers place on themselves to be “good” at the job. Not just surviving the day or meeting the teaching standards, but genuinely making a difference to the students in front of them.

From the constant feedback of the PGCE year to the quieter internal pressure of ECT life, this episode explores the emotional weight of teaching, the fear of getting things wrong, and the reality that one difficult lesson can sometimes feel deeply personal.

Jen discusses perfectionism, observations, social media comparisons, behaviour, reflective practice, and the challenge of separating mistakes from identity. She also reflects on what students actually remember about their teachers and why relationships, consistency, care and reflection may matter more than perfection.

This episode is an honest conversation about teaching, self-doubt, growth, and the invisible pressure many teachers quietly carry.

If you’ve ever questioned whether you’re doing enough, this one is for you.

In this episode of Fraction of a Teacher, Jen and Francis are joined by Peter, who shares his journey from a 40-year career in the City into education through Now Teach.

Together, they explore what career changing into teaching really looks like, from the shock of stepping into the classroom to the reality of training routes, lesson planning, mentoring and finding your feet in a completely new profession. Peter reflects honestly on the parts of teaching he found most challenging, the importance of support, and why good mentoring can make such a difference.

Along the way, the conversation opens up into wider reflections on classroom culture, how teachers develop their own style, and what it really means to be “the teacher” in the room.

If you are thinking about career changing into teaching, are currently in training, or just want an honest conversation about the reality of learning to teach, this one is for you.

In this episode of Fraction of a Teacher, Jen and Francis explore Teacher Standard 5: how to adapt teaching to respond to the strengths and needs of all pupils.

From dyslexia and processing time to confidence, stretch, scaffolding and classroom culture, they reflect on what adaptive teaching actually looks like in a real classroom. Through honest examples from their own practice, they discuss how teachers can support pupils as individuals without feeling like they have to create thirty different lessons.

A conversation about knowing your pupils, making thoughtful adjustments, and building classrooms where every learner can access success.

In this episode of Fraction of a Teacher, Jen and Francis dive into one of the most important (and often most daunting) parts of the job: contacting home.

We start with a reflective question: How would you like a parent to describe you as they walk away from parents’ evening? From there, we explore how our approach to parent communication has evolved from PGCE training to ECT life and why so much of the real work happens before parents’ evening even arrives.

You’ll hear practical ideas for:

• Making your first contact home positive and proactive

• Avoiding “surprise” concerns at parents’ evening

• Choosing the right method (phone call vs email vs postcard)

• Using simple tracking systems to communicate with evidence, not emotion

• Building partnership with parents and carers to support behaviour, progress and confidence

If you’re a PGCE trainee, ECT, or just finding parent communication overwhelming this one’s for you.

In this episode of Fraction of a Teacher, Jen and Francis revisit Teaching Standard 4: planning and teaching well-structured lessons, and reflect on just how much their thinking has changed since their PGCE year.

From modelling and questioning, to planning systems, textbooks, homework sequencing and reflection, they explore what actually makes a lesson work in the classroom, not what looks good on paper.

They discuss:

• How their definition of a “good lesson” has shifted from teacher-focused to pupil-focused

• Why structure, modelling and questioning matter more than flashy activities

• Planning time: what’s realistic, what’s sustainable, and how it changes with experience

• Using textbooks, exit tickets and oracy to support independence and understanding

• The role of reflection in improving lessons over time

This is an honest, practical conversation for trainee teachers, ECTs, and anyone still figuring out how to plan lessons that genuinely support learning without burning out.

Next episode: revisiting parent communication, following Jen’s first parents’ evening.