Teaching outside your specialism can be daunting! In this episode we talk about the invisible stress educators face when stepping out of their comfort zone and shares actionable strategies to navigate the chaos with confidence and creativity.

Lucy draws from her own experience returning to Key Stage 3 drama after four years in primary education, highlighting how teaching beyond one’s expertise can trigger our fight-or-flight response. You’ll discover how to recognise and manage this stress, helping not just yourself but also creating a safe and engaging environment for your students.

Why does this matter? Many teachers carry the weight of insecurity silently, affecting their performance and well-being. This episode provides powerful insights into how embracing your vulnerability can foster stronger relationships with your students and ultimately lead to more effective teaching.

If you've ever felt like you're in the wrong room, you're in the right place!

What if the biggest barrier between education and the creative industries isn't funding or policy, but language?

In this episode, Lucy explores the often-overlooked gap between education and the creative industries: language. While teachers and artists frequently share the same goals, they often describe these skills in completely different ways, which can make it tricky for teacher teaching beyond their specialism. Lucy explains how this disconnect can leave individuals feeling out of place and limit opportunities for meaningful collaboration.

Key takeaways:

• Why confidence grows when you understand the language of the room
• Practical ways to build stronger collaboration across education and the creative industries.
• How a shared language leads to better partnerships, improved outcomes and greater long-term engagement.

Thank you for listening.

Have a question, a story to share, or an idea for a future episode? We’d love to hear from you — get in touch and join the conversation. You can find us on Facebook and Instagram too!

Lucy brings together creative industry expertise, project management skills, and more than 15 years of experience in education across EYFS, Primary, Secondary, and community settings. She has extensive experience designing and delivering bespoke training that equips teachers to confidently teach beyond their subject specialism. Passionate about fostering meaningful partnerships with individuals and cultural organisations, Lucy champions approaches that teach creatively rather than simply teach creativity. Most recently, she has been invited to contribute to the development of an international curriculum in collaboration with We Teach Drama.

Teaching beyond your subject expertise can feel daunting, but I would argue that it's also one of the most powerful opportunities for personal and professional growth. key topics

Key discussion points:

• Reframing non-specialist teaching as an opportunity for growth
• The importance of curiosity and enthusiasm in teaching beyond your expertise
• Practical activities to engage students across key stages
• Ways to supporting colleagues in teaching outside their subject area
• The role of discomfort in professional development

This episode is a refreshing reminder that stepping beyond your comfort zone isn't about knowing everything, it's about being willing to learn alongside your students.

If you've ever felt like you're in the wrong room, you're in the right place!

Can you really teach breaking the fourth wall to a Year 3 class?

When I moved from secondary to primary, I thought drama conventions would need stripping right back. Instead, I discovered that introducing them earlier gives children the confidence and vocabulary to master them over time.

In this episode, I share how I mapped a drama curriculum backwards from Year 6, creating a clear progression across KS2, from storytelling and theatre history to masks, pantomime and performance. I also explain why curriculum planning has become one of my favourite parts of teaching and why the secret isn't simplifying drama for younger children, but scaffolding it so they can succeed.

Are you filling your Key Stage 1 drama lessons with games that don't actually move learning forward?

In this episode, I share practical, purposeful approaches to teaching drama and dance in Key Stage 1, simple routines and engaging activities that maximize lesson time. This episode offers teachers effective strategies for creating structured, enjoyable lessons that keep every child actively involved.

Useful FB groups:

Drama Teachers Sharing Group

Primary School Dance Network

Drama Notebook Sharing Group

One of the biggest shifts I had to make when transitioning into Primary education wasn't the curriculum, it was the routines and expectations!

In this episode, I chat about simple structures that have helped my children in EYFS feel secure, stay engaged and thrive in Dance and Drama. From using music and visual cues to manage transitions, to creating predictable routines that build confidence and independence, you'll gain insights that are rarely covered in teacher training. I also explore how storytelling can transform lessons, using my popular space adventure as an example, and I explain why learning to read the room is one of the most valuable skills you can transfer as a Specialist.

Whether you're a secondary teacher considering a move into primary education, an arts specialist working in EYFS or KS2, or a teacher looking to develop a more creative approach to learning, this episode is for you!

Follow us on socials: Facebook and Instagram

How do you want the children to feel when they enter your teaching space?

From EYFS classrooms packed with tiny chairs, role-play areas, carpet kingdoms and the occasional hamster, to dance studios on the other side of the school site, I'm sharing what I've learned about creating an atmosphere where children feel confident, creative and ready to learn. Whether you're teaching in a dedicated Performing Arts studio or a space you're borrowing for the afternoon, we'll chat about making the most of what you've got and why the environment can be one of your most powerful teaching tools.

Key topics:

• Creating a drama room that children genuinely want to be in and how atmosphere shapes learning in drama and dance.
• Teaching in a variety of primary spaces and ways of creating a child-friendly drama environment
• Supporting neurodivergent learners through thoughtful environmental design
• The importance of routines, expectations and transitions in primary teaching

If you've ever felt like you're in the wrong room, you are in the right place!

Follow us on socials: Facebook and Instagram

In this episode, I discuss how to map unfamiliar curricula, adapt existing resources and build the confidence needed to thrive in a new classroom environment. Whether you're considering the move or already making it, you'll leave with actionable strategies to make the transition smoother and more successful.

Key topics:

• Curriculum mapping and long-term planning
• Reusing and adapting existing teaching resources
• Why understanding the EYFS framework is key (check out the EYFS ELG one page doc!)
• Building confidence in primary classrooms
• Professional development and continuous learning strategies

Useful Facebook groups:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/962913737119626

https://www.facebook.com/groups/433350790020369

https://www.facebook.com/groups/386639214731335

https://www.facebook.com/groups/379869912451652

What happens when a secondary drama and dance teacher steps into the world of primary education and EYFS?

In the first episode of In The Wrong Room, I share my journey from secondary performing arts teaching into primary education, exploring what inspired the transition, the challenges I faced and the lessons I learned along the way. We discuss the role of drama and arts education in primary schools, building confidence as a specialist teaching younger learners and how cross-phase teaching can strengthen your practice rather than diminish your expertise.

Key topics

• The importance of creativity and play in primary education
• Curriculum mapping and skills progression in primary
• The value of arts and drama in early education
• Building confidence as a Specialist in a primary or EYFS setting

Whether you're a secondary teacher considering a move into primary education, an arts specialist working in EYFS or KS2, or a teacher looking to develop a more creative approach to learning, this episode is for you!

Follow us on socials: Facebook and Instagram

Have you ever walked into a classroom and thought, "I know how to teach... so why do I feel like I'm in the wrong room?"

Welcome to In the Wrong Room - the podcast for Performing Arts Specialists making the leap from secondary into primary and EYFS.

I'm your host, Lucy Colgan and this podcast was born from my own unexpected journey into primary education. What started as a career detour became one of the most rewarding and transformative experiences of my teaching career so far. After 12 years teaching Drama and Dance in Secondary schools, I found myself standing in front of a group of preschool children wondering how on earth you introduce a learning objective when there's absolutely no point writing it on the board.

In the upcoming bite-sized episodes, I'm going to be sharing practical advice, insights, lesson ideas and tried-and-tested strategies from my time teaching EYFS - Year 6 Performing Arts. We'll talk about lesson planning, curriculum design, questioning techniques, working with class teachers, teaching Shakespeare to Year 2, writing theatre reviews with KS2 and all the funny, chaotic and brilliant moments that happen when you're teaching younger children.

Most importantly, you will feel more confident as you make the transition or perhaps even nudge you to make the leap!

So if you've ever felt like you're in the wrong room... you're in exactly the right place.

Follow us on socials: Facebook and Instagram