IOE Insights

Sofia Eleftheriadou and Lisa Baines are post-doctoral researchers at UCL’s Centre for Educational Leadership.

Sofia and Lisa came into the ECF Staffroom to share the initial findings of their longitudinal study, ‘The impact of the ECF programme on the work engagement, wellbeing and retention of teachers.’ They talked to us about how the research of the ECF is always mediated – through school leaderships, through mentors, and through the teacher standing in front of the classroom with the students that they've got to work with.

Full show notes, transcript and links: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ioe/news/2023/mar/how-ects-are-affected-working-conditions-and-their-own-personal-dispositions-ecf-staffroom

ECF Staffroom speaks to Early Career Teachers, mentors and participants at all levels of the UCL Early Career Teacher Development programme.

This roundtable is the first event in the TCRU@50 programme of activities celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Thomas Coram Research Unit.

Following an introduction to TCRU’s history, the speakers reflect on race, multiculture, and conviviality in the shadow of Brexit, COVID, and the Windrush scandal, three events that have each exposed and exacerbated racialised inequalities. 

Speakers:

• Prof Les Back (Glasgow University)
• Prof Ann Phoenix (UCL, Thomas Coram Research Unit)
• Dr Sivamohan Valluvan (Warwick University)

More info: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ioe/events/2023/feb/race-multiculture-and-conviviality-shadow-brexit-covid-and-windrush-scandal

Join Dr Michael Spence (UCL President & Provost) and Professor Li Wei (IOE Director & Dean) as they discuss their shared love of languages: from raising bilingual children and language learning mishaps, to preserving heritage languages and the importance of supporting language teaching in schools.

[BONUS CONTENT] You can also watch Dr Spence and Professor Li Wei speaking in Chinese about their experiences, and access the transcript: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/global/news/2023/feb/celebrating-international-mother-language-day

Find out about learning languages at UCL’s Centre for Languages & International Education: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/languages-international-education/ucl-centre-languages-international-education

Being an ECT cheerleader and a facilitator of their pedagogical progress.

Haili Hughes is a writer, expert on mentoring and facilitator on the UCL ECF programme. 

Haili took us through the ‘long, winding road’ of her career, and shared with us her passion for mentoring. She says that mentors have a huge job on their hands to be conversant with the research behind the ECF, arguing that mentor development programmes such as ours are therefore really important.

Full show notes, transcript and links: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ioe/news/2023/feb/distinct-skillsets-good-mentoring-ecf-staffroom-s02e03

ECF Staffroom speaks to Early Career Teachers, mentors and participants at all levels of the UCL Early Career Teacher Development programme.

This podcast aims to bring the latest academic research on the Holocaust into the classroom. ‘Survivors’ is a conversation between Dr Rebecca Clifford of Swansea University and Dr Tom Haward of the UCL Centre for Holocaust Education about her book ‘Survivors: Children’s Lives After the Holocaust.’

Aimed at educators who are teaching about the Holocaust, it’s also fascinating for anyone just curious about the past and the intriguing stories of child survivors of the Holocaust.  It explores issues of memory and of working with and interpreting historical sources, particularly those based on the memories – or absence of memories – of children, which has implications for teachers and students working with primary sources in the classroom. It also thinks about the role of narrative in history, and ideas of trauma, testimony, and family. Finally, Rebecca reflects on what this history means for us today.

More: https://holocausteducation.org.uk/podcasts-2/

Siobhan Goffee is co-host of the podcast series and coaching programme for educators, ‘Joyblockers – and how to get rid of them’.

Siobhan talked to us about when teaching can feel like being in a bad relationship. Living off the adrenaline of teaching, being constantly in survival mode, and struggling to admit you are struggling. And she talked about joy, creativity, community: the things that bring us into teaching in the first place but which can be the casualties of toxic productivity. Her answer? Look to take advantage of the tiny moments in school, and listen to your body when it’s telling you it needs something.

Full show notes, transcript and links: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ioe/news/2023/jan/top-advice-our-education-coach-remember-youve-got-body-and-listen-it-ecf-staffroom

Why the ECF programme needed to be adapted for teachers in special schools

Melanie Hogan is the deputy headteacher at Castlebar Special School in Ealing. Melanie invited us into her school to talk to us about the specific needs of ECTs in special education, how the ECF programme supports them, and what more we can still do to make the programme really work for this important group of teachers.

Show notes, links and transcript: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ioe/news/2023/jan/sometimes-it-can-feel-we-have-pick-pieces-and-do-things-ourselves

ECF Staffroom speaks to Early Career Teachers, mentors and participants at all levels of the UCL Early Career Teacher Development programme.

Our guest Professor Douglas Bourn is aware that “hope” can often be considered an idealistic and utopian term, but if it is grounded in real-life issues and challenges, then it can provide a valuable approach to learning about global issues.

Full show notes and links: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ioe/news/2022/dec/pedagogy-hope-rftrw-s18e03

Emanuele Frascadore is in his first year of the ECF Programme at Rosedale College, in Hayes. He talks with us about how we can create an inclusive environment for LGBT+ students and staff.

Show notes, links and transcript: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ioe/news/2022/nov/breaking-cycle-inequality-making-space-lgbtq-issues-ecf-staffroom-s01e07

ECF Staffroom speaks to Early Career Teachers, mentors and participants at all levels of the UCL Early Career Teacher Development programme.

It’s widely acknowledged that more climate change or sustainability education is needed. What’s probably missing is the kind of learning, aims and agendas required to be at the heart of teaching.

Dr Laura Outhwaite hears from Dr Stuart Tannock about his work linking academic research to engage communities to achieve social, economic and environmental justice. 

We hear about the challenges facing climate education, what educators need to get right and how they can help students think through what radical changes are necessary and how they can make it happen.

Full show notes and links: https://www.ucl.ac.uk/ioe/news/2022/nov/what-kind-climate-change-education-do-we-actually-need-rftrw-s18e02