Practical Teaching Tips with Richard James Rogers

When students unexpectedly bring up sensitive or controversial topics in class—such as questions about Bonnie Blue (a British adult content creator who recently became wildly infamous due to provocative activities and public notoriety), or other ignominious public figures, such as Andrew Tate—teachers may feel unprepared. How should we respond when children ask about such material?

• Check out my blog for teachers at https://richardjamesrogers.com/
• This podcast episode is accompanied by a blog post: https://richardjamesrogers.com/2025/02/23/responding-thoughtfully-when-students-ask-about-controversial-topics-the-example-of-bonnie-blue/

Bibliography and references

• CRLT (n.d.) Guidelines for Discussing Difficult or Controversial Topics. University of Michigan. Available at: https://crlt.umich.edu/tstrategies/tsd (Accessed: 23 February 2025).
• Harvard Graduate School of Education (2022) You Want to Teach What? Managing Controversial Topics in the Classroom. Harvard University. Available at: https://www.gse.harvard.edu/ideas/usable-knowledge/22/02/you-want-teach-what (Accessed: 23 February 2025).
• Teen Vogue (2021) Why Schools Should Teach Media Literacy to Combat Misinformation. Available at: https://www.teenvogue.com/story/media-literacy-schools-misinformation (Accessed: 23 February 2025).
• The Choices Program (n.d.) Teaching about Controversial Issues: A Resource Guide. Brown University. Available at: https://www.choices.edu/teaching-news-lesson/teaching-about-controversial-issues-a-resource-guide/ (Accessed: 23 February 2025).
• Yale Poorvu Center for Teaching and Learning (n.d.) Teaching Controversial Topics. Yale University. Available at: https://poorvucenter.yale.edu/teaching/ideas-teaching/teaching-controversial-topics (Accessed: 23 February 2025).

Stepping into a senior leadership team (SLT) role for the first time can be both exhilarating and daunting. Recently, I was appointed as the Acting Head of Secondary at an international school in Thailand, and to gain deeper insights into the role, I reached out to SLT members in other schools for their best advice. Their responses provided me with invaluable lessons that I am now applying in my leadership journey.

• Check out my blog for teachers at https://richardjamesrogers.com/
• Blog post: Starting Out as an SLT Member: What I Learned from the Experts
• Blog post: Working With Colleagues: The Gossip Mill Produces Toxic Flour
• Check out my award-winning book, The Quick Guide to Classroom Management: 45 Secrets That All High School Teachers Need to Know

Joining the Senior Leadership Team (SLT) has given me a fresh perspective on the many interconnected elements that shape a positive school community. In this episode, I share key insights and practical strategies for teachers, middle managers, SLT members, and other stakeholders to collaborate effectively and foster a strong sense of belonging among students. Whether you're looking to strengthen relationships, boost school culture, or enhance student engagement, this episode is packed with actionable advice to help you create a thriving learning environment.

• My website:richardjamesrogers.com
• My award-winning, bestselling book for teachers (The Quick Guide to Classroom Management):https://www.amazon.com/Quick-Guide-Classroom-Management-Teachers-dp-B08VCQPF2L/dp/B08VCQPF2L/
• My Instagram: @richard_james_rogers
• My Facebook Page:https://www.facebook.com/richardrogersauthor/
• My Linkedin:https://www.linkedin.com/in/richardjamesrogers/

Imagine mentoring a trainee teacher who’s eager to become the best educator they can be but feels unsure of where to start. If you could offer just ONE piece of advice to guide them, what would it be? Tune in today to hear my perspective on this important question!

In my classroom, SEL forms an integral part of each lesson’s structure and delivery, and today I’m sharing ten practical ways you can integrate it into your teaching too!

One massive part of the work we do as teachers is the finding, storing and organising of resources for use in our lessons. These could be worksheets, slides, exam papers, tools to help with reporting, learning games, and a whole array other valuable items. It takes a while, however, for teachers to learn how to manage all of this in a way that is efficient - so that precious time is not wasted re-finding resources, or doing things from scratch (again). In today's episode, I delve into the techniques and systems I use, and have used, to successfully organise all of my resources (paper-based, physical and digital).

From time to time you may find yourself in a situation in which you must have a delicate conversation with one, or more, of your teaching colleagues. Sometimes this can happen when you least expect it, and a colleague chooses to divulge something (or rant) to you. Sometimes such conversations arise due to a cascade of unavoidable (and, sometimes, avoidable) events. How do we navigate such conversations in a professional manner? Find out, in this episode!

Is it possible to apply a consistent structure to every lesson we teach, whilst still retaining our creative freedom as teachers? I believe so. That's why I've created the Basic Lesson Structure (BLS), which can be applied to any lesson, at any level.

Starting your teaching career is an exciting adventure, but it can also feel overwhelming. When I first starting teaching high school science back in 2005, for example, I soon found myself struggling to succeed at (what I see today as) basic tasks, such as marking, lesson planning and managing behaviour. So many aspects of the job were completely new to me, despite the limited teaching experience I gained from the Army Cadet Force as a teenager. The reassuring news is that every teacher makes mistakes – it’s part of the learning process. To give you a head start, I will describe ten of the most common rookie blunders new high school teachers make (and, that I have made at some point on my journey!), along with some friendly advice on how to avoid them!

As educators, we’re always on the lookout for strategies that can enhance our students’ understanding and retention of information. One such strategy that has gained significant attention in recent years is dual coding. But what exactly is dual coding, and how can it be applied in our classrooms to make a tangible difference? Drawing from my own experiences since I started teaching Science and Maths in 2006, let’s dive into the concept and its practical application.