On this episode of The Tattooed Teacher Podcast, I chat with Jon Burnett Head of Teaching and Learning Systems and Improvement, to unpack his journey from music graduate to educational leader.

Jon shares how stepping into the unknown and often the deep end shaped his career, and why saying “yes” to new challenges helped him grow both as a teacher and a leader. 

We explore what really matters in teaching:

• building strong relationships with students

• learning through experience (not just theory)

• the importance of mentorship for new teachers

• and why you never truly “arrive” in this profession 

We also discuss AI in education, looking at how schools can use it in a practical way—saving time, reducing workload, and giving teachers more space to focus on what matters most: people. 

A key thread throughout the episode is simple but important: Education is human first—everything else comes second.

This is a rich, honest, and deeply practical conversation for classroom teachers, school leaders, and anyone wrestling with what education should look like when AI is already in the room.

You can find Jon:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jon-burnett-sunshine-coast/

you can find me on LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/philip-murdoch-%F0%9F%A4%99-68a846b1/

YouTube

https://youtube.com/@thetattooedteacher01?si=tJy1U6Huz684CtZE

Follow DJ Fruit Salad:

https://www.instagram.com/djfruitsaladofficial/

Sponsored byThe BUSY School

This episode is brought to you by The BUSY School— a network of special assistance schools for Year 11 and 12 students who've disengaged from mainstream education. Small classes, real industry connections, and completely free for students.

 If you know a young person who needs a different kind of school, The BUSY School could be exactly what they're looking for. The BUSY School is part ofThe BUSY Group — an Australian not-for-profit approaching its 50th year, operating across Australia, New Zealand and the UK.

 Find out if there's a BUSY School near you at ⁠⁠busyschools.edu.qld.au⁠⁠

Supported by

The Design & Technologies Resource Site

An Australian platform built to help creators, educators, and podcasters increase their visibility and connect with Design & Technologies educators.

https://andacod.com.au/

TeacherPD Australia

https://teacherpd.com.au/

Australia's Premier Teacher PD Directory

On this episode of The Tattoo Teacher Podcast, I chat with Nick Steffen — EdTech innovator, design teacher, tech coach, stand-up comedian, and one of the most adventurous educators you'll ever meet. Born and raised in Kansas, Nick has built maker programmes from scratch in China, trained engineers in Ohio, and is currently coaching teachers and students in South Korea — with Munich, Germany up next.

Together, we explore hands-on learning, maker education, AI in the classroom, stand-up comedy as teacher professional development, neurodiversity in STEM, and the power of saying "Yes, And" to every student idea — asking the questions educators everywhere are wrestling with right now:

How do we teach students to think when AI can do the thinking for them? How do we build maker culture with no space, no budget, and no shop? And what happens when you stop being the expert in the room and start being the best learner in it?

This is a practical, funny, and genuinely inspiring conversation for design teachers, tech coaches, school leaders, and anyone who believes the best classroom moments happen when something doesn't go to plan.

You can find Nick:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/nick-steffen-a02a63188/

https://www.instagram.com/nicksteffencomedy/

you can find me on LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/philip-murdoch-%F0%9F%A4%99-68a846b1/

YouTube

https://youtube.com/@thetattooedteacher01?si=tJy1U6Huz684CtZE

Follow DJ Fruit Salad:

https://www.instagram.com/djfruitsaladofficial/

Sponsored byThe BUSY School

This episode is brought to you by The BUSY School— a network of special assistance schools for Year 11 and 12 students who've disengaged from mainstream education. Small classes, real industry connections, and completely free for students.

 If you know a young person who needs a different kind of school, The BUSY School could be exactly what they're looking for. The BUSY School is part ofThe BUSY Group — an Australian not-for-profit approaching its 50th year, operating across Australia, New Zealand and the UK.

 Find out if there's a BUSY School near you at ⁠busyschools.edu.qld.au⁠

Supported by

The Design & Technologies Resource Site

An Australian platform built to help creators, educators, and podcasters increase their visibility and connect with Design & Technologies educators.

https://andacod.com.au/

TeacherPD Australia

https://teacherpd.com.au/

Australia's Premier Teacher PD Directory

On this the 60th episode of The Tattoo Teacher Podcast, I chat with Paul Miles, CEO of The BUSY Group, about the gap between traditional education and real-world outcomes and what can be done to help close it. Paul shares how BUSY schools support disengaged students through the mix of education, vocational training, and strong relationships—helping young people finish school and move into work or apprenticeships.

We cover some big questions:

• Why so many students disengage from school

• The growing importance of trades and apprenticeships

• What employers say is missing from school leavers

• Why relationships matter more than content

• How AI and changing work will shape education

Paul also challenges the idea that school is only about learning content, arguing that education needs to focus just as much on preparing young people for life and work.

You can find Paul:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/pdmiles/

https://busyschools.qld.edu.au/?

https://www.busyatwork.com.au/about-busy/busy-group/

you can find me on LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/philip-murdoch-%F0%9F%A4%99-68a846b1/

YouTube

https://youtube.com/@thetattooedteacher01?si=tJy1U6Huz684CtZE

Follow DJ Fruit Salad:

https://www.instagram.com/djfruitsaladofficial/

Sponsored byThe BUSY School

This episode is brought to you by The BUSY School— a network of special assistance schools for Year 11 and 12 students who've disengaged from mainstream education. Small classes, real industry connections, and completely free for students.

 If you know a young person who needs a differentkind of school, The BUSY School could be exactly what they're looking for. The BUSY School is part ofThe BUSY Group — an Australian not-for-profit approaching its 50th year, operating across Australia, New Zealand and the UK.

 Find out if there's a BUSY School near youat busyschools.edu.qld.au

Supported by

The Design & Technologies Resource Site

An Australian platform built to help creators, educators, and podcasters increase their visibility and connect with Design & Technologies educators.

https://andacod.com.au/

TeacherPD Australia

https://teacherpd.com.au/

Australia's Premier Teacher PD Directory

On this episode of The Tattoo Teacher Podcast, Will Berry shares his journey into education and what’s helped himstay in the profession. Along the way, Will shares what keeps early‑career teachers in the profession, the importance of school culture, and why simply checking in can make a difference. We also cover leadership, community, and howeducation might need to shift as the world around it changes. Will also shares insights from running TEDxNewy and how community and new ideas are shaping the future of education.

You can find Will:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/will-berry/

https://www.linkedin.com/company/tedxnewy/

https://tedxnewy.com.au

https://www.instagram.com/tedxnewy/

you can find me onLinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/philip-murdoch-%F0%9F%A4%99-68a846b1/

YouTube

https://youtube.com/@thetattooedteacher01?si=tJy1U6Huz684CtZE

Follow DJ Fruit Salad:

https://www.instagram.com/djfruitsaladofficial/

Supported by

The Design & Technologies Resource Site

An Australian platform built to helpcreators, educators, and podcasters increase their visibility and connect withDesign & Technologies educators.

https://andacod.com.au/

TeacherPD Australia

https://teacherpd.com.au/

Australia's PremierTeacher PD Directory

On this episode of The Tattoo Teacher Podcast, I chat with Matt Jensen. He shares practical insights from his work in digital pedagogy and coaching, focusing on how technology can support—not replace—great teaching. The conversation also dives into AI in education—including the risks of automated “feedback loops,” the importance of using AI as a thinking partner, and practical ways it can save teachers time so they can reinvest it into relationships and learning design. Matt also shares how Kahoot has evolved beyond quizzes into more open, creative learning experiences, and finishes with a challenge for educators: share what you’re learning to strengthen professional community and reduce the isolation many teachers feel.

You can find Matt:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/mattjensenedu/

https://mattjensenedu.com/

you can find me on LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/philip-murdoch-%F0%9F%A4%99-68a846b1/

YouTube

https://youtube.com/@thetattooedteacher01?si=tJy1U6Huz684CtZE

Follow DJ Fruit Salad:

https://www.instagram.com/djfruitsaladofficial/

Supported by

The Design & Technologies Resource Site

An Australian platform built to help creators, educators, and podcasters increase their visibility and connect with Design & Technologies educators.

https://andacod.com.au/

TeacherPD Australia

https://teacherpd.com.au/

Australia's Premier Teacher PD Directory

On this episode of The Tattoo Teacher Podcast, I chat with Danni Foster Brown, an experienced educator, educational leader, and Head of the Virtual Learning Community on the Gold Coast who is redefining what school can look like.

Together, we explore educational technology, AI, transdisciplinary learning, virtual schooling, personalised learning, wellbeing, and community, asking the big questions schools need to be grappling with right now:

How do we prepare students for an uncertain future?

How do we use technology without losing humanity?

And what does real community look like in an online school?

This is an honest, hopeful, and deeply practical conversation for teachers, school leaders, parents, and anyone interested in the future of learning.

You can find Danni:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/danni-foster-brown-5690771b/

you can find me on LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/philip-murdoch-%F0%9F%A4%99-68a846b1/

YouTube

https://youtube.com/@thetattooedteacher01?si=tJy1U6Huz684CtZE

Follow DJ Fruit Salad:

https://www.instagram.com/djfruitsaladofficial/

Supported by

https://andacod.com.au/

An Australian platform built to help creators, educators, and podcasters increase their visibility and connect with Design & Technologies educators.

https://teacherpd.com.au/

Australia's Premier Teacher PD Directory

On this episode of The Tattoo Teacher Podcast I chat with Ryan Noonan, Leader of Digital Technology and Innovation at Chevalier College (NSW), to explore what meaningful innovation in schools looks like.

Ryan’s journey starts in a low-SES community where education wasn’t seen as the obvious path, until sport and coaching sparked a love of teaching and leadership. Together, we unpack the leadership shift from “hearing” to truly “listening,” the role of humility in supporting teachers, and why relationships remain the foundation of learning in the age of AI.

We explore student agency, design thinking, and the power of failing forward including the incredible example of Chevalier students designing a glove that translates sign language into speech, opening doors to innovation conferences in Australia and even NASA-related opportunities.

Ryan also shares his early experimentation with generative AI—from creative writing and publishing an AI-assisted children’s book, to practical classroom use cases like supporting diverse learners and helping students build interactive experiences with Canva Code. The discussion also covers challenges such as cognitive offloading, assessment redesign, and the uncomfortable truth that what industry calls “efficiency,” education often labels “cheating.”

Ryan issues a call-to-action for big tech and major companies to move beyond screens and invest on the ground in rural and regional communities, where access and support are needed most.

You can find Ryan:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryannoonan5/

you can find me on LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/philip-murdoch-%F0%9F%A4%99-68a846b1/

YouTube

https://youtube.com/@thetattooedteacher01?si=tJy1U6Huz684CtZE

Follow DJ Fruit Salad:

https://www.instagram.com/djfruitsaladofficial/

Supported by

https://andacod.com.au/

An Australian platform built to help creators, educators, and podcasters increase their visibility and connect with Design & Technologies educators.

https://teacherpd.com.au/

Australia's PremierTeacher PD Directory

On this episode of The Tattoo Teacher Podcast, I catch up with longtime colleague and global education leader Chris Barnes, currently Director of Curriculum and Assessment at The Franklin School (New Jersey, USA).

Chris shares his journey from Australian independent schools and the International Baccalaureate to helping design a fully re‑imagined high school built from the ground up. Together, Chris and I explore why education matters, how transdisciplinary learning breaks down silos, and what truly prepares students for complex, real‑world problems.

This wide‑ranging conversation touches on innovation in education, leadership, curriculum design, teacher collaboration, student agency, and the power of relationships — plus coaching, service learning, and (of course) tattoos.

You can find Chris:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-barnes-4a7541233/

you can find me onLinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/philip-murdoch-%F0%9F%A4%99-68a846b1/

YouTube

https://youtube.com/@thetattooedteacher01?si=tJy1U6Huz684CtZE

Follow DJ Fruit Salad:

https://www.instagram.com/djfruitsaladofficial/

Supported by

https://andacod.com.au/

 AnAustralian platform built to help creators, educators, and podcasters increasetheir visibility and connect with Design & Technologies educators.

In this episode of The Tattooed Teacher Podcast, I sit down with Doug Broadbent to explore how service and kindness shape teacher identity, classroom culture, and meaningful education. In this engaging conversation Doug shares his 25-year journey in education, exploring the importance of love for students, the role of service, curriculum design, and navigating the challenges of educational leadership. Heshare his insights on fostering critical thinking, balancing curriculum demands, and the impact of personal faith on teaching. Doug leaves us with a great challenge to “Be intentional in everything you do”

You can find Doug:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/douglas-broadbent-78119328/

you can find me onLinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/philip-murdoch-%F0%9F%A4%99-68a846b1/

YouTube

https://youtube.com/@thetattooedteacher01?si=tJy1U6Huz684CtZE

Follow DJ Fruit Salad:

https://www.instagram.com/djfruitsaladofficial/

Supported by

https://andacod.com.au/

 An Australian platform built to help creators, educators, and podcasters increasetheir visibility and connect with Design & Technologies educators.

On this episode of The Tattooed Teacher Podcast, I sit down with Kerry Brown, a leading advocate for creativity in education. Kerry shares her journey into teaching, the growing administrative load many teachers face, and why protecting teacher wellbeing is essential to keeping the joy in the job.

We explore practical ways to foster creativity in the classroom, innovative teaching practices, and how tools like Canva for Education can boost student engagement without adding extra stress. This is a conversation about supporting teachers—so they can create the biggest possible impact on students.

You can find Kerry

https://www.linkedin.com/in/kerry-brown-8692ba62/

https://www.linkedin.com/company/edtasker/

https://www.edtasker.com.au/

you can find me on LinkedIn:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/philip-murdoch-%F0%9F%A4%99-68a846b1/

YouTube

https://youtube.com/@thetattooedteacher01?si=tJy1U6Huz684CtZE

Follow DJ Fruit Salad:

https://www.instagram.com/djfruitsaladofficial/