In this episode, Lee Parkinson, also known as Mr. P, is joined by Professor Julia Waters – Professor of French at the University of Reading, with over 30 years of teaching experience in Higher Education.

Julia spoke to TTS, however, as the sister of Ruth Perry, the headteacher who took her own life in January 2023 as a result of a ‘rude and intimidating’ Ofsted inspection that the coroner described as ‘lacking fairness, respect and sensitivity’.

Together, they discuss teacher mental health with regards to school inspections, as well as shine a light on Ruth Perry’s legacy. Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this program are those of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of TTS.

Please be warned that this episode contains discussion of suicide and mental health. If you need to seek support, please visit the NHS website to find help.

Lee Parkinson, also known as Mr. P, is joined by another exciting and insightful guest, Dr Martin Brunet. Martin is a GP and Medical Educator, who has combined his passion for teaching with an interest in mental health. Throughout this episode, Lee and Martin continue the discussion around the theme of mental health in teaching.

They start by looking at burnout, the concept of moral distress and the steps teachers can take to set effective boundaries in their day-to-day lives.  

They then dive into how the teaching calendar means that unlike many professions, teachers are all running a joint long-distance sprint as opposed to a relay race with their colleagues. They also explore other common teaching mental health concerns including anxiety and imposter syndrome, and how to manage these difficult feelings.  

Lee Parkinson, also known as Mr. P, is joined by our incredibly inspirational and insightful guest, Ben West. Ben is a Mental Health campaigner, best-selling author & social media influencer, and one of the most engaging and inspiring young male voices in the UK today. Together, Lee and Ben discuss a range of big topics around the theme of mental health in teaching.

They begin by looking at the steps teachers can take to protect their own mental health and wellbeing, as well as the warning signs to be aware of and look out for.  

They then dive into the mental health of our pupils, including the impact of social media, the positive moves we can make to support them both in the classroom and working with parents, and the role the education system plays.    

TW: this episode contains discussion of suicide and mental health

In this series 1 finale, Steven Bollar and education consultant, Matthew Savage conclude the wellbeing data topic with a discussion around identifying the marginalised children in your school and what to do about it. 

Exploring “Why should we shift the margins?” Matthew explains that when we change things to support marginalised students, it often benefits everyone else too. 

To learn more about Matthew Savage’s work, visit https://monalisaeffect.me/ 

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(The views expressed throughout this podcast are the speakers' own, and TTS does not take responsibility for the views and guidance highlighted as part of this recording.)  

 Please note: When referencing the speakers views, theory and work for development of your own materials, please ensure academic reference of the speaker is cited. 

In episode 19 of the TTS Talking Teachers’ podcast, Steven Bollar and educational consultant, Matthew Savage, look at the importance of contextualising the wellbeing data that you collect. 

Matthew discusses the concept that, too often, behaviour and problems are looked at in isolation. He opens up the idea that rather than trying to solve the obvious problem, teachers should look at the bigger picture to see what else is impacting the child at this time. Often, the system needs to change rather than the child. 

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(The views expressed throughout this podcast are the speakers' own, and TTS does not take responsibility for the views and guidance highlighted as part of this recording.)  

 Please note: When referencing the speakers views, theory and work for development of your own materials, please ensure academic reference of the speaker is cited. 

Steven Bollar and educational consultant, Matthew Savage return to the TTS Talking Teachers’ podcast to introduce the concept of the wellbeing data wheel. 

Every child is different so it’s important to measure wellbeing in different ways. The wellbeing data wheel covers 5 spokes to offer a different lens on wellbeing in school. 

• Observation 
• Check-in 
• Surveys 
• Counseling data 
• Everything else 

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(The views expressed throughout this podcast are the speakers' own, and TTS does not take responsibility for the views and guidance highlighted as part of this recording.)  

 Please note: When referencing the speakers views, theory and work for development of your own materials, please ensure academic reference of the speaker is cited. 

Steven Bollar, accompanied by education consultant Matthew Savage, returns to delve into a new topic, adopting a more analytical approach to wellbeing. 

This episode introduces one of the main challenges to judging wellbeing – schools being a “performative” space leading to children masking their true feelings and selves.  

Steven and Matthew discuss the meaning of being “performative”, why people might mask their true selves, and methods for encouraging authenticity. 

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(The views expressed throughout this podcast are the speakers' own, and TTS does not take responsibility for the views and guidance highlighted as part of this recording.)  

 Please note: When referencing the speakers views, theory and work for development of your own materials, please ensure academic reference of the speaker is cited. 

In episode 16, Steven Bollar and Iantha Ussin conclude the classroom management topic with a closer look at why an effective and engaging lesson plan is the best classroom management tool. 

What makes up a quality lesson? 

• Use technology as a tool within the classroom 
• Hook them in with a great opener 
• Engage them by focussing on something that matters in their world 
• Develop a diverse teaching plan 
• Reflect and improve  

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(The views expressed throughout this podcast are the speakers' own, and TTS does not take responsibility for the views and guidance highlighted as part of this recording.)  

 Please note: When referencing the speakers views, theory and work for development of your own materials, please ensure academic reference of the speaker is cited. 

In episode 15 of the TTS Talking Teachers’ podcast, Steven Bollar and Educational consultant, Iantha Ussin reconvene to share their advice on being firm and taking charge of the classroom in a positive way.  

Firm, mean or angry? 

Iantha defines what teaching techniques look like when you move from firm into mean and then angry, plus the importance of remaining professional and in control of your emotions.  

Leaning on their past experiences, Steven and Iantha discuss ways to maintain those boundaries, including:  

• Set expectations 
• Understand when to take a moment 
• Let the silence do the heavy lifting 
• And more 

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(The views expressed throughout this podcast are the speakers' own, and TTS does not take responsibility for the views and guidance highlighted as part of this recording.)  

 Please note: When referencing the speakers views, theory and work for development of your own materials, please ensure academic reference of the speaker is cited. 

In this episode of the TTS Talking Teachers’ podcast, Steven Bollar and educational consultant, Iantha Ussin share practical ways to maintain healthy relationships with students and why this is important for positioning yourself as the leader in the classroom. 

“It is the role of the teacher to be a friendly adult, not an adult friend”.  

Join Steven and Iantha as they discuss what healthy relationships mean to them and their solutions for gaining mutual respect. From creating student index cards, to taking an interest in their world, and asking questions, explore easy tips for developing positive relationships with students. 

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(The views expressed throughout this podcast are the speakers' own, and TTS does not take responsibility for the views and guidance highlighted as part of this recording.)  

 Please note: When referencing the speakers views, theory and work for development of your own materials, please ensure academic reference of the speaker is cited.