Thinking Classroom Podcast Mike Fleetham

Mike talks to AI policy researcher Thorin Bristow and AI specialist Tess Buckley about equitable access to AI and how we balance regulation with innovation. Tess shares some quality go-to AI resources for educators and Thorin starts this episode with solid advice for becoming AI Literate. Listen out for the background sounds of excellent coffee being drunk in the Blighty Cafe, Finsbury Park.

Mike talks to Sonia Gill of HeadsUp and author of Journey to Outstanding and Successful Difficult Conversations in school about, well, those two themes. How do you have a knotty conversation with kindness? And what would Sonia do as Secretary of State for Education?

Mike talks to Tara Elie of Starperformance about teacher wellbeing and the challenges and opportunities of senior educational leadership for marginalised and under-represented groups.

Tara's masters research reveals the lived experience of these groups and offers positive ways forward.

In this episode you'll also hear a completely silent pneumatic drill. Wow.

Mike talks to Jamaican engineer, entrepreneur and author Dianne Plummer about how early childhood experiences at home and at school set her on a path to STEM success.

Dianne talks about her book, Science in the Sun; describes her learning journey across the world; and tells us about the power of asking why?

Mike talks to Emmie Bidston, teacher and director of coaching and leadership at Wellington College. Emmie brings fun and energy to the world of education; she's a pragmatic advocate of 'flourishing' and describes for us the coaching culture in her school.

This episode radiates positivity about being a teacher in the world today.

And Emmie let's us know if she'd accept the job of Secretary of State for Education and what her priorities would be.

Roy Blatchford CBE has served the world of education for over 50 years. Teacher, headteacher, consultant, advisor and international thought leader, his vision is inspiring and his approach pragmatic.

In this episode I talk to Roy about Blinks and how they offer a far more effective way to empower schools to get better by making sure that the folks who work there are the ones with the agency and autonomy.

In 20 minutes we only get to the very tip of his educational iceberg. However, we do cover Tony Blair's 1997 pledge (Roy shares his 2023 version); we look at teacher standards (which Roy wrote); and we find out how the French school inspection system works. And we learn that brown is actually yellow. It all depends on if you’ve been to university.