In this episode, Colin talks to Kirsty Hair of the University of Strathclyde about her fantastic contribution to The Essentials in Learning to Teach by Jamie Thom and Colin McGill. Kirsty gives excellent answers to the following questions: What do you think are the biggest challenges facing early career teachers? In your contribution to Essentials in Learning to Teach you talk about resilience - can you tell us a bit more about why resilience is important? You've written about the importance of ...
Jun 26, 2025•38 min
Today is the publication of Colin and Jamie's new book 'The Essentials in learning to Teach'. The book is all about how you can thrive and succeed in your year of learning to teach. In this episode they discuss what motivated them to write the book, and begin to share some practical strategies from the ten essentials that the book is made up of. If you would like to order a copy of the book it is available here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Essentials-Learning-Teach-Thriving-secondary/dp/1398387479 ...
Feb 28, 2025•27 min
In this episode Colin McGill interviews Kirsten Colquhoun to explore some top tips for teachers at the start of their careers. Kirsten is an education consultant, author, and Pastoral Lead with nearly two decades of experience working in schools. The questions they explore in this interview are: What do you think are the biggest challenges facing early career teachers? What advice do you have for planning lessons? How can novice teachers manage their classroom environment? How should novice teac...
Feb 21, 2025•34 min
This episode explores the role that gratitude plays in education. It looks at ways you can express thanks to shape positive attitudes and effort in your lessons, and how it can overcome the negativity bias and help us to feel positive about the work we do in education. I mention in this episode about wanting to hear from listeners, please get in touch via email: jamiethom123@aol.com
Nov 29, 2024•10 min
Today’s episode is the 100th episode of the podcast! Great to reach this milestone, and thank you so much to all the listeners for the support. On this episode I am joined by Dr Kathleen Forbes. Kathleen is a senior consultant clinician for Place 2 Be, a mental health charity. For the past seven years Place 2 Be has been working with new teachers to improve their wellbeing and reflective capacity. In this interview we answer the question: how can new teachers make their relationship with their m...
Nov 26, 2024•53 min
This ten minute talk explores the role that focus has in being a successful teacher. It looks at how we can role-model focus for young people; how we can improve our capacity to focus on young people and relationships; and some practical ways to avoid multi-tasking in the classroom and build our 'focus' muscles.
Nov 20, 2024•10 min
The guest on this week's episode is Oliver Cook. Ollie is an experienced teacher, who is currently a Pupil Support Leader in a school in Scotland (this is the equivalent of a pastoral role in other parts of the UK and further afield) In this conversation we explore relational behaviour management, with practical tips for teachers to implement this style in their classrooms. Ollie also answers the following: What is a relational approach to behaviour management? What do you feel the strengths of ...
Nov 20, 2024•48 min
This ten minute talk explores the vital role that emotional intelligence has to being an effective teacher. It breaks down Daniel Goleman's five key components of Emotional Intelligence: self-awareness, self-regulation, empathy, effective communication and motivation. Looking at practical ways to implement all of them in the classroom.
Nov 14, 2024•10 min
This week's episode explores how to be the best possible mentor of new teachers. The guest is the wonderful Rachel Alexander. Rachel is a former English teacher and author, who now runs the English PGDE at Moray House in Edinburgh University. In the episode, which should also be useful for new teachers who are working with a mentor for the first time, we explore: 1. What do you enjoy about mentoring new teachers? 2. What do you feel are the qualities of a really good mentor? 3. For anyone who mi...
Nov 12, 2024•48 min
Today is the fourth episode in the A-Z of teacher skills series. This ten minute talk explores the importance of being driven as a teacher, and why your own ability to model drive and enthusiasm for young people is vital for success in the classroom. It also gives some practical tools to help you to motivate and encourage young people.
Nov 08, 2024•10 min
This week we have a vitally important topic that we hope all listeners will benefit from. Colin McGill interviews Lynn McCann and Catrina Lowri on how we can best support neurodivergent teachers to thrive in school. Lynn McCann is an Autism, ADHD and PDE Specialist teacher and author. She is the owner of Reach out ASC, which is a team of neurodivergent teachers working to support autistic, ADHD and PDE young people in schools. Catrina Lowri is the founder of Neuroteachers. She is a neurodivergen...
Nov 06, 2024•39 min
Today is the second episode in the A-Z of teacher skills and focusses on c: calm. It explores why being calm is such an important skill for teachers to try to sustain. It then goes on to give some practical tools for how you can remain calm in the work you do in your classroom and schools.
Oct 31, 2024•11 min
The podcast returns this week after a bit of break. Colin and Jamie have been busy finishing off their new book 'The Essentials in Learning to Teach', which you can pre-order here and which will be out in February. This episode explores how you can make a really positive impression in schools. It breaks this down into how you can manage the stress of starting in a school, how you can build positive relationships with staff members, and how you can start to form really positive relationships with...
Oct 30, 2024•37 min
Today is the second episode in the A-Z of teacher skills and focusses on b: belonging. It looks at why creating a culture of belonging is a vital teacher skill. It then goes on to give some practical strategies for how you can ensure young people feel they belong in your classroom.
Sep 04, 2024•11 min
Today's episode is fantastic conversation between Colin and Hayley Guy. Hayley just completed her PGDE (teacher-education/training) year in Scotland with us at Edinburgh Napier University. In this practical and helpful conversation Colin and Hayley discuss: What was the most important piece of learning during your PGDE? What advice do you have for managing the PGDE workload while raising a young family? What was the biggest challenges you faced during your PGDE and how did you overcome them? How...
Sep 04, 2024•32 min
This is the first in a new series, which explores the A-Z of teacher essential skills. Each short, ten minute episode will be recorded by Colin or Jamie, and give an overview of the particular skill that coincides with that letter in the alphabet. Today's episode is about assertiveness. It unpicks what exactly assertiveness means in the classroom, and how it needs to be balanced with respectfulness. It then gives some practical strategies on how you can be more assertive, looking at both non-ver...
Aug 28, 2024•10 min
Welcome back to Beyond Survival: the new teacher podcast! Colin McGill, my wonderful new co-host and I, are delighted to welcome you to season three. This episode looks at new starts, exploring the following: 1. What are some of the aims of the podcast in series 3? 2. How can teachers make the best start to a new academic year? 3. What are some important routines to introduce at the start of the academic year? 4. What are some of the intentions you can set at the start of the year to support you...
Aug 28, 2024•33 min
This talk gives a brief overview of an online event on Thursday May 23rd from 4 o'clock to 5 o'clock 'A Teaching and Learning Masterclass'. All the money raised from this event will go directly to charity. For just five pounds you can support the brilliant charity 'Health in Mind' and have an hour of practical guidance no how to improve your teaching from one of the UK's best authors, education consultants and Headteachers Bruce Robertson. You can see all of Bruce's brilliant books here: https:/...
May 17, 2024•7 min
This week's guest is Alex Quigley. Alex is a former English teacher and school leader, who now works for the Education charity Education Endowment Foundation. He has written many best selling books, including his latest 'Why Learning Fails'. Alex's website is: https://alexquigley.co.uk In this episode we answer the question: why does learning fail? In answering that central question , Alex also answers: What inspired your new book Why Learning Fails? What role does 'patchy prior knowledge' have ...
May 13, 2024•48 min
Today's episode of 'Beyond Survival: The New Teacher podcast' is the monthly episode with Colin McGill. Colin is my colleague in the PGDE at Edinburgh Napier University, and is the programme leader. You can follow him on Twitter @colinmcgill. Today we are answering the question: what feedback will really help my learners? In answering that question we also answer: What is the purpose of feedback? What are some mistakes teachers make in giving feedback? What makes verbal feedback effective? What ...
May 09, 2024•42 min
The guest on this week's episode of 'Beyond Survival: the new teacher podcast' is Adam Boxer. Adam is a Lead Practitioner, author of 'Teaching Secondary Science: A Complete Guide' and an educational consultant. He is also the director of Carousel Learning: https://www.carousel-learning.com . Adam's blog is https://achemicalorthodoxy.co.uk . In this episode we answer the central question: What are some of the most common actions from lesson observations? In answering that, we also explore: 1. Wha...
Apr 22, 2024•45 min
The guest on this week's episode of 'Beyond Survival: the new teacher podcast' is Pete Foster. Pete leads secondary teacher development across a large multi-academy trust. He is also the author of a superb book called 'What do new teachers need to know?'. For his second interview on the podcast, Peter answers the central question: 1. What does education mean to you? 2. What are some mistakes new teachers make in planning lessons? 3. What helps in planning for better behaviour? 4. What helps in p...
Apr 18, 2024•45 min
This week I launched a new website: https://jamiethom.co.uk . This video introduces the coaching service I offer for teachers and leaders. It explores the benefits of coaching and why you might consider being coached by me. You can read more about the service, and read testimonials from individuals who have been coached by me here: https://jamiethom.co.uk/coaching/ . Thank you for listening, please do get in touch via the website if you are interested in doing some coaching: https://jamiethom.co...
Mar 28, 2024•9 min
Today's episode of 'Beyond Survival: The New Teacher podcast' is with Tom Sherrington. Tom is an former headteacher, author and educational consultant. He is the author of the WalkThru series. His blog has over ten million views: https://teacherhead.com In this episode Tom answers the question: what is responsive teaching? In answering that central question, Tom also answers: 1. What mindset will make teachers more responsive in the classroom? 2. What strategies help to ensure all young people a...
Mar 26, 2024•53 min
Today's episode of 'Beyond Survival: The New Teacher podcast' is with Mary Myatt. Mary has had thirty years in education and is now an education adviser, writer and speaker. Her latest book is with John Tomsett and called 'SEND Huh: Curriculum conversations with SEND leaders. In this episode Mary answers the question: What do new teachers need to know about teaching young people with additional needs? In answering that central question, Mary also answers: 1. What was the purpose of your book SEN...
Mar 18, 2024•45 min
This episode is this week's 'Teacher Talk': a fifteen minute talk that explores an important aspect of being a new teacher. It is also available to watch on the new YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@BeyondSurvivalTheNewTeac-rs8tp This week's talk is on lesson observations. It gives strategies initially to cope with the unusual dynamic of being observed teaching, and then practical ways in which you can thrive while delivering a lesson observation. It also explores how you can make the mo...
Mar 13, 2024•16 min
Today's episode of 'Beyond Survival: The New Teacher podcast' is with Taylor Wilson. Taylor is a voice coach and public speaking expert, with over 25 years of experience in improving communication skills. This is the first interview that will also be shared on the new YouTube channel (Beyond Survival: The New Teacher), so you can watch it here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrjyqcUwpxKP90k1hxPlFJg In this episode we answer: how can new teachers make better use of their voices? 1. Why is the v...
Mar 11, 2024•44 min
This episode is one of the talks I am sharing on a new YouTube channel this week. The series is called ‘New Teacher Essentials.’ This episode looks at five ways to improve your questioning in the classroom: convey sincerity; leave thinking time; follow up; signal cold call; and open up the ways students can respond. The five videos that will be shared this week are on the following: confidence, questioning, behaviour, well-being and getting better. You can access them here: https://www.youtube.c...
Mar 06, 2024•16 min
A very quick episode from me to explain the launch of an exciting new part to the podcast. This week I am launching a new YouTube channel to support new teachers. As part of this there will be five fifteen minute videos, one released every day this week. I’ve called the series ‘New Teacher Essentials.’ The aim is to provide a week’s worth of hopefuly useful and inspiring content for teachers in the first few years of their career. The five videos are: confidence, questioning, behaviour, well-bei...
Mar 04, 2024•4 min
Today's episode of 'Beyond Survival: The New Teacher podcast' is with Rachel Alexander. Rachel is an English teacher, mentor of new teachers and author of a range of excellent books for English teachers. She also does a huge amount of positive work around mental health. In this interview we answer the central question: How can we look after our own and each other's mental health? In answering that central question we also explore: 1. What has helped you to look after your own mental health as a ...
Mar 04, 2024•45 min
