Episódios

  • Nick Covington and Kate McAllister on Restoring Humanity to Education

    Nick Covington and Kate McAllister on Restoring Humanity to Education
    Nov 7 2025
    Nick Covington and Kate McAllister on Restoring Humanity to Education What does it mean to restore humanity to education? In this rich and wide-ranging three-way conversation, James is joined by Kate McAllister – co-founder of The Human Hive and lead educator at The Hive in the Dominican Republic – and Nick Covington, co-founder of the Human Restoration Project in the US. Together, we explore: The dehumanising effects of traditional schooling models What human-centred education looks like in practice – both inside and outside the mainstream Self-regulation, executive function and building trust with students The role of flow in learning, and why it's missing from most education policy discussions The Third Coast Learning Collaborative – a US-wide, government-funded project using project-based learning, portfolio assessment, and student-led exhibition The power of authentic audience and interdisciplinary learning How progressive educators can embrace data to strengthen their case for change The importance of courageous school leaders and communities of practice We also talk about Ozzy Osbourne's funeral procession, mangled chicken coops, flow states, poetry circles, grant funding, and catapults launching frisbees across middle school campuses. Education doesn’t have to be this way. Across the world, a quiet revolution is taking place – one built on trust, flow, curiosity and care. This episode offers a glimpse of what’s possible when we restore humanity to learning. LINKS Follow Nick - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nick-covington/ Follow Kate - https://www.linkedin.com/in/misskatemcallister/ Follow James - https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-mannion/ Human Restoration Project - https://www.humanrestorationproject.org/ The Hive – Dominican Republic - https://www.thehiveadventure.com/ The Third Coast Learning Collaborative - https://www.thirdcoastlearning.org/ Ron Berger on 20 years of 'An ethic of excellence' - and ending the trad-prog debate! - https://www.rethinking-ed.org/ron-berger Gallup Student Poll data on engagement, hope and belonging: https://msnpro1.gallup.com/report-generator/GSP/1.3/En-US?districtId=229403046&schoolId=229403048&cohortId=231774178 Outro track: ‘How it is and how it should be’ by Grit Control: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1ud69RIV1eOV9poMR7AORI DON'T BE A STRANGER The Rethinking Education podcast is brought to you by Crown House Publishing. It is hosted by Dr James Mannion and David Cameron, and produced by Sophie Dean. Drop us a line at https://www.rethinking-ed.org/contact. CONVEY YOUR APPRECIATION FOR THE POD :) Become a patron: https://www.patreon.com/repod Buy us a coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/repod
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    2 horas e 1 minuto
  • "There is more to human development than learning about subjects" Repod Season 6 launch!

    "There is more to human development than learning about subjects" Repod Season 6 launch!
    Oct 18 2025
    We’re back for Season 6! In this reflective episode, James and David catch up after the summer and explore the “big idea” that’s been emerging across recent blogs and conversations: there is more to human development than learning about subjects. They discuss the need for schools to make space for personal growth, wellbeing, and learner effectiveness alongside subject learning – and why our current focus on a purely knowledge-rich curriculum isn’t enough to prepare young people for life beyond school. Along the way, they talk about theatre, conferences, politics, art, and the Everybody Thriving unconference in Manchester. ⏱️ Highlights Catching up after summer: Edinburgh Fringe, Fringe Review, and the Lost Lear play at the Traverse Theatre (00:01:00) James’s trip to the EARLI Conference in Austria and the international focus on learner effectiveness (00:07:00) Hundertwasser’s art and architecture in Vienna (00:09:00) Reflections on feedback from recent Rethinking Education episodes (00:11:00) The Supervision in Education Conference at St Mary’s University, Twickenham (00:12:00) The Everybody Thriving unconference in Manchester (00:19:00) Audrey Tang, the Taiwanese civic hacker and politician, and her ideas on digital democracy (Plurality, GovZero, Pol.is, and presidential hackathons) (00:24:00) The Education Policy Alliance and “slice politics” – bridging the gap between grassroots innovation and executive power (00:28:00) The “big idea”: more to human development than subjects – learner effectiveness, self-knowledge, wellbeing, and systems thinking (00:36:00) Why subject knowledge alone isn’t working: phones, attention, and the post-literate world (00:44:00) The Learning Skills Curriculum and Who Am I? project (00:47:00) The Welsh Government’s Learner Effectiveness Programme (00:49:00) The purpose of education: human development vs. transactional outcomes (00:57:00) Future guests: Dave Whitaker and Rupert Wegerith (01:05:00) DON'T BE A STRANGER The Rethinking Education podcast is brought to you by Crown House Publishing. It is hosted by Dr James Mannion and David Cameron, and produced by Sophie Dean. Drop us a line at https://www.rethinking-ed.org/contact. SUPPORT THE RETHINKING ED PODCAST: Become a patron: https://www.patreon.com/repod Buy us a coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/repod
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    1 hora e 14 minutos
  • “We need a new language!" Jaz Ampaw-Farr on hope, trauma tourism and teachers as everyday heroes

    “We need a new language!" Jaz Ampaw-Farr on hope, trauma tourism and teachers as everyday heroes
    Sep 9 2025
    In this episode, David and James sit down with Jaz Ampaw-Farr to talk about her powerful new book Because of You, This is Me: The stories we tell, the stories we change and the power of everyday heroes. We explore the big themes of the book, including: The lies we’ve agreed to and how to rewrite them Why we need a new vocabulary for education And the everyday heroes who changed the ending for Jaz Along the way we also touch on the importance of listening to voices of lived experience – a conversation that was sparked by Darren McGarvey’s work and led to some of Jaz’s most insightful reflections. This episode is a rich mix of personal story, educational insight and practical wisdom. Links and resources: Jaz’s book: https://www.crownhouse.co.uk/because-of-you-this-is-me Jaz’s TEDx talk ‘The power of everyday heroes’: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q3xoZXSW5yc Jaz’s website: https://jazampawfarr.com/ Find out more about the Open School: https://www.theopenschool.uk/ Enjoyed the episode? Please subscribe, leave a review, and share the episode with a friend or colleague. You can also support the podcast on Patreon: https://patreon.com/repod Outro track: ‘How it is and how it should be’ by Grit Control: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1ud69RIV1eOV9poMR7AORI The Rethinking Education podcast is brought to you by Crown House Publishing. It is hosted by Dr James Mannion and David Cameron, and produced by Sophie Dean.
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    2 horas e 23 minutos
  • What Are We Teaching? Powerful knowledge, capabilities, and teacher autonomy – with Richard Bustin

    What Are We Teaching? Powerful knowledge, capabilities, and teacher autonomy – with Richard Bustin
    Jul 28 2025
    In this wide-ranging and thought-provoking conversation, we're joined by teacher and researcher Richard Bustin, author of the fascinating new book What Are We Teaching? We delve deep into some of the biggest questions in curriculum and pedagogy today – from the concept of powerful knowledge to the ongoing tensions between progressivism and traditionalism in education. What does it mean to teach in a way that builds pupils' capabilities – not just their test scores? And how can we balance a knowledge-rich curriculum with professional teacher autonomy? Richard brings a rare blend of classroom insight, research rigour, and philosophical curiosity to this conversation. We discuss: What powerful knowledge is – and isn’t How geography “went woke” Whether the progressivism vs traditionalism debate is helpful or reductive Why a focus on capabilities might offer a richer way forward The risks of top-down curriculum mandates And why teacher professionalism and trust matter more than ever This is a rich and energising listen for anyone who cares deeply about what – and how – we teach. Richard Bustin is a secondary geography teacher and doctoral researcher with a focus on curriculum studies, powerful knowledge, and geo-capabilities. His book What Are We Teaching? (2025) is a compelling invitation to examine the deeper messages embedded in our teaching and to reclaim the professional agency of teachers as curriculum-makers. Links and resources: Follow Richard https://www.linkedin.com/in/richard-bustin-165b7019b/ What are we teaching? https://www.crownhouse.co.uk/what-are-we-teaching Enjoyed the episode? Please subscribe, leave a review, and share the episode with a friend or colleague. You can also support the podcast on Patreon: https://patreon.com/repod Outro track: ‘How it is and how it should be’ by Grit Control: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1ud69RIV1eOV9poMR7AORI The Rethinking Education podcast is brought to you by Crown House Publishing. It is hosted by Dr James Mannion and David Cameron, and produced by Sophie Dean.
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    2 horas e 1 minuto
  • Fixing the SEND Crisis – with Amjad Ali

    Fixing the SEND Crisis – with Amjad Ali
    Jul 4 2025
    In this powerful and practical conversation, Dr James Mannion and The Real David Cameron are joined by the inspirational Amjad Ali – teacher, leader, inclusion expert, founder of Try This Teaching and author of A Little Guide for Teachers: SEND in Schools – to explore what it would take to fix the SEND crisis. With over 20 years of experience across a wide range of educational settings, Amjad brings a wealth of knowledge and deep compassion to the question of how we can better serve learners with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). Together, we explore: Why the SEND system is currently under such immense pressure The barriers that children, families and teachers face every day What inclusion really means – and how to move beyond tokenism Practical ideas to create more equitable, compassionate classrooms The mindset shifts needed at every level of the system This is a must-listen episode for anyone who wants to make education more inclusive, sustainable, and humane – not just for SEND learners, but for everyone. LINKS Follow Amjad - https://www.linkedin.com/in/amjadalitrythisteaching/ Outro track: ‘How it is and how it should be’ by Grit Control: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1ud69RIV1eOV9poMR7AORI DON'T BE A STRANGER The Rethinking Education podcast is brought to you by Crown House Publishing. It is hosted by Dr James Mannion and David Cameron, and produced by Sophie Dean. SUPPORT THE RETHINKING ED PODCAST: Become a patron: https://www.patreon.com/repod Buy us a coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/repod
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    1 hora e 46 minutos
  • Rocking the system: Live songwriting, earworms and education reform with Rocktopus

    Rocking the system: Live songwriting, earworms and education reform with Rocktopus
    Jun 24 2025
    In this joyful and thought-provoking episode, we’re joined by Tom Veck and Andy Hawkings from Rocktopus – the world’s greatest rock band for kids (and educators, as it turns out). At the last Rethinking Education conference, Tom and Andy did something truly remarkable: in front of a live audience of 500 people, they wrote a brand new song on the spot. With lyrics provided by the audience and four chords chosen entirely at random, they created a tune that’s both hilarious and haunting – and just wait until you hear it. Fair warning: it’s an absolute earworm. But this episode is more than a musical moment. Tom and Andy – both former teachers – use the lyrics of the song as a springboard for a fascinating conversation about the perks and peculiarities of the English education system. We explore the power of creativity, the limits of conformity, and what it might take to build a system that helps everyone to thrive. Whether you’re a teacher, parent, policymaker or student, this one’s for you. In this episode: A live songwriting experiment with audience participation Why music and creativity matter more than ever in education Stories from the classroom – and why Tom and Andy left teaching Reflections on control, compliance and how to do things differently We have a narrow curriculum which squeezes out the arts - so let’s rethink education There is a lack of imagination and not enough fun - so let’s rethink education Children should be self directed showing us their way let them lead Transferable skills should be the core of what we teach learn for life So let’s trust Let’s be brave Let’s do what’s right and not what is required Let’s have fun Let’s explore Let’s bring back the love forget the fear of being fired! We're forced to rank the children as OFSTED ranks the schools - so let’s rethink education We have a lack of agency - we're trapped inside the system - so let’s rethink education A place of transformation that embraces community school is the heart A place to dream a place to play a Place to think and love feeling free So let’s trust Let’s be brave Let’s do what’s right and not what is required Let’s have fun Let’s explore Let’s bring back the love forget the fear of being fired! Outro track: ‘How it is and how it should be’ by Grit Control: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1ud69RIV1eOV9poMR7AORI DON'T BE A STRANGER The Rethinking Education podcast is brought to you by Crown House Publishing. It is hosted by Dr James Mannion and David Cameron, and produced by Sophie Dean. SUPPORT THE RETHINKING ED PODCAST: Become a patron: https://www.patreon.com/repod Buy us a coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/repod
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    2 horas e 4 minutos
  • "You can't afford not to!" Headteacher Kulvarn Atwal on the power of slice teams

    "You can't afford not to!" Headteacher Kulvarn Atwal on the power of slice teams
    Jun 21 2025
    In this short episode of the Rethinking Education podcast, James Mannion speaks with Dr Kulvarn Atwal – a highly respected headteacher leading not one, but two schools: Highlands Primary and Uphall Primary in East London. Kulvarn is the author of The Thinking School and The Thinking Teacher, and a long-time advocate of distributed leadership and research-informed practice. He shares insights into how his schools are developing cultures of continuous improvement through collaboration and genuine stakeholder engagement. This conversation focuses on the idea of slice teams – diverse, representative groups of staff, students, and other members of the school community who lead change initiatives together. Slice teams are a central feature of James's new book, Making Change Stick: A Practical Guide to Implementing School Improvement. Topics discussed include: What slice teams are and how they work in practice Why including pupils in these teams is so important How this approach can lead to more sustainable, system-wide change Whether you’re a school leader, a classroom teacher, or someone interested in education reform, this is a thought-provoking discussion on how we can rethink leadership and change in schools. LINKS Making Change Stick website - https://makingchangestick.co Making Change Stick book - https://www.amazon.co.uk/Making-Change-Stick-Implementing-Improvement/dp/1398387487 Outro track: ‘How it is and how it should be’ by Grit Control: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1ud69RIV1eOV9poMR7AORI SUPPORT THE RETHINKING ED PODCAST: Become a patron: https://www.patreon.com/repod Buy James a coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/repod
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    34 minutos
  • The Schools Bill: Academies, Homeschooling & School Shaming (Warwick Mansell & Naomi Fisher)

    The Schools Bill: Academies, Homeschooling & School Shaming (Warwick Mansell & Naomi Fisher)
    May 30 2025
    In this powerful episode, we speak with two leading commentators on education and children’s rights – Warwick Mansell, independent investigative journalist and founder of Education Uncovered, and Dr Naomi Fisher, clinical psychologist and author of Changing Our Minds. We dig into the Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill currently making ita way through Parliament, and ask: who gets to decide what’s best for children? Warwick examines how the academies system has paved the way for growing inequality, secrecy, and reduced local oversight, while Naomi outlines how the Bill could ramp up state control over home education. From changes to local authorities to parental rights, this episode uncovers what’s at stake – and why we should all be paying attention. LINKS Follow Warwick - https://educationuncovered.co.uk Follow Naomi - https://naomifisher.co.uk/ Follow James - https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-mannion/ Follow David - https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-cameron-72061a15 Outro track: ‘How it is and how it should be’ by Grit Control: https://open.spotify.com/artist/1ud69RIV1eOV9poMR7AORI DON'T BE A STRANGER The Rethinking Education podcast is brought to you by Crown House Publishing. It is hosted by Dr James Mannion and David Cameron, and produced by Sophie Dean. SUPPORT THE RETHINKING ED PODCAST: Become a patron: https://www.patreon.com/repod Buy us a coffee: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/repod
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    2 horas e 16 minutos