Diary of a Teacher
Diary of a Teacher is a spoken diary of my experiences in education to date. I record short eps about everything from report writing to reflective practice.
I share honest reflections from the classroom, lessons I’ve learned the hard way, and insights from educational research that shape how I teach.
- Update frequency
- every 12 days
- Average duration
- 12 minutes
- Episodes
- 73
- Years Active
- 2019 - 2025
3: Managing Cognitive Load in the Classroom
It has been a six-lesson day and there are still lots of jobs to do, but it's time for an afternoon of professional development. This time you'll be learning about managing student cognitive load. Yo…
2: Does Peer Instruction Actually Work?
Harvard physics Professor Eric Mazur developed Peer Instruction in the early 90s, after noticing that many of his students weren't deeply understanding concepts despite performing well on traditional…
1: School to Uni Transition, and How to Make it Smooth
Curious about what happens to your students when they leave the classroom and start uni life? This episode covers some of the factors that impact on smoothness of school to university transition.
If …
20: Listener Questions Answered & Season 5 Sneak Peak
In the last episode of season 4, I answer three listener questions and discuss the plan for season 5 of the podcast.
Enjoy, and happy new year!
Write to me: [email protected].
Visit the webs…
19: How to Write Tailored Report Comments in Less Time
I've got a system for writing report comments, but it takes forever and isn't particularly efficient. Naturally, my problem-solving brain starts looking for solutions during the school holidays when …
18: Why Do Teachers Move Schools?
Next year, I'll be moving to a new school. The process is bittersweet - whilst there is excitement at the prospect of learning new things, it has been hard to say goodbye to colleagues and students.
…
17: Tips to Reduce Your Marking Workload
In this episode I talk about two things I do to reduce my marking workload.
Automarked quizzes are a blessing but can be curse so proceed with caution. Exploit the good bits, and don't expect them to…
16: Don't Get in Their Way
In this episode I talk about the importance of letting students chart their own course, with guidance of course.
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15: Picnics in Parks with People
School holidays are here.
Cue picnics in parks with people, sleeping in (c/o operation recovery from the term that was entirely on Zoom), and changing tyres.
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…
14: A Successful Student Conference on Zoom
In this episode, I talk about some Zoom wins. Top of mind is the Zoom conference we held for Year 12 Science Extension students last week, where they presented their work to Year 11 students. Breakou…
13: I Hope This Email Finds You Sane
"I hope this email finds you well sane."
In this episode, I'm talking about the joys of remote teaching. Again.
If you're sick of this topic, don't worry, so am I.
Write to me: hello@spongeeducation…
12: When Busy is Your Middle Name (But it Shouldn't Be)
Lockdown continues. Zoom lessons continue. Things are busy, but manageable given that we know it's not forever.
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11: Brain Drain and Zoom Doom
Reflections on two weeks of remote teaching (and hopefully remote learning).
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Visit the website: https://www.spongeeducation.com.
10: Now We’re Learning Remotely (Again)
Title says it all. Lockdown, Zoom lessons, square eyes. Let's do this.
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Visit the website: https://www.spongeeducation.com.
9: "I'd Rather Be Somewhere Else"
Realisations and reflections on how to engage students who would prefer not to be at school.
Write to me: [email protected].
Visit the website: https://www.spongeeducation.com.
8: No Attention Span? No Worries!
Helping students with ADHD isn't rocket science, they just learn differently. This week I reflect on my attempts and their merits.
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7: A Horizontal Holiday
Reflection on term 1 and the school holiday spent horizontal.
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Visit the website: https://www.spongeeducation.com.
6: Turning 30 & Camping in the Rain
It's pretty much what the title says.
Write to me: [email protected].
Visit the website: https://www.spongeeducation.com.
5: Helping School Counsellors Stay Afloat
In this episode I talk about supporting school counsellors. They are the hidden gems of our education system and they need our support.
Write to me: [email protected].
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4: School Holiday Experiments
Six weeks is a long time to spend doing nothing. This year, to avoid boredom, my school holiday survival plan for 2020/2021 has involved some new projects and experiments. A change is as good as a re…