Teachtalks: Helping teachers and school leaders survive, thrive and flourish.
We are an ever-evolving blog-site and on-line magazine which began in 2013 as a quarterly printed publication and simple Twitter feed.
We have over 5,000 followers @teachtalks. Amongst our followers and contributors to the blog are some leading educationalists and writers including:
Geoff Barton @RealGeoffBarton ex-head, current General Secretary of ASCL
Jill Berry @jillberry102 former head, writer, speaker and consultant
Sue Cowley @ Sue_Cowley teacher, writer, speaker, trainer
David Didau @DavidDidau writer, consultant and leading blogger as learningspy.co.uk
Paul Garvey @PaulGarvey4, writer, author, blogger as Talkforteaching.co.uk
Vic Goddard, @vicgoddard principal at Passmores Academy and of Educating Essex fame
Brian Lightman @brianlightman former General Secretary of ASCL, consultant
Laura McInerney @miss_mcinerney former teacher, editor @SchoolsWeek and guardian columnist
Dame Alison Peacock @AlisonMPeacock CEO Chartered College of Teaching
Tom Sherrington, @teacherhead ex-head, consultant, blogger
The blog features a range of articles from the world of education covering aspects of school leadership, teaching and learning, continual professional development, workload and wellbeing, educational policy, recruitment and retention, funding, assessment and accountability along with other topical issues such as mental health and safeguarding. The stories and authors we feature cover topics that not only affect teachers in the UK but they also provide an international perspective. Regular features include From Around The World and I Don’t Believe It.
Our aim at Teachtalks is:
- To provide teachers across the world with the encouragement, information and support they need to survive, thrive and flourish in a challenging profession
- To share resources and ideas to motivate, inspire and assist headteachers and principals in the complex job of leading schools and colleges
- To promote an on-line professional development community for those working in all phases of education from nursery to university, where teachers can have their voices heard, share their challenges and find solutions
- To provide information that enables school leaders to understand, evaluate and challenge government policy, guidance and publications.
I am editor of Teachtalks. I began teaching in 1979. I worked in four secondary schools in London and the East of England. I was a deputy headteacher in a comprehensive school in Essex for the last twenty years of my career, retiring in 2014. It’s important, as editor, to not only provide up-to-date information on the world of education but also a commentary and insight on education system debates, current policy, Ofsted and the obstacles faced by teachers, providing a platform for discussion and debate. Whilst we face challenging times in the teaching profession it is important to recognise the opportunities for improvement and acknowledge the hope and positive thinking that exists. Celebrating teachers and all they do is something that at Teachtalks we are always pleased to be able to do. I aim to signpost research and evidence on teaching and learning together with personal reflections in order to advise both new and experienced teachers. I draw on my experience as a teacher and school leader to illuminate contemporary ideas in learning and school leadership, to assist in meeting the challenges faced by 21st century educators.
Mike Hodgkiss
Editor
Teachtalks
