Gay and Teaching…Are You In or Out? Part Two

In this episode, Andy McColl is in conversation with a teacher and a former tutor as they discuss some the issues they have encountered being gay and working in teaching.

Plus, the important role everyone in schools can play in promoting equality and combating homophobic bullying.

#SameLove

Gay and Teaching…Are You In or Out? Part Two

In this episode, Andy McColl is in conversation with Nick Buckingham, a Media teacher at a Further Education College in Northamptonshire. 
He talks about the techniques he uses in the classroom to help his students get as much practical experience as possible. 
Also, his great admiration of teachers in secondary schools and frustration at how politics often impacts education.

Making a Drama out of Teaching

During exam season it can be a testing time for students, teachers and parents. 

What should parents say to give encouragement to their teenage child ahead of exams to help focus their mind and calm their nerves?

Ideas in Education presents the five WORST things a parent could ever say. Take note if you like living in a tidy home. 

Special: Five Worst Things Parents Can Say to Their Teenage Son or Daughter Ahead of  Exams

Are exams in schools an effective way to assess a child's knowledge or are they bordering on cruelty?

In this episode, Andy McColl is in conversation with Gareth Lewis, a former Assistant Head Teacher, National Development Co-ordinator at ASDAN Education and blogger about his belief that the current exam system in schools is letting students down. 
 
His biggest concern is young people are not being adequately prepared for leaving education to enter the world of work.
“When a young person goes out into the real world, do they really know what credit is all about…do they understand what council tax is?”
“Why do we have this situation in education where we’re working towards a test? Once you finish education you pretty much never do the test again. So why do we do that?”  



Education; Powerhouse of Creativity or Exam Factory?

Andy McColl is joined by Show My Homework's Emily Milward to chart our Top 10 of Fictional Teachers.

In this episode, we're giving the real teachers a bit of a rest as Andy McColl is joined by Show My Homework's Emily Milward to chart the Top 10 Fictional Teachers. 
How many of your favourites will feature?  
Read Emily's blog post here: http://blog.showmyhomework.co.uk/our-top-10-fictional-teachers

Our Top 10 Fictional Teachers

The demand for English to be taught as an additional language (EAL) in schools across the UK is a growing. According to the National Association for Language Development in the Curriculum (NALDIC), more than one in six pupils are learning English as an additional language. That equates to upwards of 1.1 million pupils, with the numbers expected to increase year-on-year. 
In this, the final episode of this series of Ideas in Education, Andy McColl is in conversation with EAL Teacher and Coordinator, Kamil Trzebiatowski. 
As part of a wide range of cuts in recent years, the coalition government scrapped the dedicated grant to help EAL learners in 2011. So where does that leave schools, teachers and students? 
Plus, a test to help keep your mind active during the summer break. How good is your knowledge of European languages? Have a listen and tweet your five answers to the Ideas in Education Twitter page. 


The Growing Demand for EAL

It may well be the summer holidays and the Eurovision Song Contest is not due again until May 2016, but as featured in the Ideas in Education episode 'The Growing Demand for EAL' or English as an Additional Language, we have set you a short music test on European languages to mull over and hum away to for the next few weeks. 
Can you identify the five different European languages featured as we fumble through the radio dial? 
Tweet your answers 1 through to 5 to @IdeasinEd or visit the Ideas in Education Facebook page and post your answers on our wall.  
The correct answers will be posted on Friday 28 August on Twitter and Facebook. Happy singing/humming/whistling.....  

Special: European Languages Music Test

A fortnightly podcast exploring issues, trends and opportunities in UK pre-18 education, produced and presented by Andy McColl @AndyMcC73

Tweet @IdeasinEd or visit and like the Ideas in Education  Facebook page. 