Best Jamie Thom and Colin McGill Podcasts (2025)

1
How to thrive in the early years of your career 37:33

4d ago37:33

37:33

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 …

1
Book release day: The Essentials in Learning to Teach 26:52

4M ago26:52

26:52

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…

1
Cheat Codes for New Teachers 34:14

4M ago34:14

34:14

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 e…

1
The A-Z of teacher skills: Gratitude 10:04

7M ago10:04

10:04

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 to…

1
How can new teachers make their relationship with their mentor work? 52:33

7M ago52:33

52:33

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 t…

1
The A-Z of Teacher Skills: Focus 10:21

7M ago10:21

10:21

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.…

1
A Guide to Relational Behaviour Management. 48:13

7M ago48:13

48:13

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 …

1
The A-Z of Teacher Skills: Emotional Intelligence 10:22

8M ago10:22

10:22

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.…

1
A mentoring masterclass: how to succeed as a mentor of new teachers 47:56

8M ago47:56

47:56

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 ti…

1
The A-Z of teacher skills: Drive 10:17

8M ago10:17

10:17

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.…

1
How can we support neurodivergent teachers to thrive in school? 39:10

8M ago39:10

39:10

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 neurodiver…

1
The A-Z of teacher Skills: Calm 10:47

8M ago10:47

10:47

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.By Jamie Thom

1
How to make a good impression in a new school. 36:59

8M ago36:59

36:59

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 …

1
What is training to be a teacher really like? 31:57

10M ago31:57

31:57

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 …

1
The A-Z of Teacher Skills: Belonging 10:48

10M ago10:48

10:48

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.By Jamie Thom

1
The A-Z of teacher skills: Assertiveness 10:05

10M ago10:05

10:05

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, …

1
New starts 33:27

10M ago33:27

33:27

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 imp…

1
An Online Teaching and Learning Masterclass for Charity. 6:37

1y ago6:37

6:37

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 teachi…

1
Why Does Learning Fail? 48:00

1y ago48:00

48:00

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?…

1
What feedback will really help my learners? 42:12

1y ago42:12

42:12

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…

1
What are some of the most common actions from lesson observations? 45:21

1y ago45:21

45:21

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 e…

1
How can new teachers plan for better behaviour and learning? 45:13

1y ago45:13

45:13

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 educ…

1
Teacher Talk: The benefits of working with a coach 8:40

1+ y ago8:40

8:40

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…

1
What is responsive teaching? 52:56

1+ y ago52:56

52:56

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…

1
What do new teachers need to know about teaching young people with additional needs? 45:21

1+ y ago45:21

45:21

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 k…

1
Teacher Talk: How to cope (and thrive) in lesson observations 15:49

1+ y ago15:49

15:49

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 be…

1
How can new teachers make better use of their voices? 43:52

1+ y ago43:52

43:52

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: htt…

1
Teacher Talk: Five ways to improve questioning 15:31

1+ y ago15:31

15:31

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 sha…

1
NEW YouTube Channel Launch: Essentials for New Teacher Course 4:02

1+ y ago4:02

4:02

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 hopefu…

1
How can we look after our own and each other's mental health? 45:14

1+ y ago45:14

45:14

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…

1
Teacher Talk: How to succeed in an interview for a teaching position. 16:41

1+ y ago16:41

16:41

This episode is this week's 'Teacher Talk': a fifteen minute talk that explores an important aspect of being a new teacher. This week's talk is on interviews. It breaks down how to succeed in an interview for a teaching position by exploring three key areas: preparation, how to give a good impression on the day, and how to answer some common teachi…

1
What do new teachers need to know about memory? 44:45

1+ y ago44:45

44:45

Today's episode of 'Beyond Survival: The New Teacher podcast' is with Jonathan Firth and Nasima Riazat. Jonathan is an author, teacher and researcher focused on the psychology of education. Nasima is an author, lecturer and school leader. They are also the authors of an excellent new book 'What Teachers Need to Know about Memory'. In this episode w…

1
Teacher Talk: What will really motivate my students? 15:46

1+ y ago15:46

15:46

This episode is this week's 'Teacher Talk': a fifteen minute talk that explores an important aspect of classroom practice, with practical strategies for implementing it in your classroom. This week's talk is on motivation in the classroom. It explores some of the motivation traps that we often fall into as teachers, before going on to outline some …

1
What can student teachers do to make a positive start with a new class? 40:21

1+ y ago40:21

40:21

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. This episode will be most useful for those who are in their first year of learning to be a teacher, and tho…

1
Teacher Talk: Self-Compassion for Teachers 15:46

1+ y ago15:46

15:46

This episode is this week's 'Teacher Talk': a fifteen minute talk that explores an important aspect of classroom practice, with practical strategies for implementing it in your classroom. This week's talk is on self-compassion for teachers. It explores what compassion is, what some of the misconceptions about self-compassion are and some practical …

1
How can new teachers manage challenging behaviour? 46:38

1+ y ago46:38

46:38

Today's episode of 'Beyond Survival: The New Teacher podcast' is with Adele Bates. Adele was a teacher for over twenty years working in a range of different contexts. She now works with school leaders and staff to helps pupils with behavioural needs thrive in the classroom. She is the author of the brilliant book 'Miss I don't give a Sh*t', Engagin…

1
Lesson observation field notes: assertiveness in the classroom. 16:00

1+ y ago16:00

16:00

This episode is this week's 'Teacher Talk': a fifteen minute talk that explores an important aspect of classroom practice, with practical strategies for implementing it in your classroom. I am very fortunate to be spending the next three weeks observing the wonderful Edinburgh Napier English PGDE students teaching. The talks over the next three wee…

1
How to succeed in a lesson observation. 41:26

1+ y ago41:26

41:26

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. This episode explores how to succeed in a lesson observation. The conversation explores the three parts of …

1
Lesson observation field notes: managing off-task conversations 15:55

1+ y ago15:55

15:55

This episode is this week's 'Teacher Talk': a fifteen minute talk that explores an important aspect of classroom practice, with practical strategies for implementing it in your classroom. I am very fortunate to be spending the next three weeks observing the wonderful Edinburgh Napier English PGDE students teaching. The talks over the next three wee…

1
How can teachers create psychological safety in their classrooms? 43:21

1+ y ago43:21

43:21

The guest on this week's episode of 'Beyond Survival: the new teacher podcast' is Sarah Philip, back for her second appearance on the show. Sarah is a psychologist, coach and host of the Curious Conversations podcast. She also does a huge amount of work supporting schools and teachers. In this interview Sarah answers the central question: how can n…

1
Teacher Talk: Challenging negative self-talk 17:52

1+ y ago17:52

17:52

This episode is this week's 'Teacher Talk': a fifteen minute talk that explores an important aspect of classroom practice, with practical strategies for implementing it in your classroom. This talk is an extract from my book 'Teacher Resilience: Managing stress and anxiety to thrive in the classroom', which came out three years ago this week. The c…

1
How can new teachers make good use of technology in their teaching? 44:41

1+ y ago44:41

44:41

Today's episode of 'Beyond Survival: The New Teacher podcast' is with Andy Mclaughlin. Andy is a former senior leader and digital development officer, who now runs the History PGDE at Aberdeen University. This episode explores technology in teaching, answering the question: how can new teachers make good use of technology in their teaching? In doin…

1
Teacher Talks: The Circle of Influence 15:38

1+ y ago15:38

15:38

This episode is this week's 'Teacher Talk': a fifteen minute talk that explores an important aspect of classroom practice, with practical strategies for implementing it in your classroom. This talk explores the concept of the circle of influence. Based on habit one from Stephen Covey's book 'The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People', it looks at…

1
Challenging perfectionism: good is good enough 41:00

1+ y ago41:00

41:00

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. This episode explores perfectionism in teaching, and how the teachers at the start of their careers can pra…

1
How do teachers know if they are in a toxic school and what can they do about it? 45:25

2y ago45:25

45:25

Ten years ago, today's guest and I worked in a school that was undoubtedly toxic. I was an assistant headteacher, and Elizabeth Bowey was an NQT (known as an ECT or probationer now). In this very personal episode, we explore what made this school a toxic environment to work in. Elizabeth shares what teachers can do if they find themselves in a toxi…

1
How can new teachers thrive as part of a team? 46:40

2y ago46:40

46:40

This month's education book of the month is Sam Chrome's brilliant 'The Power Of Teams'. The Power of Teams explores evidence from across sectors, including education, to find out what high-performing teams share, and how we can adapt the most effective teamwork strategies to the unique environment of a school. Sam Chrome, who is also a director of…

1
Teacher Talks: Behaviour Traps and Tips 15:46

2y ago15:46

15:46

This episode is this week's 'Teacher Talk': a fifteen minute talk that explores an important aspect of classroom practice, with practical strategies for implementing it in your classroom. This talk explores some of the traps we fall into when we manage behaviour, and how to be self-aware of them. It then goes on to look at some key tips including: …

1
How can new teachers thrive in their first year in a school? 40:31

2y ago40:31

40:31

Today's episode of 'Beyond Survival: The New Teacher podcast' is with Sophie Green. Sophie has just finished a very successful probationer year, her first year of teaching in Scotland. In this episode she answers the question: how can new teachers thrive in their first year in a school? In answering that central question, she also answers: 1. What …

1
How can new teachers form positive relationships in the classroom? 42:59

2y ago42:59

42:59

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. This episode explore how new teachers can build positive relationships. Colin answers the following questio…

1
Teacher Talks: The power of curiosity in teaching 15:25

2y ago15:25

15:25

This episode is this week's 'Teacher Talk': a fifteen minute talk that explores an important aspect of classroom practice, with practical strategies for implementing it in your classroom. This talk explores the power of curiosity in teaching. It explores practical strategies for how you can build more curiosity into your lessons and how you can tak…

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Jamie Thom And Colin McGill Podcasts

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