Tom Mahoney: Teacher agency, educational ideologies and the power of curiosity.

What is the purpose of education? It’s one of those questions that sounds simple but cuts right to the heart of what we do as teachers and school leaders. Too often, it’s pushed aside as though it’s already been settled. My guest today, Tom Mahony, doesn’t accept that. He’s a teacher, leader, and educational researcher who believes that revisiting this question isn’t a philosophical indulgence—it’s essential to shaping how we teach, lead, and connect with students. Through his blog The Interruption on Substack, Tom explores contemporary issues in education through this central lens, helping educators reclaim a greater sense of agency and alignment between what we value and how we practise. In our chat, we talked about curiosity, purpose, and what it means to live out the question of education in real schools, every single day.