PODCAST · education
Chalkboard & Chill
by Chalkboard & Chill
Welcome to Chalkboard and Chill! The podcast where two secondary school teachers, Larrissa and Tom, lift the lid on life behind the wild and wonderful world of teaching. Expect unfiltered opinions, real classroom stories, and all the chaotic brilliance of modern teaching. Each week, they dive into the highs, the lows, and the hilarious moments that happen when you're trying to educate the next generation. From exam stress and classroom politics to work life balance and photocopier etiquette, nothing is off-limits! Whether you're a teacher, a parent, or just here for the bants, Chalkboard and Chill is your backstage pass to the reality school life with a healthy dose of sarcasm and heart Join the conversation and get involved at @ch
Episodes
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AI, Teacher Confessions & Hiding in Tesco
Larissa and Tom are back, diving into the latest education news before getting stuck into the things teachers don't always admit out loud. From stretching a lesson because you've somehow got ten minutes left and absolutely nothing planned to pretending you haven't spotted a student while doing…
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Surviving the Heat and the First Week of September
September is back. The alarm is screaming. The uniform is questionable. And somewhere, a teacher is already counting down to half term. Larissa and Tom are back, tackling everything from September dread and inset days to new classes, new names, and the eternal struggle of remembering which system...
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Sunshine, Stopwatches & Slightly Organised Chaos
Welcome to Chalkboard and Chill! Sports Day… the one day of the school year where classrooms are swapped for fields, teachers become unofficial event managers, and someone inevitably forgets to start the stopwatch. In this episode Larissa and Tom lace up their trainers and relive the highs, lows,...
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Professional Tea Maker Since Year 10: The Joys of Work Experience
Welcome to Chalkboard and Chill! In this episode Larissa and Tom dive into the wonderfully unpredictable world of school work experience, the rite of passage that can either spark a lifelong career ambition… or leave you questioning every life choice you've ever made. From awkward first days and...
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Every School Has That Teacher...
Welcome to Chalkboard and Chill! In this episode Larissa and Tom dive into the wonderfully chaotic ecosystem that is school staff culture, because every school has types of teachers, and honestly… you can probably picture them immediately. From Golden Retriever energy and hyper-organised planners...
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What Actually Makes a Good Teacher?
Welcome to Chalkboard and Chill! In this episode Larissa and Tom tackle the age-old question: what actually makes a good teacher? And spoiler alert, it’s not just being terrifying enough to silence a classroom with one look. From strict teachers vs the “nice” ones, to the chaos of teaching…
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Teaching Isn’t Just a Job… It’s a Lifestyle
Welcome to Chalkboard and Chill! In this episode, Tom and Larissa get brutally honest about the parts of teaching no one really warns you about, the constant mental load and the way the job quietly creeps into every corner of your life. From overthinking every word you say to filtering yourself…
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Lesson Plans & Life Plans
Welcome to Chalkboard and Chill! In this episode of Chalkboard and Chill, Tom and Larrissa gets real about the beautifully chaotic balancing act that is teaching… while also, you know, living an entire life outside of it. From exam-season stress spirals to weddings, house moves, pregnancy, and...
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Inclusion Over Instruction: Education Needs to Fit the Child, Not the Other Way Around
Welcome to Chalkboard and Chill! In this episode of Chalkboard and Chill, we’re diving headfirst into one of the most important conversations in education right now: how we create classrooms that actually work for every child, not just the ones who neatly fit the system. From SEND support and...
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Onesies, Observations & World Book Day
Welcome to Chalkboard and Chill! This week, Tom and Larrissa dive into the chaos, costumes, and questionable outfit choices that come with World Book Day in schools. From recycled onesies and last-minute costume panic to the teachers who fully commit (top hats, face paint and all), they share…
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Snow Place Like School!
Welcome to Chalkboard and Chill! This week, Tom and Larrissa tackle the great British obsession: snow days. From pyjamas worn inside out to chanting into the freezer (yes, really), they dive into the bizarre internet superstitions supposedly guaranteed to summon snowfall — including spoons under...
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The Traitors: Staff Room Edition
Welcome to Chalkboard and Chill! In this week’s episode, Tom and Larrissa go live (ish) from two very different locations — Tom broadcasting from school, Larrissa dialling in from home after a trampoline park incident leaves her in a single-boot era with two torn ankle ligaments. After catching…
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Agony Aunt & Uncle: School Edition
Welcome to Chalkboard and Chill! In this week’s episode, Tom and Larrissa turn the staff room into an advice column, stepping in as the unofficial agony aunt and uncle to tackle real dilemmas sent in by teachers. After a classic catch-up (covering housing stress, renovations, The Sims chaos, and...
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Teachers Get the Summer Off (And Other Myths!)
Welcome to Chalkboard and Chill! In this week’s episode, Tom and Larrissa sit down to debunk some of the most common myths about schools and teachers — the ones that refuse to die and seem to resurface at every social event. They dive into a couple of big hitters, including the idea that teachers...
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A Day in the Life of a Teacher
Welcome to Chalkboard and Chill! In this week’s episode, Tom and Larrissa talk through a very normal school day—from early starts and half-term exhaustion to meetings, marking, duties, and the quiet chaos that fills every hour in between. The episode kicks off with school cake (courtesy of...
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Cover Lessons & Christmas Fatigue
Welcome to Chalkboard and Chill! In this week’s episode, Tom and Larrissa talk about one of the most universally dreaded moments in teaching: being asked to teach a lesson that isn’t your subject specialism. They share stories from years of covering lessons and teaching outside their comfort…
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Risk Assessments & Herding Children: School Trip Stories
Welcome to Chalkboard and Chill! In this week’s episode, Tom and Larrissa talk about school trips—the chaotic, hilarious and occasionally traumatising rite of passage for every student and every teacher. They reminisce about their own childhood outings, from Roman wax tablets and Drayton Manor to...
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Tech in Teaching: The Good, The Bad & The Crusty
Welcome to Chalkboard and Chill! In this week’s episode, Tom and Larrissa dive into the messy, funny and very real world of technology in schools. From the days of paper registers and chaotic interactive whiteboards to today’s touchscreen screens, Google briefings and desperate reliance on Wi-Fi,...
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Hong Kong Teacher Tales… Blessed by Tiny Jesus
Welcome to Chalkboard and Chill! In this week’s episode, Larrissa and Tom dive into the world of teaching abroad, sharing the highs, lows, and everything in between from their teacher friends out in Hong Kong. They chat about the financial perks, the calmer classroom behaviour, and the cultural…
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Teacher Training: Many Roads to the Classroom
Welcome to Chalkboard and Chill! In this week’s episode, Larrissa and Tom chat about how they each found their way into teaching — the ups, the downs, and everything in between. They swap stories from their training days, compare different routes into the profession, and laugh about the less...
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Surviving on Coffee and Colleagues: The Importance of Teacher Friendships!
Welcome to Chalkboard and Chill! In this week’s episode, Larrissa and Tom dive into the world of teacher friendships, both inside and outside the classroom. They chat about the importance of having a strong support system, why non-teacher friends can offer a much-needed fresh perspective, and how...
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If Ofsted Graded Our Personal Lives...
Welcome to Chalkboard and Chill! In this week's episode, Larrissa and Tom put a playful spin on teaching by asking: what would happen if Ofsted rated their actual lives? From dodgy trainee-year diets to questionable sleep schedules and the art of looking professional on minimal rest, they laugh...
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Crikey! The Curriculum’s Different Here: Teaching Down Under!
Welcome to Chalkboard and Chill! In this week's episode, Tom and Larrissa are taking you Down Under! They’re discussing what it’s really like teaching in Australia, from the dreamy work-life balance to the curveballs of student behavior and the quirks of the curriculum. Along the way, they dish…
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The Bell Doesn’t Dismiss You, I Do!
Welcome to Chalkboard and Chill! You know those teacher phrases we all swore we’d never use? Yeah… turns out we’re using them. In this episode, Tom and Larrissa crack up (and cringe a little) over the classics like, “The bell doesn’t dismiss you, I do,” and “They behave for me.” But it’s not just...
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Training Days, Teacher Guilt & First Week Feels
Welcome to Chalkboard and Chill! In this weeks episode, Tom and Larrissa dive into the challenges and experiences of returning to school after the summer break. From the infamous training days to the excitement (and nerves) of meeting new students, they unpack the highs and lows of a teacher’s...
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Turkey Twizzlers and a Trip Down Memory Lane...
Welcome to Chalkboard and Chill! In this episode, Tom and Larrissa take a trip down memory lane, diving into the relatable and often hilarious world of school life through the lens of nostalgia. From the awkwardness of being the new kid to the legendary highs and lows of school dinners, they...
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Summer Secrets of Teachers Revealed
Welcome to Chalkboard and Chill! In this episode, Tom and Larrissa chat about the upcoming and much awaited summer holidays! Touching on subjects such as teacher guilt, finding the right work / life balance in the holidays and somehow running into a student across the globe! So if you've ever...
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Sorry I missed your lesson, I was feeding my cat!
Welcome to Chalkboard and Chill! In this episode, Tom and Larrissa reminisce on teaching during Covid-19! They chat about the troubles that came with teaching virtually, the crazy amounts of absences and catching a student playing XBox during a lesson! From the funny excuses for missing lessons…
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Drama, Demands and a dash of more Drama
Welcome to Chalkboard and Chill! In this episode, Tom and Larrissa dive headfirst into the often-misunderstood world of arts education, with a special spotlight on drama. They chat about the common misconceptions that arts subjects are ‘easy’ or ‘less academic’, sharing their real-life…
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Uniform Policies, Meeting Parents and Pitbull!
Welcome to Chalkboard and Chill! This is the podcast where two teachers share unfiltered opinions, real stories, and all the behind-the-scenes chaos of life in the classroom. This week, Larrissa and Tom dive into the ever-entertaining world of school life, from the joys (and headaches) of...
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Parents Evening, Printer Etiquette and Pistachios!
Welcome to Chalkboard and Chill! This is the podcast where two teachers share unfiltered opinions, real stories, and all the behind-the-scenes chaos of life in the classroom. In this episode, Tom and Larrissa get real about one of the toughest parts of the teaching profession, burnout. From the...
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Exam Season Chaos: Send Help!
Welcome to Chalkboard and Chill! This is the podcast where two teachers share unfiltered opinions, real stories, and all the behind-the-scenes chaos of life in the classroom. In this episode, Larrissa and Tom dive deep into the chaos, pressure, and peculiar humour that define exam season in...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Welcome to Chalkboard and Chill!
The podcast where two secondary school teachers, Larrissa and Tom, lift the lid on life behind the wild and wonderful world of teaching.
Expect unfiltered opinions, real classroom stories, and all the chaotic brilliance of modern teaching.
Each week, they dive into the highs, the lows, and the hilarious moments that happen when you're trying to educate the next generation. From exam stress and classroom politics to work life balance and photocopier etiquette, nothing is off-limits!
Whether you're a teacher, a parent, or just here for the bants, Chalkboard and Chill is your backstage pass to the reality school life with a healthy dose of sarcasm and heart
Join the conversation and get involved at @ch
HOSTED BY
Chalkboard & Chill
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Chalkboard & Chill have?
Chalkboard & Chill currently has 32 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Chalkboard & Chill about?
Welcome to Chalkboard and Chill! The podcast where two secondary school teachers, Larrissa and Tom, lift the lid on life behind the wild and wonderful world of teaching. Expect unfiltered opinions, real classroom stories, and all the chaotic brilliance of modern teaching. Each week, they dive into...
How often does Chalkboard & Chill release new episodes?
Chalkboard & Chill has 32 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to Chalkboard & Chill?
You can listen to Chalkboard & Chill on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Chalkboard & Chill?
Chalkboard & Chill is created and hosted by Chalkboard & Chill.
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