Teacher Mum

A look at the dilemma of student motivation. Is it better to push, goad, and nag, or to focus on facilitation? This episode questions the modern "reward culture" and seeks the balance between helping a child succeed and letting them take ownership.

Exploring the monumental transition into Year 10. This episode tackles the struggle between wanting to steer a child's academic future and the importance of allowing them to make their own choices, while navigating the unique anxiety of being a parent during this period.

As a teacher with over 20 years’ experience working with reluctant grumpy teenagers – well not all of them; some of them are motivated and charming human beings – I am now faced with a situation that I thought I was well equipped for. A mum to a GCSE student.I recognise that I have miraculously managed to produce a well-mannered, academically high-achieving, and likeable son, who performs well in school and, at times, acknowledges that I may actually know what I am talking about when it comes to English GCSE.However, I am beginning to appreciate on a whole new level, how hard it is for teenagers and their families to navigate this transition. But how do I use my experience of education to go from being a mum to a teacher mum?