The Well-being Classroom

Can empathy be taught?   Today, I’m delighted to welcome Ed Kirwan, filmmaker, former teacher, and founder of Empathy Studios. After beginning his career in education, Ed became fascinated by a simple but profound question: how can we help young people better understand themselves, others, and the world around them? That question ultimately led him to create a global movement that uses the power o...

Why are adult relationships often the hardest part of school life?   Today, I'm delighted to welcome Jennifer Abrams, an international educational consultant, author, speaker, and self-described "voice coach" who has spent decades helping educators navigate some of the most challenging aspects of professional life. Jennifer is the author of several influential books, including Having Hard Conversa...

Can kindness and accountability truly coexist in leadership?   Today, I'm delighted to welcome Joanna Povall, an award-winning international school leader, author, and global education consultant with more than 30 years of experience across the UK, France, and the UAE. Joanna is the Principal of Wales International School in Abu Dhabi, a Lead Improvement Partner for COBIS, and the author of Kind L...

Can one act of kindness change the course of a life?   Today, I'm honoured to welcome Toby Gorniak MBE, culture transformation specialist, keynote speaker, founder of The Gorniak Method™, and recipient of an MBE for over two decades of service to communities and young people. Born into the Roma community in Poland, Toby endured severe racism, violence, and exclusion, including being beaten into a...

What does authentic, reciprocal networking look like in education, and how can strong communities empower teachers to step into leadership with confidence?   Today, I’m thrilled to welcome Ben Hobbis, an Assistant Headteacher at a North London primary school, speaker, and social entrepreneur with a deep passion for developing people and building communities. Ben is also the Founder and CEO of Step...

Strategic Strategy, Real-World Action: Setting Up Staff for the Year Ahead   As we launch into a new academic year, prioritizing staff well-being is essential for building a thriving school environment. In this compilation episode of The Well-being Classroom, we bring together insights from two exceptional leaders to explore both the theory and practice of supporting educator health:   Dr. Helen K...

This special compilation episode brings together the core of two standout discussions: Episode 5 featuring Dr. Helen Street and Episode 24 featuring Xavier Woods. Centered on what students really want from teachers, Helen speaks in regard to older, secondary school students with thoughts derived directly from research, whilst Xavier focuses on younger ones by bringing his former students directly...

How can international schools stay ahead of rapidly evolving AI threats to protect their students' safety and emotional well-being?   Today, I’m delighted to welcome Sian Jorgensen back to The Well-being Classroom for Part 2 of our two-part special within the AI in Education mini-series!   As the Director of Encompass Safeguarding, Sian partners with schools around the world to build confident, ca...

How can international schools stay ahead of rapidly evolving AI threats to protect their students' safety and emotional well-being?   Today, I’m delighted to welcome Sian Jorgensen back to The Well-being Classroom for Part 2 of our two-part special within the AI in Education mini-series!   As the Director of Encompass Safeguarding, Sian partners with schools around the world to build confident, ca...

What separates leaders who leave a lasting legacy from those who simply stay busy?   Today, I’m delighted to welcome Janine Stratford back to The Well-being Classroom. Janine is the Founder of Coaching Focus, recipient of the 2024 Most Influential Educator Award, and a highly respected leadership coach, career strategist, and consultant.   With 28 years of experience in education, she helps teache...

In this episode of The Wellbeing Classroom, I sit down with Professor John Hattie, one of the world’s most influential education researchers. His Visible Learning work has shaped evidence-based practice globally and had a profound impact on my own approach to teaching and leadership.   This episode concludes our Adaptive Teaching mini-series and features powerful questions from previous guests, br...

What if staff wellbeing isn’t about reducing workload—but about how valued people feel at work?   In this episode of The Wellbeing Classroom, I sit down with Dr. Helen Kelly, a leading voice in educator wellbeing and school culture, whose experience as an international school principal, researcher, and former workplace health and safety lawyer brings a powerful and unique lens to one of the most p...

Is human thinking becoming the most valuable currency in the age of AI?   Today, I’m joined by Miguel Rodriguez, founder of MR | ThinkLab, where he designs thinking-focused learning systems and AI-powered tools aimed at developing reasoning, reflection, and decision-making that truly last. His work sits at the intersection of cognitive science, instructional design, and AI, challenging a growing t...

What really drives meaningful and lasting teacher growth in international schools?   Today, I’m thrilled to welcome Dr. Addie Christian, a seasoned educator and principal at an IB International School in China. With over two decades of experience, Dr. Christian has dedicated her career to designing strategic frameworks and cultivating leadership capacity that drives meaningful organizational chang...

How can primary school leaders look past the noise and build adaptable, stakeholder-driven digital policies that confidently prepare their classrooms for the future?   Today, I’m joined by Tom Millinchip, a Deputy Head of Primary, curriculum and policy specialist, and a passionate leader in leveraging technology for evidence-based learning environments. With 15 years of primary education experienc...

How is the process of IB accreditation already being transformed into a genuine service that drives active growth and future-ready school communities?   Today, I’m joined by Dr. Ildiko Murray, an experienced Head of School in China with over 25 years of international educational leadership. Following her doctoral studies, she was engaged by the IB as a Subject Matter Expert to help create and deve...

Why is it that even the most brilliant educational initiatives often fail to take root in our schools?   Today, I’m thrilled to welcome back Becca Silver. At the time of releasing this episode, Becca’s new book- The Resistance Solution has been released, please see the link in the description. In our previous episode, we diagnosed the source of resistance; today, we’re focussing on the concept of...

How can the high-pressure world of FIFA officiating help us redefine leadership, empathy, and belonging within our school communities?   Today, I am joined by Kevin Stoltenkamp, the Head of Referees for the Oceania Football Confederation. Since 2016, Kevin has led officiating across 13 member countries under the FIFA umbrella. Beyond his work on the pitch, Kevin is a deeply experienced educator wh...

This episode kicks off a special limited series exploring the role of AI in education—specifically how these emerging technologies can be harnessed to drive positive school cultures and support student well-being across the entire school community.   How can we move beyond traditional industrial models of schooling to equip students with the agency they need to navigate a rapidly changing world?  ...

How do we bridge the gap between deep, personal healing and the fast-paced environment of the modern classroom?   Today, I’m joined by Xavier Woods, a primary school teacher with over two decades of professional experience across the U.S. and the Middle East, including time spent as a leader and educator in Abu Dhabi. A two-time Teacher of the Year in Metro Atlanta, Xavier is also an established a...

How can we move beyond the constant cycle of "fighting fires" and instead lead with a sense of intentional, focused calm? Today, I’m joined by Patrick Cozier, a Headteacher at a secondary school in London. With nearly 20 years of experience in headship and a career spanning roles from classroom teaching to senior leadership, Patrick is a respected mentor, speaker, and the author of the highly accl...

How could we move beyond planning lessons for the "middle" and instead use assessment as a dynamic tool to meet every learner's needs in real-time? Today, I’m joined by Rajaa Laghrissi, an experienced English language teacher originally from Morocco and currently based in the UAE. With over 20 years of experience in secondary education, Rajaa is an innovative educator and a PhD candidate in Applie...

How can we move beyond "sanitizing" the student experience and instead build the genuine resilience required to navigate a complex and often isolating digital world? Today, I’m joined by Alejandro Zepeda, a distinguished educational leader with a global career spanning more than 25 years. Alejandro has served in senior leadership and principal roles across Mexico, Bangladesh, Mozambique, and Kazak...

How can school leaders move past the frustration of "pushback" and instead tap into the genuine motivation and mindset of every educator on their team? Today, I’m joined by Becca Silver, a Resistance Specialist and Instructional Coach who brings a high-energy, transformational approach to leadership development. A former educator and executive coach, Becca is the founder of The Whole Educator and...

How can we move away from pre-determining student potential and instead design "challenge-first" learning that is accessible to everyone?   Today, I’m joined by Rachel Ball, a Professional Development Specialist at Steplab and a former Assistant Principal for Teaching, Learning, and CPD. With 22 years of experience as a passionate History teacher and a Fellow of the Chartered College of Teachers,...