Education On Fire - Sharing creative and inspiring learning in our schools

Marie-Claire Parsons is the project lead for Harry's Rainbow, a charity that support bereaved children in Milton Keynes. She has 30 years experience in schools culminating in founding a 6 school federation and being the executive headteacher. Marie-Claire has been a family liaison officer, education lead and beneficiary lead for the charity. She has just completed leading on an art project where 1...

Jenna Udenberg is a lifelong resident from the Northshore of Minnesota and is a former music educator of 19 years. She has used a manual wheelchair since the age of 8 due to Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis. Jenna is a 2017 Blandin Foundation Community Leader, a 2020 Bush Fellow, and a 2025 Shannon Leadership Institute Fellow. Writing for the Lake County Press in her column, Local View from 4 foot 2,...

Victoria Lenormand is a former police detective turned holistic coach, Reiki master, and passionate advocate for alternative education and social justice. With a 28-year career in public service behind her, Victoria’s lens is both compassionate and sharp: she’s witnessed firsthand how institutions can sometimes fail those they claim to serve. Her journey took a transformative turn when her younges...

David K Richards is the Founder & CEO of Changemaker Education, a national network of affiliate love-based microschools and an incubator for founders who want to usher in a new paradigm for the future of education. He is also the host of the Changemaker ED“U” podcast. Previously, he was Founder & CEO of Growth Public Schools, and a founding teacher and leader with Summit Public Schools whe...

Dr. Robin Harwick is the founder and director of The Pearl Remote Democratic High School—an international, online school reimagining education for youth pushed out of mainstream systems. A lifelong educator, researcher, and creator of healing-centered programs, she combines lived experience with academic rigor to disrupt the status quo. Her work champions self-determination, culturally affirming c...

Jez Alborough is the author and illustrator of over 45 books for children. His Eddy and the Bear trilogy (which began with the much loved WHERE’S MY TEDDY in 1992) has sold nearly four and a half million copies and was made into a Bafta award-winning animated television special and series. DUCK IN THE TRUCK (1999) heralded the start of another bestselling series, this time featuring the irrepressi...

Kirsty Heap is an executive coach, keynote speaker, and neurodiversity advocate who helps individuals and organisations create environments where people can truly thrive. Drawing on her lived experience of dyslexia, she empowers business owners and leaders to understand their strengths, build confidence, and grow sustainably. Kirsty is also the author of Silent Snow, a picture book without words,...

Mashood Ahmad is the CEO and founder of Gigabit IQ, an award-winning UK broadband provider dedicated to delivering safer, smarter, and faster internet through fully managed Wi-Fi and industry-leading online safety tools. A recognised voice in digital inclusion and child online protection, Mashood is a Council Member at ISPA UK and a vocal advocate for stronger ISP accountability in protecting fami...

Aurora Orchestra’s creative learning programme supports teachers to bring rich musical education and experiences to all children. The Aurora Classroom programme encompasses: digital resources for primary and secondary schools flexible cross-curricular resources for SEND settings training for teachers from our team of experts world-class programme of live activity for children and young people. Mus...

Dr. Jennifer Berry doesn't just talk about STEM—she redefines how student see themselves in it. As a leading voice in inclusive STEM education, Dr. Berry champions a powerful idea: STEM identity is not something students are born with—it's something they build. As the CEO of SmartLab, she is dedicated to bridging the gap between today's classrooms and tomorrow's workforce. Takeaways: Engaging stud...

Ben Case is part of the Tapestry education team and a former primary and early years teacher. He works closely with settings to support their use of Tapestry and believes tech is only successful if you bring staff with you. As a teacher Ben regularly presented at TeachMeet Sussex and he now helps to host the Tapestry podcast, writes for education publications, and features in many of the Tapestry...

The AI maths tutor that gets pupils reasoning out loud. Third Space Learning believe an AI tutor should do more than just generate questions and mark answers. What if it could provide scaffolded support according to knowledge gaps, speaking to students and encouraging them to verbalise their reasoning as they go? What if every pupil who needs it could work through maths problems in this way for on...

Matt Dalio dreams of a world in which every kid has the resources to shape their own technology instead of being shaped by it. In 2011, he founded Endless which aims to provide universal access to technology and equal opportunities to succeed in the digital world by tackling three key challenges. Endless is harnessing the power of modern games to introduce youth to 21st Century skills like coding...

Professor Dr Ger Graus OBE will be joining me for a dedicated season based on his book - Through a Different Lens - Lessons from a Life in Education. We will discuss in more depth the 6 chapters: 1. The benefit of hindsight and the lessons learned . This includes family influences, school experiences, teachers, being a teacher and being involved in The Children's University, Kidzania and travellin...

Today we highlight 10 previous episodes and the educational resources created or shared by my guests. These include: Reading Writing and Spelling with Jane Considine Let's Learn About Science with Dr. Stephanie Ryan Artis Foundation - Integrating the arts throughout learning Nurture Resilience, Empathy and Global Citizenship with Lyfta Sir Linkalot - Spelling App WHO SMARTED? Hit children's podcas...

In advance of our Ger Graus season which will be based on his book Through a Different Lens - Lessons from a Life in Education I have created a summary podcast of our previous conversation (Ep 439) using NotebookLM. This is as - described on it's website - 'the AI research tool and thinking partner that can analyze your sources, turn complexity into clarity and transform your content'. You will he...

During the autumn we will have a dedicated series exploring how education can change lives through the work of Professor Dr. Ger Graus and his book "Through a Different Lens: Lessons From a Life in Education." What You'll Hear: Real stories from teachers, parents, and mentors Practical ways to help children discover who they really are How communities can work together to improve education Simple...

This podcast episode explains the forthcoming evolution of the Education on Fire podcast, as I, Mark Taylor, prepare to embark on an exciting new chapter with esteemed educator Professor Dr. Ger Graus OBE. Central to our discussion will be the exploration of innovative educational theories derived from Ger's autobiography, focusing on the concepts of connection, extension, and challenge in the lea...

Green Schools Revolution is a three-year project launched in January 2023, hosted by SOS-UK and funded by the #iwill Fund. We help secondary school pupils to green their schools as part of the Department for Education's (DfE) Climate Change and Sustainability Strategy. Students develop whole-school Climate Action Plans, create Wilding Plans to bring nature back to their school grounds, and deliver...

David Carson from Dumbify delves into the intriguing concept that embracing "dumb" thinking can often lead to innovative solutions. We explore how society has cultivated a reluctance to ask seemingly foolish questions, thereby stifling creativity and potential breakthroughs. Our conversation is enriched by anecdotes illustrating how historical figures, like Isaac Newton, harnessed the power of cur...

EDUCATIONAL THERAPY For Learners 5th Grade to Adult with ADHD and Executive Functioning Challenges Rachel Kapp grew up in Los Angeles. She graduated from the University of California, Berkeley, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts with Honors in Sociology and minored in Jewish Studies. Rachel began tutoring students in high school, eventually choosing to pursue a career in education. For over six y...

Connecting Through Conversation: A Playbook for Talking with Students. Erika Bare has been an educator for over 20 years, currently serving as the Superintendent in the South Umpqua School District in Oregon. A special education teacher by training, she is passionate about supporting all students through individual supports to reach their limitless potential. Tiffany Burns loves working with kids....

Dr. Emily Levy is the founder and director of EBL Coaching, a specialized tutoring program that offers individualized one-on-one home, virtual, and on-site instruction using research-based, multi-sensory techniques. She is also the author of Strategies for Study Success, a 22-part student workbook series that teaches students strategies for test taking, note taking, reading comprehension, writing,...

Marcela Andrés serves as President and CEO of designEDengagement, PBC, a Latina-owned education consulting firm based in Texas on a mission to reimagine how educators, families, and community members partner to support the hopes and dreams of students. Previously, Marcela was a program director for a non-profit whose mission was to advocate for public education. She was also a third- and fourth-gr...

Dr. Jewel Williams, a Doctor of Health Science, Nationally Registered EMT, and Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES®), is an adjunct faculty member at the University of Bridgeport. With over 20 years as an educator and former principal, she is passionate about empowering educators to prioritise their well-being. Dr. Williams integrates neuroscience with the eight dimensions of wellness—phys...