Episodes

  • Climate Solutions Are the Future of Business — and Young People Can Be Part of It

    Climate Solutions Are the Future of Business — and Young People Can Be Part of It
    Apr 27 2026

    Josh Dorfman is a climate entrepreneur, author, and media personality. He is the CEO and host of Supercool, a media company covering real-world climate solutions that cut carbon, increase profits, and enhance modern life. Josh was previously the co-founder and CEO of Plantd, a carbon-negative building materials manufacturer, which was named to Fast Company’s list of the World’s Most Innovative Companies in 2024. He has founded two modern design sustainable furniture companies, directed Vine.com, an Amazon e-commerce business specializing in natural and organic products, and served as the CEO of The Collider, the nation’s first innovation center for climate resilience and adaptation. Additionally, Josh was previously known as The Lazy Environmentalist, a media brand he developed into an award-winning television series on Sundance Channel, a daily radio show on SiriusXM, and two popular books.

    His work has been featured in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Forbes, TechCrunch, Fast Company, and Reuters. Josh has also made regular appearances on national television and radio programs, including Morning Joe, Fox & Friends, and NPR’s All Things Considered, and is the only guest to ever ride a bike onto The Martha Stewart Show.

    Josh holds an MBA from the Thunderbird School of Global Management and a BA from the University of Pennsylvania.

    5 takeaways:

    1. Clean energy is bigger than AI. Global clean energy investment hit $2.3 trillion in 2025 — dwarfing AI spending — yet it barely makes the headlines.
    2. Talk solutions, not just problems. Research consistently shows that solution-focused storytelling is what gets people to genuinely care about climate.
    3. Systems beat individual action. The biggest impact comes from businesses embedding sustainability into infrastructure — making the right choice the default, not an effort.
    4. Any skill set has a place in the climate economy. Finance, law, marketing, design — the clean energy transition needs all of it. It's becoming the economy, full stop.
    5. Build resilience, not just inspiration. Young people need the tools to hold both problems and solutions in mind — and find real agency through their careers, not just their recycling bin.

    Chapters:

    • 00:00 - The Front Lines of Sustainability
    • 00:49 - The Journey into Climate Awareness
    • 13:48 - The Shift Towards Sustainable Business Practices
    • 25:51 - The Rise of Climate Innovation
    • 34:21 - The Importance of Empowerment in Education

    https://getsuper.cool/

    Newsletter | https://supercool.beehiiv.com/subscribe

    YouTube | https://www.youtube.com/@getsupercool

    Climate Adoption Playbook | https://getsuper.cool/playbook/

    LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/company/getsupercool

    https://www.educationonfire.com

    🔥 Support the show – Buy me a coffee, Merch and Sponsorship Opportunities

    https://www.educationonfire.com/support

    #EducationOnFire

    Show Sponsor – National Association for Primary Education (NAPE)

    Their Primary First Journal: https://www.educationonfire.com/nape
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    41 mins
  • Primary Schools — Events & Resources for Educators

    Primary Schools — Events & Resources for Educators
    Apr 6 2026

    As we transition into the Easter break here in the UK, I will take the next couple weeks off to spend time with my family.

    But today I share the events and products produced by National Association of Primary Education. These include:

    • Reading Conference with University of Bedfordshire
    • Maintaining Curiosity in the Curriculum - Christian Schiller Lecture - London
    • Primary First Journal
    • Book release of 'John Coe - an Enlightened Voice for Primary Education'

    Links to more information below.

    Chapters:

    • 00:01 - Introduction to Education On Fire Podcast
    • 00:55 - Upcoming Educational Events
    • 01:51 - Upcoming Events and Lectures
    • 02:49 - Introduction to New Resources
    • 04:23 - Reflecting on the Past and Looking Forward
    • 04:51 - The Essence of Education

    🔥 Discover more about Education on Fire — grab your FREE pdf of 10 guest resources:

    👉 https://www.educationonfire.com

    ☕ Support the show — Buy Me a Coffee, Merch & Sponsorship:

    👉 https://www.educationonfire.com/support

    Show Sponsor — National Association for Primary Education (NAPE)

    📖 Primary First Journal: https://www.educationonfire.com/nape

    🎤 2026 Conference Keynote: Reading for Pleasure — Dr Roger McDonald Workshops: Writing, TESOL, Oracy, Drama & Storytelling, Poetry

    👉 https://educationonfire.com/reading

    📚 Maintaining Curiosity in the Curriculum - Christian Schiller Lecture with Claire Moloney-Banks

    https://www.nape.org.uk/the-schiller-lecture-2026
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    5 mins
  • BBC Bitesize Guide to AI

    BBC Bitesize Guide to AI
    Mar 30 2026

    Cerys Griffiths is the Head of BBC Bitesize, the BBC's free, online learning resource for students aged 5 to 16, their teachers and parents. Bitesize also aims to support educating the whole child through it's Careers, Study Support and media literacy offer, Other Side of the Story, as well as special educational initiatives like the Bitesize Guide to AI.

    Cerys was, for many years, a journalist in the North West, a TV and newspaper reporter and then an editor of news programmes for both ITV and the BBC. She is on the board of the Micro:bit Education Foundation and is an advisory board member for the Science and Industry Museum in Manchester.

    Key Takeaways

    Teen attitudes to AI are complex — BBC Bitesize's annual Teen Summit Survey found a third of teenagers are worried about AI's impact on their career prospects and the spread of misinformation, while 47% are already using AI tools for homework and revision.

    Confidence can be a blind spot — Many young people feel they already know enough about AI when in reality they don't fully understand its deeper implications. The challenge is helping them recognise what they don't yet know.

    Critical thinking is the core skill — Rather than focusing on specific tools (which change rapidly), BBC Bitesize's approach centres on equipping young people with the ability to assess, verify and question the information they encounter every day.

    AI as a collaborator, not a substitute — Cerys emphasises that AI works best as a companion tool. Young people still need to be thinkers, creators and developers alongside it — not passive users of it.

    A positive, empowering outlook — BBC Bitesize's Guide to AI uses real young people in real-world scenarios to show both the benefits and risks of AI, deliberately avoiding a fear-based approach.

    New resources to tackle misinformation — Solve the Story is a brand new episodic mini-drama for classroom use, where students must solve a fake news mystery across six episodes — a creative, engaging way to build media literacy skills.

    Trust is BBC Bitesize's superpower — All content is reviewed by practising teachers and education consultants, making it one of the most trusted sources of educational content in the UK.

    Chapters:

    • 00:03 - Introduction to BBC BiteSize
    • 06:08 - The Evolution of AI in Education
    • 09:35 - The Role of AI in Education and Misinformation
    • 18:55 - Introducing 'Solve the Story' - A New Educational Initiative
    • 23:20 - Educational Content Creation and Trust
    • 29:00 - Empowering Youth Through Education

    https://www.bbc.co.uk/bitesize

    Instagram: @bbcbitesize

    🔥 Discover more about Education on Fire, get a FREE pdf of 10 guest resources.

    https://www.educationonfire.com

    🔥 Support the show – Buy me a coffee, Merch and Sponsorship Opportunities

    https://www.educationonfire.com/support

    #EducationOnFire

    Show Sponsor – National Association for Primary Education (NAPE)

    Their Primary First Journal: https://www.educationonfire.com/nape

    2026 Conference

    Keynote : Reading for Pleasure – Dr Roger McDonald

    Workshops focusing on National Year of Reading : Writing, TESOL, Oracy, Drama and Story Telling, Poetry

    https://educationonfire.com/reading
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    32 mins
  • The Kids Who Aren't Okay with Ross W. Greene Ph.D.

    The Kids Who Aren't Okay with Ross W. Greene Ph.D.
    Mar 23 2026

    Ross W. Greene, PhD, is a clinical psychologist and the originator of the innovative, evidence-based approach called Collaborative & Proactive Solutions (CPS), as described in his influential books The Explosive Child, Lost at School, Lost & Found, and Raising Human Beings.

    He developed and executive produced the award-winning documentary film The Kids We Lose. Dr. Greene was on the faculty at Harvard Medical School for over twenty years and is now founding director of the nonprofit Lives in the Balance. He is also currently adjunct Professor in the Department of Psychology at Virginia Tech.

    Dr. Greene has worked with several thousand kids with concerning behaviors and their caregivers, and he and his colleagues have overseen implementation and evaluation of the CPS model in countless schools, inpatient psychiatry units, and residential and juvenile detention facilities, with dramatic effect: significant reductions in recidivism, discipline referrals, detentions, suspensions, and use of restraint and seclusion.

    Takeaways:

    1. Dr. Ross Greene emphasizes the necessity of adopting proactive strategies in education to better support children facing mental health challenges.
    2. We discusses the importance of meeting each child where they are developmentally, rather than enforcing a one-size-fits-all approach in education.
    3. Dr. Greene's approach advocates for understanding and addressing the underlying problems causing concerning behaviors rather than merely modifying the behaviours themselves.
    4. The conversation highlights the alarming increase in mental health issues among children, which necessitates a shift in educational practices and societal attitudes towards youth.
    5. A focus on developmental variability is crucial in education, as every child's needs and experiences are unique and deserve tailored support.

    Chapters:

    1. 00:11 - Introduction to Dr. Ross Greene and Collaborative Solutions
    2. 08:17 - Meeting Every Kid Where They're At
    3. 10:54 - Understanding Developmental Variability in Education
    4. 22:34 - Understanding Student Behavior and Systemic Issues
    5. 32:54 - The Importance of Collaborative Change in Education
    6. 38:22 - Empowering Change in Education

    https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/The-Kids-Who-Arent-Okay/Ross-W-Greene/9781668203903

    🔥 Discover more about Education on Fire, get a FREE pdf of 10 guest resources.

    https://www.educationonfire.com

    🔥 Support the show – Buy me a coffee, Merch and Sponsorship Opportunities

    https://www.educationonfire.com/support

    #EducationOnFire

    Show Sponsor – National Association for Primary Education (NAPE)

    Their Primary First Journal: https://www.educationonfire.com/nape

    2026 Conference

    Keynote : Reading for Pleasure – Dr Roger McDonald

    Workshops focusing on National Year of Reading : Writing, TESOL, Oracy, Drama and Story Telling, Poetry

    https://educationonfire.com/reading
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    42 mins
  • "You Can Only Aspire to What You Know Exists" – A Musical Journey Through Education

    "You Can Only Aspire to What You Know Exists" – A Musical Journey Through Education
    Mar 16 2026

    In this solo reflective episode, host Mark Taylor wraps up the first part of the Ger Graus Gets Gritty season by doing something personal — instead of a straightforward summary, he weaves the season's key themes through the story of his own life in music. From a secondary school wind band to 30 years as a professional musician and music educator, Mark explores how opportunity, community, practice, and personalised learning shaped his path. He draws on insights from his conversations with Ger Graus to reflect on what great education looks like — and what's at risk when funding, trust, and time are taken away. A heartfelt and thought-provoking listen for anyone who believes in the transformative power of education.

    1. Children can only aspire to what they know exists Exposure is everything. Mark's entire music career began because a school programme placed an instrument in his hands. Without that structured opportunity, he simply wouldn't have known it was possible. Educators and systems have a responsibility to show children what the world contains.

    2. The task is not to make the impossible possible — but to make the possible attainable Big dreams don't require giant leaps. What they require is a visible next step. Mark's path grew one rung at a time: junior band → senior band → county ensemble → music college → profession. Clear, accessible stepping stones are what turn potential into reality.

    3. Deep practice builds something you can rely on under pressure When Mark performed his first brass band drum solo, it went well not because of talent — but because he'd practised so thoroughly it was in his muscle memory. Real mastery means the skill holds even when nerves are high. This applies far beyond music.

    4. Community makes the individual possible Behind every successful learner is a network of people: a visionary head teacher, an encouraging music teacher, parents organising lifts, peers in an ensemble. Mark's journey wasn't a solo performance — it was a collective effort. Nurturing that ecosystem around a child matters as much as the teaching itself.

    5. Wellbeing isn't a bolt-on — it's what happens when children are fully themselves Rather than offering mindfulness classes as a fix for an overburdened curriculum, Mark argues that real wellbeing comes from giving children time to pursue what lights them up. Meaningful, deep engagement with something they love is the wellbeing strategy.

    🔥 Discover more about Education on Fire, get a FREE pdf of 10 guest resources and be part of our season finale with Ger.

    https://www.educationonfire.com

    🔥 Support the show – Buy me a coffee, Merch and Sponsorship Opportunities

    https://www.educationonfire.com/support

    #EducationOnFire


    Show Sponsor – National Association for Primary Education (NAPE)

    Their Primary First Journal: https://www.educationonfire.com/nape
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    30 mins
  • Ger Graus Gets Gritty Recap Show

    Ger Graus Gets Gritty Recap Show
    Mar 9 2026

    This week I used AI to summarize the 7 episodes I have recorded with Prof Dr Ger Graus OBE about his book Through a Different Lens: Lessons from a Life in Education.

    The aim was to give you a short (22 mins) overview of the themes we have discussed in a different way.

    I used the transcripts from all 7 episodes to create a summary document in Claude which I then imported to NotebookLM that in turn created a conversation between 2 AI voices.

    Link to the GGGG series audio playlist:

    https://player.captivate.fm/collection/54f98b13-e7b7-4c0e-bb3b-bc3b54a3c2ae

    Link to the GGGG series video playlist:

    https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLy3hA_bI5MImKV4GN5-ZyRCOa2PVe9ysU&si=1o78GkM1erluHakp

    https://www.gergraus.com

    Get the book – Through a Different Lens: Lessons from a Life in Education

    🔥 Discover more about Education on Fire, get a FREE pdf of 10 guest resources and be part of our season finale with Ger.

    https://www.educationonfire.com

    🔥 Support the show – Buy me a coffee, Merch and Sponsorship Opportunities

    https://www.educationonfire.com/support

    #EducationOnFire
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    29 mins
  • GGGG Ep 7 - And finally

    GGGG Ep 7 - And finally
    Mar 2 2026
    Based on the final chapter of Prof Dr Ger Graus's book Through a Different Lens: Lessons from a Life in Education (Routledge), this conversation asks the most honest question of the entire series: So what?Ger examines what 40-plus years of educational work has truly changed — and what it hasn't.At the heart of the episode is a sobering reckoning: Wythenshawe, the deprived area of Manchester where Ger dedicated much of his career, remains in the bottom 25% of England's most disadvantaged communities — just as it was in 1999. Yet rather than despair, Ger finds meaning in the individual lives transformed, the schools that finally began collaborating, and the quiet but lasting legacy of the Education Action Zone that brought 29 schools together for the first time.Joining the conversation are educators, researchers, and colleagues who offer their own reflections on the book's significance — including insights from OECD Education Director Andreas Schleicher's afterword, and a passionate endorsement from Russian education researcher Dr. Sergey Kosaretsky.Key QuotesGer Graus on systemic change:"Certain dials are too big to shift by one person or by one small organisation. It's a concerted effort — and in order to see the big picture, all pieces of the jigsaw need to fall into place."Ger Graus on political impatience:"It's taken you since the 1944 Education Act to keep getting it wrong. Whatever made you think that in five years we would solve all your problems?"Andreas Schleicher (OECD), quoted from the book's Afterword:"The task is not to make the impossible possible, but to make the possible attainable."Dr. Sergey Kosaretsky on the book's message:"Education is not only schools. Education is not only universities. Education is a lot of things that children do every day — with their friends, their parents, with themselves."Mark Sylvester on Ger's philosophy:"One of the things he would say is that he wants to teach children, but also to teach humans how to learn."Key Takeaways1. Structural poverty is stubborn — but individual impact still matters. Despite decades of effort, the communities Ger worked in remain among England's most deprived. He doesn't shy away from this, but argues that transforming individual lives — like the girl from Wythenshawe who played Juliet in Italy and re-engaged with school entirely — is proof that the work was never wasted.2. Change in education takes generational patience. Politicians want results in five-year cycles. Ger argues that meaningful educational reform operates on a far longer timeline, and that unrealistic expectations are one of the biggest barriers to real progress.3. Lived and informal experience is education too. Multiple contributors highlight that education extends well beyond school walls — into homes, exchanges, community experiences, and play. Ger's career has been defined by championing this broader definition.4. The book is a call to action, not just a memoir. Colleagues urge policymakers — especially those working on England's forthcoming schools white paper — to read Through a Different Lens and draw from its hard-won lessons. It's described as "a textbook for all teachers, educators, and parents."5. Asking "so what?" is an act of courage, not defeat. Ger's willingness to interrogate his own legacy — particularly in the shadow of a cancer diagnosis — models the kind of honest, reflective leadership that education urgently needs.Chapters:00:07 - Introduction to the Series02:54 - Reflecting on Impact and Change10:41 - Reflections on Education and Poverty15:40 - The Importance of Lived Experience in Education19:42 - The Importance of Education Beyond Schools24:27 - The Role of New Leaders in Educationhttps://www.gergraus.comGet the book – Through a Different Lens: Lessons from a Life in Education🔥 Discover more about Education on Fire, get a FREE pdf of 10 guest resources and be part of our season finale with Ger.https://www.educationonfire.com🔥 Support the show – Buy me a coffee, Merch and Sponsorship Opportunitieshttps://www.educationonfire.com/support#EducationOnFireShow Sponsor – National Association for Primary Education (NAPE)Their Primary First Journal: https://www.educationonfire.com/nape2026 ConferenceKeynote : Reading for Pleasure – Dr Roger McDonaldWorkshops focusing on National Year of Reading : Writing, TESOL, Oracy, Drama and Story Telling, Poetryhttps://educationonfire.com/readingTestimonials John Cosgrove - Retired Headteacher and Author, UKRichard Taylor - Former Head of English and Colleague of Ger, UKMark Sylvester - Executive Producer, TEDx, USAProfessor Sergey Kosaretsky - Vice Rector for Research, Moscow State University of Psychology and Education (MSUPE)
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    28 mins
  • GGGG Ep 6 - More than a school - measuring what we value

    GGGG Ep 6 - More than a school - measuring what we value
    Feb 23 2026
    "More Than a School: Values, Measurement, and What Education Is Really For"In this episode of the Ger Graus Gets Gritty series, Mark Taylor sits down once again with Professor Dr. Ger Graus OBE to explore one of his most passionate themes — the idea that schools are, and must intentionally become, more than a school. Drawing on his own transformative work leading Education Action Zones in Wythenshawe, South Manchester, Ger makes a compelling case for community-rooted education that puts the whole child first, measures what truly matters, and trusts teachers as the professionals they are.Inspired by FC Barcelona's famous motto Més que un Club ("More than a Club"), Ger argues that schools — particularly primary schools embedded in their communities — have always carried responsibilities far beyond academic instruction. But rather than waiting for government to dictate how those responsibilities are fulfilled, he urges schools to seize the agenda, define their own values, and prove their impact on their own terms.From breakfast clubs to brokering local solutions within a network of 29 schools, from the dangers of league table dishonesty to the transformative power of professional trust. It's a rallying call to educators, parents, and policymakers alike."Schools invariably already are more than a school. But I think we need to become better at it and perhaps we need to become more deliberate at it.""If we want to do the 'more than a school' bit properly, I think we need to begin with the values of why are we doing this — and what is the impact, and how is that good for our children, our families, our communities?"Key Takeaways1. Schools must be deliberately "more than a school." The challenge is to make that broader role intentional, values-driven, and properly resourced, rather than reactive and underfunded. Schools should stop waiting for government permission and start leading the agenda themselves.2. Start with the whole child, not the average child. A child who is hungry, cold, or emotionally unsettled cannot learn. Ger champions breakfast clubs, pastoral support, and out-of-school activities not as "nice extras" but as the essential foundation for learning. The 10 A's identified in Cambridge University research on Children's University — including attendance, attainment, attitudes, adventure, agency, and advocacy — offer a far richer picture of school impact than narrow inspection frameworks.3. Measure progress, not just performance. League tables and one-size-fits-all inspection frameworks distort reality and incentivise dishonesty. Ger advocates for progress measures that reflect a school's specific community context — comparing a school against its own journey rather than against wealthier, more selective institutions. Meaningful accountability means schools defining and measuring their own impact transparently.4. Professional trust is the missing ingredient. The Wythenshawe Education Action Zone showed what's possible when teachers and headteachers are genuinely trusted: 29 schools that had never met collectively began collaborating, sharing expertise, and solving problems from within. No external consultants, no top-down directives — just professionals empowered to know their children, their families, and their communities.5. Respect and trust for teachers must be made visible — by everyone. Ger's closing call to action is personal and practical. To parents: engage with teachers as the professionals they are, rather than rushing to challenge or undermine them. To government: back up the rhetoric of "trusting teachers" with real autonomy. And to everyone: make trust visible in small, tangible acts — like a handwritten thank-you note after a difficult week. As Ger puts it, "We need to make trust and respect visible. We owe that to our teachers."Chapters:00:01 - Introduction to the Series01:13 - More Than a School: Understanding Community Impact29:20 - Building Community Trust in Education32:31 - Transforming Education: A New Approach42:20 - The Impact of Demographic Changes on Education01:02:07 - The Ongoing Journey of Educationhttps://www.gergraus.comGet the book – Through a Different Lens: Lessons from a Life in Education🔥 Discover more about Education on Fire, get a FREE pdf of 10 guest resources and be part of our season finale with Ger.https://www.educationonfire.com/🔥 Support the show – Buy me a coffee, Merch and Sponsorship Opportunitieshttps://educationonfire.com/support#EducationOnFireShow Sponsor – National Association for Primary Education (NAPE)Their Primary First Journal: https://www.educationonfire.com/nape2026 ConferenceKeynote : Reading for Pleasure – Dr Roger McDonaldWorkshops focusing on National Year of Reading : Writing, TESOL, Oracy, Drama and Story Telling, Poetryhttps://educationonfire.com/reading
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    1 hr and 5 mins