Good morning,

This week’s episode of Thinking Deeply about Primary Education is a very special one, as we celebrate the marriage of Neil Almond and Shannen Doherty.

To mark the occasion, we have brought together messages from friends, reflections from across their time on the podcast, the first questions they ever answered on TDaPE, and the final questions they each answered before getting married.

It is part celebration, part archive, part thank you to two brilliant people who have given so much to the show, to the profession, and to the wider education community.

Shannen did wonder whether an episode like this might “lose us listeners”, or not quite do the usual numbers. But, honestly, I don’t think that is the point. We are not really in the numbers business. At its best, the podcast has always been about community: the conversations we build, the people we learn from, and the relationships that form around a shared commitment to education.

And if that is true, then we should make time to celebrate the people who have helped build that community.

So this week’s episode is a little different. But it is also a reminder that behind every conversation, every idea and every episode, there are people. People who think deeply, give generously, and make the profession better by being part of it.

If you have already listened to Neil and Shannen’s first appearances, this might be a timely reminder to revisit their evergreen words of wisdom. And if you are newer to the podcast, perhaps this is your prompt to take a trip back to 2021 in search of some high-quality teaching advice from two of the very best.

I hope you enjoy the episode, and I hope you’ll join me in wishing Neil and Shannen every happiness for the future.

Finally, tickets are available for TDaPE Conference Online.

This brings together a brilliant collection of on-demand workshop sessions from across the world of education, featuring thoughtful, practical and evidence-informed professional development that you can access in your own time.

Every ticket gives you access to the full collection of sessions, and all funds will be donated to Velindre Cancer Centre, a cause that means a great deal to many of us in the TDaPE community.

So, if you are looking for meaningful professional development, want to hear from a range of brilliant educators, and would like to support an excellent cause at the same time, this is a lovely way to do all three.

Thank you, as always, for your support.

TDaPE Online Eventbrite

TDaPE Online Workshops

A huge thank you to everyone who shared last week’s episode. It really does help the podcast reach more thoughtful primary teachers and leaders. If there’s someone you know who cares deeply about teaching, learning or leadership, I’d be very grateful if you passed the episode on.

That’s all from me this week. I’d love to know what you made of it, so do leave a comment wherever you listen, or simply hit reply and share your thoughts.

Until next time, thanks for listening.