<![CDATA[Teacher Mum]]>My son is taking his GCSEs. Five minutes ago, he was playing with Lego; now, he’s in the eye of the exam storm. As a teacher with over 20 years of experience, I thought I was ready for this. I wasn't.

Welcome to Teacher Mum, an honest, and practical guide to navigating the "pivotal years" of your child’s education.

Being an educator gives me a unique lens, but being a mum gives me a completely different reality. In this series, I pull back the curtain on the triumphs, the struggles, and the constant dilemmas of balancing my professional expertise with the visceral, biological anxiety of being a parent during the exam season.

For help and resources designed to support parents through GCSEs, visit literaturetutor.co.uk/podcast

]]>www.teachermum.comRiverside.fm (https://riverside.com)Wed, 17 Jun 2026 19:07:52 GMTFri, 12 Jun 2026 14:50:09 GMT60Charlie Birkett<p>My son is taking his GCSEs. Five minutes ago, he was playing with Lego; now, he’s in the eye of the exam storm. As a teacher with over 20 years of experience, I thought I was ready for this. I wasn't.</p><p></p><p>Welcome to <i>Teacher Mum</i>, an honest, and practical guide to navigating the "pivotal years" of your child’s education.</p><p></p><p>Being an educator gives me a unique lens, but being a mum gives me a completely different reality. In this series, I pull back the curtain on the triumphs, the struggles, and the constant dilemmas of balancing my professional expertise with the visceral, biological anxiety of being a parent during the exam season.</p><p></p><p>For help and resources designed to support parents through GCSEs, visit <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="https://www.literaturetutor.co.uk/podcast" target="_blank">literaturetutor.co.uk/podcast</a></p>episodicCharlie Birkettsam@amiablemarketing.co.ukno<![CDATA[Chapter 4 : Learning to be independent at home]]>Explore the challenge of cultivating independent study habits at home. Charlie shares her shift from teacher-led control to being a facilitator, helping her son find his own rhythm while navigating the balance of being both a mum and an educator.

For help and resources, visit www.literaturetutor.co.uk

]]>dc560273-a576-460d-9e62-3ca62292001eWed, 17 Jun 2026 18:47:34 GMT<p>Explore the challenge of cultivating independent study habits at home. Charlie shares her shift from teacher-led control to being a facilitator, helping her son find his own rhythm while navigating the balance of being both a mum and an educator.</p><p></p><p>For help and resources, visit <a rel="noopener noreferrer nofollow" href="http://www.literaturetutor.co.uk" target="_blank">www.literaturetutor.co.uk</a></p>no00:07:3114Chapter 4 : Learning to be independent at homefull<![CDATA[Chapter 3: Whip or carrot?]]>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.

]]>b46fc692-4833-498e-8d8a-0026601d4f87Mon, 15 Jun 2026 11:31:26 GMT<p>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.</p>no00:07:1613Chapter 3: Whip or carrot?full<![CDATA[Chapter 2: Making the choice to let him choose]]>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.

]]>a2b32e7f-1aea-46ca-a4fd-1904e81cd972Mon, 15 Jun 2026 11:15:59 GMT<p>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.</p>no00:06:5212Chapter 2: Making the choice to let him choosefull<![CDATA[Chapter 1: The road less travelled]]>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?

]]>03e90f1d-cf92-433b-bdc8-5629568362efFri, 12 Jun 2026 15:48:46 GMT<p>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.</p><p></p><p>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.</p><p></p><p>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?</p>no00:08:1811Chapter 1: The road less travelledfull