ABOUT THIS EPISODE
Dr Lisa Stephenson and Kate Smith pull back the curtain on the ideas and research that underpin their work. They explore how creativity and a shift in perspective can help revive the joy of teaching in a complex world.
Talking Points
The Revival Mindset: Why we aren’t reinventing the wheel, but re-igniting the human potential and heart already present in our schools.
Collective Creativity: Moving away from solo action plans toward a shared, school-wide culture of inquiry and compassionate collaboration.
Ethical Action & Agency: Empowering students to find their voice and develop purposeful opinions on global challenges, from social media to climate change.
Dispositions over Knowledge: Shifting the focus from what children know to how they act and feel through curiosity, imagination, and empathy.
The Creative Learning Award
A research-backed award that focuses on building sustainable creative capacity that lasts, regardless of shifting policy or funding landscapes. Find out more here.
About Our Guest
Kate Smith (Katie) is a former headteacher and the Network Leader for HeadsUp4HTs, supporting thousands of school leaders. She is a coach and co-author of HeadsUp4HTs: Supporting Purposeful Leadership.
Resources
Story Makers: storymakersco.com
HeadsUp4HTs: headsup4hts.co.uk
OECD Policy Context: OECD Learning Compass 2030
Research
Stephenson, L., 2021. Creative Spaces for Wellbeing. The Emotional Curriculum Podcast
Stephenson, L., 2023. Collective creativity and wellbeing dispositions: children's perceptions of learning through drama. Thinking Skills and Creativity, p.101188.
Stephenson, L. and Lofthouse, R., 2023. A pedagogy of professional noticing and co-inquiry: Embedding drama for oracy across the primary curriculum. Impact. Chartered College of Teaching 18. pp. 36-39. ISSN 2514-6955
Credits
Story Makers Research Centre podcast, Carnegie School of Education at Leeds Beckett University.
Post-production by Laura Wilkes, Haven Tsang and Beryl Kwok at Communicating for Impact
