Hattie Salmon shares three of her poems and talks about how her poetry has evolved since its lively start in secondary school.

Author of more than 30 books, teacher for more than 30 years in the English classroom, Proud Ngāti Porou Tania Roxborogh speaks to us about her Masters/Doctorate research exploring the relationship between mātauranga Māori and Shakespeare’s Midsummer Night’s Dream.

Streaming is a hot topic in education at the moment. Chris and Philly explore its dimensions and bring Chris Abercrombie from PPTA into the conversation.

Claudia shares her personal and professional journey and the urgency she feels that we face some difficult questions about the direction our teaching of Secondary English has drifted in recent years. Her doctoral research brought to our attention that the study of complex literary texts is diminishing in New Zealand education, and is doing so disproportionately quickly in lower-decile schools.

Robert Sullivan’s poetry carries with it a sense of mischief as he traverses some of the most urgent and intimate topics in Aotearoa over the last couple of centuries. We discuss his poetry, his philosophy and his perspective on education in New Zealand.

Khadro Mohamed speaks to us about losing, and then regaining, her Somali language and how her culture and language influence her poetry. She shares her experiences growing up in a New Zealand where she was frequently complimented on her Kiwi accent and we examine what to do when someone doesn’t “understand” a poem.

As a salve to the challenges of starting a new term Dr Glenn Colquhoun talks to us about his GP practice where he specialises in work with rangitahi. He reads his poem “One That Got Away – for Jack” and he talks about the role of the teacher in schools with reverence and respect. Listen to this, teachers, and be reminded of the good you do.

Airana Ngarewa epitomises the best New Zealand has to offer to education and writing. Philly first met him while he was completing his Masters in Educational Leadership via Ako Mātātupu, and then over recent months his writing has started showing up in some high-profile places. This interview was a great pleasure for us both – It’s great to be in conversation with a young person who is so obviously going places.

Jack reads some of his flash fiction and talks with candour and depth about his time at school with undiagnosed ADHD, his fan fiction, making Sherlock more gay, his writing processes – not to mention his work as a rugby referee.

Both having recently taken over the position of Head of Department in new schools, Chris and Philly discuss their experiences. This is a chance to look ‘under the lid’ of two very different departments of English. The highs and lows will resonate with anyone working in English teaching in Aotearoa, but Philly and Chris also relay the extent to which the journey is also one of personal growth.