Isabella Wallace

So here I am with Musharaf Asghar after crying off all my mascara!…
Thank you Mushy for moving me to tears with your keynote today at the Foster for East Midlands Councils Conference.
Mushy’s story of finding his voice - and the teachers who believed in him when it mattered most - was such a powerful reminder of why this work matters so much.
Because behind every pupil’s hesitant voice… there is powerful potential waiting to be seen. And sometimes, one educator who refuses to give up can change the whole trajectory of a young person’s life.
Today presented yet more reminders that teaching isn’t just about progress and outcomes. It’s about the journey of helping young people to find their voices. 💪

There’s a particular kind of magic that happens when a small group of teachers get a chance to gather in one room and actually talk about teaching and learning - instead of just catching up about urgent matters of business! 🤯

Today I had the pleasure of working with just 8 fabulous teachers in the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea bi-borough at Kensington Town Hall and it was such a rich, energising day.

I spend a lot of time speaking to larger audiences (which I love), but there’s something uniquely powerful about a lovely little group like this.

We were able to pause, probe, challenge, test ideas properly, and connect the research directly to the real children in their classrooms. No rushing. No surface-level thinking. Just thoughtful, honest professional dialogue and…FUN!

The questions were sharp. The ideas were brave. The commitment to doing the best for children was palpable.

Thank you to such an engaged and generous group. For your flair, engagement and enthusiasm! 💪

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What is “Professional Joy” to a teacher?

It’s that surge of energy when a room comes alive.
It’s the moment a pupil who usually hangs back leans forward.�When realisation and eureka moments bubble up in the middle of serious thinking.�When hands shoot up - not because they have to, but because inspiration hits. 💡

It’s the exhilaration of knowing that the trajectories of lives are changing. It’s the thrill of watching a spark of curiosity catch fire. 🔥

Teaching young people has always had that magic in it.✨�
Somewhere along the way - through pressure, policy, and pandemic - that spark dimmed in some classrooms.
But it’s not gone.
And when teachers feel it again, you can feel the shift across a whole school.

That’s what I’m interested in.�Not just “effective” teaching.
But *Irresistible Teaching*.
The kind that brings back professional joy.

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A little note popped into my hand at the end of the training session. ❤️

This one really made me happy.

Because as much as I want pupils to enjoy learning, I SO want us teachers to enjoy teaching.

“”Thank you for being so inspiring! And for reminding us all why we came into teaching. I can feel our passion and creativity returning!””

💖Bringing Back the Buzz!💖

A whole host of primary schools came together at Stenson Fields Primary School today to explore how to make learning IRRESISTIBLE!

We had a blast!

Willington Primary School

Guess where I delivered a keynote today?!…

My old home town of Lincoln where I was once a pupil!

This pic is of me when the only thing I knew about teachers was what great teaching FELT like (as well as what it didn’t!)

The Alive Church Conference Room was a perfect venue for teachers from across the North of England to come together for a fun, interactive session looking at practical versatile ways to make learning memorable and engaging.

Grateful for the boundless enthusiasm of the teachers today, and grateful too, for the Lincolnshire classrooms that shaped me first. 💖

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At the end of today’s session for NACRO, one of the delegates said:�“That was the first time I’ve ever sat in a staff training where I didn’t want it to end.”

That felt important - because today’s audience work with students who’ve faced significant barriers to traditional schooling. So the last thing these teachers needed was more “traditional training”…

Because for their learners - especially the ones who’ve felt unheard, misunderstood, or written off - constant instruction isn’t always empowering.

Instead, “Talk-Less Teaching” is low-threat and responsive, so that participation stops being something teachers demand - and starts being something learners *choose*.

Huge thanks to the brilliant teachers who joined me at Totton College today, and for the life-changing work you do in breaking down barriers and helping young people to *choose* learning. 🙏🏻
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Well, thanks to the sheer ingenuity of Hiba Academy’s IT technicians in Shanghai, it genuinely felt like we were all in the same room this morning! 🙇🏼‍♀️
Clear sound. Full visibility. Seamless interaction.
No awkward “You’re on Mute!” or “Can you hear me now?” moments.
That level of technical thoughtfulness completely changes what’s possible online. It meant we could focus on today’s themes: oracy, deeper thinking and metacognition.
It was a brilliant reminder that when the technology is done well, it doesn’t get in the way - it amplifies connection.
Huge thanks to the behind-the-scenes experts who made today’s session feel human, collaborative and genuinely connected.

It’s 10am and my working day is already over! 😳
�That’s because I was up at the break of dawn delivering online training to teachers in Shanghai ☕🌍
Today’s session with Hiba Academy Shanghai focused on high-impact, low-prep practical strategies - the kind that support great teaching without asking teachers to sacrifice their evenings, weekends, or wellbeing.

Different time zones…
same challenges:
* How do we know our impact?
* How do we adapt in the moment?
* How do we teach brilliantly and sustainably?

Whether we’re teaching in Shanghai or Sheffield, the truth is the same:�👉 High impact teaching shouldn’t come at a high personal cost.

Huge thanks to the thoughtful, engaged staff at Hiba Academy for starting my day with such smiles and enthusiasm. And for having me back to work with you once again!

Nothing has taught me more about EBSA than recently providing emergency foster care for a traumatised teenager.

When I started teaching back in 1997, I remember first hearing the term “school refusers.”�And if I’m honest, I assumed it was children being difficult. Defiant.
Uncooperative.

I know better now.

What we often label as refusal is, for many children, fear - fear rooted in anxiety, overwhelm or trauma that lurks in the shadows far beyond the classroom walls.

The teen my family supported during a crisis *wanted* to go to school… but it felt impossible for her.
I saw first hand how she would have every intention of going, get dressed, pack her school bag…
but as we arrived at the school gates, she would shrink and freeze.
And then, as we walked into reception together, her nervous system would kick in to keep her safe.
To some people, her trauma-response of
Freeze - Fight - Flight
looked like…
Defiance - Insolence - Disengagement.
Perhaps because those people just couldn’t imagine the past experiences that had driven her to have such distrust in… people.

Advocating for this child made me realise just how incredibly important it is that schools can offer a soft landing with a designated member of staff, as well as lessons with teachers who are trauma-informed.

EBSA (Emotionally Based School Avoidance) is one of the reasons why my “Engaging Reluctant Learners” workshops always focus on:�• low-risk, low-threat participation�• classrooms where it feels safe to hesitate, to try, to get things wrong�• behaviour strategies built on curiosity, not compliance�• and teaching that adapts to the child in front of us - not the one we expected.

I’d love to hear what your school does to support students experiencing EBSA.

This is the filthy state of my car after driving 400 miles in 2 days through January weather… ☔️ 😳

But the long journeys were well worth it to work with teachers at Sparsholt College where we focused on Engaging Learners and Varied Assessment in subjects such as and …

…And then on to Andover College where we had a lot of fun and laughter exploring engaging ways to teach everything from to !

Thank you so much to both colleges for your super warm welcome and enthusiasm! 🙏🏻

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