Part 2 of this re-released conversation follows David through the most painful stretch of his journey - and into the life-changing transition that brought him back to himself.In this episode, Sharon and Sarah explore:The collapse of trust in leadership and the moment he was accused of lyingHow long-COVID, brain fog and exhaustion collided with a punitive support planThe emotional punch of being prescribed antidepressants - and the shame teachers so often carryThe union rep who finally said out loud what David couldn’tThe decision to resign, and the power that returned the second he didThe eye-opening two weeks of supply work that highlighted just how wildly different UK schools really areThe moment everything clicked: a student support role at Durham University that honoured everything he was good atHow compassionate leadership healed what teaching had brokenThe “sliding doors moment” that changed his life — professionally, personally and emotionallyThis episode remains one of the most moving, memorable Pit Pony conversations to date. David’s story is a reminder of what schools lose when they crush creativity, and what is possible when someone is finally allowed to thrive.Buy Us a Coffee ☕️ Loving the Pit Pony Podcast? We’d be so grateful for your support! We’ve set up a Buy Me a Coffee page where you can make a small donation to help keep the podcast running. https://buymeacoffee.com/thepitponyclub Voice Message Us: https://www.speakpipe.com/pitponypodcast Contribute to our 'Silenced by Support' Campaign - complete the questionnaire, read the report, sign up to the mailing list. If you've been affected by any of the issues raised in our podcast there are organisations who can help: Education Support The Samaritans Mind Andy's Man Club Join Us: Subscribe to the Pit Pony Podcast Sign up to our mailing list here: http://eepurl.com/i1L5ck Thanks for listening 🙏Edited with finesse by our Podcast Super Producer, Mike Roberts of Making Digital R...
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083 - Re-Release - David Myers - From Creative Teacher to Breaking Point, Pt 1
In this powerful two-part replay, Sharon and Sarah revisit one of the Pit Pony Podcast’s most talked-about episodes - the story of David Myers, a maths teacher whose experience captures both the brilliance and the brutality of modern teaching.Part 1 traces David’s journey from a creative, psychology-driven teacher who thrived in supportive, visionary schools, to the moment everything changed. He shares:His early success at High Tunstall - where creativity, curiosity and student-centred thinking were genuinely welcomedThe joy of teaching during lockdown, when technology finally allowed students to explore maths in meaningful, playful waysHis research into problem-solving, cognition and confidence in mathematicsThe abrupt shift after COVID, when creativity was replaced by rigid templates, tick-box demands and pseudoscience masquerading as pedagogyThe moment marking and monitoring overtook teachingThe first signs that a supportive culture had become something far more dangerousThis episode lays the foundations of a story that so many teachers recognise - the erosion of autonomy, the misuse of ‘support’, and the human cost of a profession that doesn’t always allow teachers to be the professionals they are.Reissued for 2025 because it remains one of the clearest examples of how schools lose extraordinary talent.Buy Us a Coffee ☕️ Loving the Pit Pony Podcast? We’d be so grateful for your support! We’ve set up a Buy Me a Coffee page where you can make a small donation to help keep the podcast running. https://buymeacoffee.com/thepitponyclub Voice Message Us: https://www.speakpipe.com/pitponypodcast Contribute to our 'Silenced by Support' Campaign - complete the questionnaire, read the report, sign up to the mailing list. If you've been affected by any of the issues raised in our podcast there are organisations who can help: Education Support The Samaritans Mind Andy's Man Club Join Us: Subscribe to the Pit Pony Podcast Sign up to our mailing list here: http://eepurl.com/i1L5ck Thanks for listening 🙏Edited with finesse by our Podcast Super Producer, Mike Roberts of Making Digital R...
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082 - Behind the Scenes - Inside the Life After Teaching Facebook Group
This week, Sharon and Sarah lift the curtain on the community that started it all — Life After Teaching: Exit the Classroom and Thrive, the Facebook group now home to more than 177,000 members.They share what really goes on behind the scenes: how posts are moderated, why certain rules exist, and what it takes to keep such a vast and vulnerable space safe, supportive, and scam-free. From anonymous posting to the rise of MLMs, self-promotion, and the emotional weight carried by moderators, nothing’s off-limits in this honest and heartfelt episode.You’ll hear:How the group protects teachers from predatory marketingWhy some posts are declined — and what happens behind the scenesThe balance between boundaries and compassionPlans to fund the Silenced by Support campaignWhy the group has quietly saved livesIt’s a powerful insight into the unseen emotional labour behind one of the UK’s most supportive teacher communities — and a reminder of why the Pit Pony team do what they do.Thanks to our sponsors: Little VoicesConexus TuitionBuy Us a Coffee ☕️ Loving the Pit Pony Podcast? We’d be so grateful for your support! We’ve set up a Buy Me a Coffee page where you can make a small donation to help keep the podcast running. https://buymeacoffee.com/thepitponyclub Voice Message Us: https://www.speakpipe.com/pitponypodcast Contribute to our 'Silenced by Support' Campaign - complete the questionnaire, read the report, sign up to the mailing list. If you've been affected by any of the issues raised in our podcast there are organisations who can help: Education Support The Samaritans Mind Andy's Man Club Join Us: Subscribe to the Pit Pony Podcast Sign up to our mailing list here: http://eepurl.com/i1L5ck Thanks for listening 🙏Edited with finesse by our Podcast Super Producer, Mike Roberts of Making Digital R...
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081 - Silenced by Support - The Campaign Update
In this powerful update episode, Sarah is joined by campaign co-founder Nick Smart to share the latest progress on Silenced by Support - the national campaign fighting against the misuse of support plans in UK schools.Together, they reflect on how it all began, what’s been achieved so far, and the next steps in taking the movement from the Facebook group into Parliament, the press, and beyond.You’ll hear about:The origins of Silenced by Support and how the report was createdThe growing national database of testimonies and teacher experiencesThe letter to the Education Secretary and MPsMedia coverage and ongoing discussions with broadcastersThe vital next phase: fundraising, mobilisation, and writing to MPsThis episode is both sobering and motivating - a reminder of why the campaign exists and how collective voices can bring about change.Join the campaign: Visit The Silenced By Support Website Here to read the full report, join the mailing list, and contact the team.Buy Us a Coffee ☕️ Loving the Pit Pony Podcast? We’d be so grateful for your support! We’ve set up a Buy Me a Coffee page where you can make a small donation to help keep the podcast running. https://buymeacoffee.com/thepitponyclub Voice Message Us: https://www.speakpipe.com/pitponypodcast Contribute to our 'Silenced by Support' Campaign - complete the questionnaire, read the report, sign up to the mailing list. If you've been affected by any of the issues raised in our podcast there are organisations who can help: Education Support The Samaritans Mind Andy's Man Club Join Us: Subscribe to the Pit Pony Podcast Sign up to our mailing list here: http://eepurl.com/i1L5ck Thanks for listening 🙏Edited with finesse by our Podcast Super Producer, Mike Roberts of Making Digital R...
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080 - Resignation - The Fear, the Finances, and the Freedom
In this special episode, Sharon and Sarah hold space for one of the biggest topics in education - the mystery, the pressure and the fear around teacher resignation dates.Why do teachers only get three windows a year to resign? What happens if you miss the May 31st deadline? And why does this system leave so many feeling trapped, anxious and powerless?From the realities of the Burgundy Book to the emotional and financial toll of leaving a “job for life,” this conversation is honest, supportive and packed with insight. Sharon and Sarah share their own experiences, the tough love advice they give inside the Pit Pony community, and the practical steps teachers can take to reclaim control of their lives and careers.They explore:What resignation windows actually meanThe fear of missing the deadline - and what to do if you doHow to plan financially and emotionally before you leaveWhy guilt, shame and loyalty often hold teachers backWhen it’s too soon (or too late) to resignA grounded, empowering conversation for anyone standing at the edge of a big decision.Thanks to our sponsors: Little VoicesConexus TuitionBuy Us a Coffee ☕️ Loving the Pit Pony Podcast? We’d be so grateful for your support! We’ve set up a Buy Me a Coffee page where you can make a small donation to help keep the podcast running. https://buymeacoffee.com/thepitponyclub Voice Message Us: https://www.speakpipe.com/pitponypodcast Contribute to our 'Silenced by Support' Campaign - complete the questionnaire, read the report, sign up to the mailing list. If you've been affected by any of the issues raised in our podcast there are organisations who can help: Education Support The Samaritans Mind Andy's Man Club Join Us: Subscribe to the Pit Pony Podcast Sign up to our mailing list here: http://eepurl.com/i1L5ck Thanks for listening 🙏Edited with finesse by our Podcast Super Producer, Mike Roberts of Making Digital R...
Sharon Cawley and Sarah Dunwood talk to former teachers about exiting from the classroom and thriving.Don't forget to leave us a VOICEMAIL, quickly and easily at https://www.speakpipe.com/pitponypodcastSupport the podcast by buying us a coffee here:https://buymeacoffee.com/thepitponyclub
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