Operation Education

Should a pupil get a detention for forgetting their pen? Or should we just give them one and move on?
It sounds like a rather trivial question. But Pritesh & Neena argue that how schools approach missing equipment has enormous implications for pupil responsibility, organisation and character development.
We discuss why the debate shouldn't begin with sanctions, but with how we set pupils up for success. From teaching pupils how to pack their school bags, to setting up equipment shops and running daily equipment checks, we explore practical strategies that can transform pupils' habits and school culture.
Pritesh shares how he manages to check 30 pupils' equipment in just 30 seconds (yes, really), and recounts the remarkable story of a pupil with dyslexia who struggled with organisation.
We also tackle the thorny question of consequences. Is a detention for forgetting a pen unnecessarily harsh? Can holding pupils to account actually be an act of kindness? And what should teachers say to pupils when they've forgotten their equipment?
Before all of that, Neena reveals her rather intense passion for stationery shopping, while Pritesh makes a shocking confession about Paddington Bear that leaves Neena questioning his suitability to work with children.
Oh, and we hear about a teacher who demanded pupils hand over their shoe in exchange for borrowing a pen. Teaching really is a remarkable profession.
Sign up now to receive the weekly Operation Education Briefing:
One practice. One pitfall. One principle. Supporting teachers to sharpen their teaching and build extraordinary school culture.
bunsenblue.com/briefing
For high quality CPD from Pritesh (INSETs, school visits, including teaching lessons for staff to observe, coaching with groups of teachers), visit www.bunsenblue.com/cpd
Hosts: Pritesh Raichura and Neena Sharma

Operation Education is a Bunsen Blue production.

"Sir, have you marked our tests yet?"
"Miss, when are we doing a practical?"
Sound familiar?
In this episode, Pritesh & Neena explore how schools can explicitly teach pupils to become more grateful. Can we really transform a pupil's mindset from one of potential entitlement to one of gratitude? And what practical strategies can teachers use to make gratitude a habit that becomes part of their pupils' character?
We discuss why a simple 'thank you' from pupils at the end of a lesson can be surprisingly powerful, how to help pupils recognise the enormous amount of effort that goes into their education, and why writing heartfelt thank-you postcards to teachers might just be one of the loveliest things a school can do.
We also explore how gratitude can become part of a class's shared identity, the connection between gratitude and belonging, and how to ensure expressions of gratitude are genuine rather than just another box-ticking exercise.
Along the way, Neena subjects Pritesh to a highly sophisticated psychological evaluation involving word association. The results are deeply concerning. We also discover that Pritesh has a rather limited vocabulary when it comes to describing things he likes.
With Christmas approaching, this episode might just help you bring a little extra magic to your school.
And if you're enjoying Operation Education, we'd be incredibly grateful if you could leave us a five-star review on Spotify or Apple Podcasts. See? We're practising what we preach!
Sign up now to receive the weekly Operation Education Briefing:
One practice. One pitfall. One principle. Supporting teachers to sharpen their teaching and build extraordinary school culture.
bunsenblue.com/briefing
For high quality CPD from Pritesh (INSETs, school visits, including teaching lessons for staff to observe, coaching with groups of teachers), visit www.bunsenblue.com/cpd
Hosts: Pritesh Raichura and Neena Sharma

Operation Education is a Bunsen Blue production.

Do your pupils greet you when they enter your classroom? Do they thank you at the end of a lesson? And when they need a pen, do they ask politely or simply announce their stationery emergency and expect you to come running?
In this second instalment of our series on character education, Pritesh & Neena tackle manners, politeness and respect. Inspired by a brilliant question from listener Claire, we explore how to turn good manners from something we hope pupils will demonstrate into something we explicitly teach and embed.
Neena shares the three 'golden opportunities' she used in her Manners Matter initiative at a previous school, with lots of practical strategies and scripts for teaching pupils to be more polite. We discuss what to do when pupils forget their manners, how to respond to a sarcastic 'Good morning, sir', and why simply reminding pupils to say 'please' and 'thank you' isn't enough.
We also have a rather fascinating disagreement about whether teachers should thank pupils for doing the right thing. What's the difference between praise and gratitude? And could saying 'thank you' actually be the wrong response?
Along the way, Neena reveals her love of pumpkin spice lattes, while Pritesh recounts the deeply embarrassing experience of ordering a latte in Italy. Character-building stuff, apparently.
If you're enjoying Operation Education, we'd be incredibly grateful if you could leave us a five-star review on Spotify or Apple Podcasts. We will use our magnificent manners and say: thank you!
Sign up now to receive the weekly Operation Education Briefing:
One practice. One pitfall. One principle. Supporting teachers to sharpen their teaching and build extraordinary school culture.
bunsenblue.com/briefing
For high quality CPD from Pritesh (INSETs, school visits, including teaching lessons for staff to observe, coaching with groups of teachers), visit www.bunsenblue.com/cpd
Hosts: Pritesh Raichura and Neena Sharma

Operation Education is a Bunsen Blue production.

Telling kids to work hard doesn't work. So what does?
And can hard work actually be taught?
In this episode, Pritesh & Neena get stuck into one of their favourite topics: character education! They explore the surprisingly powerful difference between two ways of setting exactly the same homework. How can the words we use inspire pupils to go above and beyond? What should we do when pupils don't meet our expectations? And just how excited should a teacher get about a beautifully completed piece of homework?
Pritesh shares a recent classroom encounter with a pupil who flatly refused to participate. Was he right to send her out? And what happened when they spoke after the lesson?
Along the way, we discuss how to make hard work a habit, why celebrating effort matters, and why holding pupils to account is every bit as important as showing warmth.
Expect dramatic homework narrations, a few strong opinions and some questionable Christmas vocabulary…
If you're enjoying Operation Education, we'd love you to leave us a five-star review on Spotify, Apple or wherever you listen. It makes a huge difference in helping us reach more teachers. Thank you for your support!
Read more about character here:
Becoming Better People: https://bunsenblue.com/2024/12/23/becoming-better-people/
Building Culture: How to shape character through daily interactions: https://bunsenblue.com/2024/08/20/building-culture-how-to-shape-character-through-daily-interactions/
Sign up now to receive the weekly Operation Education Briefing:
One practice. One pitfall. One principle. Supporting teachers to sharpen their teaching and build extraordinary school culture.
bunsenblue.com/briefing
For high quality CPD from Pritesh (INSETs, school visits, including teaching lessons for staff to observe, coaching with groups of teachers), visit www.bunsenblue.com/cpd
Hosts: Pritesh Raichura and Neena Sharma

Operation Education is a Bunsen Blue production.

You ask and we answer! In this Q&A special, Pritesh & Neena discuss whether turn and talks should only ever be used for rehearsal or for other types of questions? If we use turn and talk, how do we know which pupils need follow-up questioning when we cannot hear every conversation? Should teachers always use high frequency questioning or are there times when it is not necessary in a lesson?
Where do mini whiteboards fit into all of this? 
We end up with a fascinating discussion about the differences in instructional / pedagogical approaches in English versus Science. 
Pritesh & Neena make a few shocking confessions along the way…
We also celebrate Operation Education's three month anniversary! Get your party hats on, people! If you're loving Operation Education, we would love for you to leave a review. Ideally more than four stars, but fewer than six stars will do. Every review helps us to reach more teachers. Thanks for all of your support!
Sign up now to receive the weekly Operation Education Briefing:
One practice. One pitfall. One principle. Supporting teachers to sharpen their teaching and build extraordinary school culture.
bunsenblue.com/briefing
For high quality CPD from Pritesh (INSETs, school visits, including teaching lessons for staff to observe, coaching with groups of teachers), visit www.bunsenblue.com/cpd
Hosts: Pritesh Raichura and Neena Sharma

Operation Education is a Bunsen Blue production.