*NEWS!* - The first live episode of WDYD? will be broadcast on the Culture Channel on Soho Radio on Thursday 5th March at 6pm - it will be in honour of International Women's Day and will be all about women's experiences of working in the arts with two fabulous guests. Tune in at sohoradiolondon.com or download the app! If you miss it, you'll be able to listen back on Mixcloud.

In today’s episode I speak to the wonderful Gillian who has been a school teacher in South London since the mid 1980s. I was very interested to speak to Gillian to understand not only what her day-to-day entails and how it might have changed over the years, but also why it might have changed - in a career that has spanned over 35 years, she has navigated an education system that’s seen 7 Prime Ministers and 15 governments, all with their own agendas. The introduction of a national curriculum, of Ofsted, and rigorous regulation of the education system has impacted just how much teachers are expected to do and to cope with, which Gill talks about very honestly. 

We address some of the stereotypes of teaching - like the long holidays and supposedly short working hours, having the big responsibility of the duty of care of so many children all at once, feeling like you’re inspiring a future generation every single day (according to the recent TeachFirst adverts) - and if they ring true in Gillian’s experiences and we also hear some great advice for those who are considering a career in the classroom.

Thank you Gillian for taking part and I hope you’ll all enjoy joining me as I ask a teacher, What Do You Do?