Ep 4 - Getting students ’bothered’ about their learning, with Hywel Roberts

In this episode I spoke to Hywel Roberts about how we can get students bothered about their learning and get them invested in what we're teaching them. Hywel has a background in drama and creative pedagogy and has spent years helping teachers bring the curriculum to life through storytelling, imagination, and what he calls ‘botheredness’ - the art of getting students truly invested in their learning. He has authored influential books such as Oops! and Botheredness, and his work focuses on making learning meaningful, engaging and unforgettable.

In this episode we explored the following questions:

1. Getting teachers to move beyond surface-level engagement and create learning experiences that students genuinely care about is a key part of your professional focus. Why is it so important to develop a sense of ‘botherdness’ in our students?
2. What are the signs that a student is truly engaged rather than just going through the motions? And how can teachers shift their classroom culture from one of passive compliance to active participation?
3. You often talk about the importance of storytelling in education and how it can be the catalyst for curiosity. Why is this and how can teachers use storytelling to design lessons that spark curiosity rather than just deliver content?
4. The older children become, the harder it can be to get them to let go of their inhibitions and use their imagination in front of their peers in the classroom. How can teachers frame tasks so that students feel safe to be imaginative?
5. One of the biggest challenges in education is bridging the gap between curriculum content and students’ real-world experiences. How can teachers create meaningful contexts that make learning feel relevant and purposeful, especially for students who struggle to see the relevance of the curriculum to their own lives?
6. What are the long-term benefits of getting students invested in their learning, both academically and personally?
7. What advice have you got for teachers who have really enjoyed listening to this and want to get creative in the classroom with storytelling and imagination, but are keen to ensure they have the right balance between being engaging and academically rigorous?