WHO’S DOING THE WORK?

Teacher Effort, Student Thinking & Back-to-School Reality

Two weeks into the new school year, one thing has become very clear:

I’m tired.

And that has led me to a more important question:

How much work am I doing in the classroom compared with how much thinking my students are actually doing?

In the first Sprint episode of Season 5 of The International Classroom, I reflect on the first two weeks back in school in Dubai — the speed of lessons, the pressure to fit new priorities into already packed classrooms, differences in student independence and written work, and how easy it is to slip back into familiar habits when time is tight.

The question I’m taking into the rest of the term is simple:

WHO IS CARRYING THE COGNITIVE LOAD?

Am I doing the explaining, organising, creating and thinking while students become increasingly passive?

Or am I creating enough space for them to read, struggle, retrieve, write, make decisions and think for themselves?

This episode also introduces the new direction for Season 5: shorter Sprints, recurring voices, long-form conversations when they matter, and real questions coming directly from what’s happening in schools.

🎙️ IN THIS EPISODE

• Teacher effort versus student effort

• Why the first two weeks back feel so intense

• How quickly we return to old teaching habits

• Fitting AI literacy and wider priorities into real lessons

• Student independence, writing and quality of thought

• Why teacher activity does not necessarily equal student learning

📱 DUXA

DUXA Tutors helps independent tutors manage students, lessons, payments and session notes from one place.

https://apps.apple.com/id/app/duxa-tutors/id6757354523

🤖 DEEP AI READINESS AUDIT

How ready is your school for AI?

The DEEP AI Readiness Audit helps schools examine current AI practice, confidence, governance and next steps.

https://audit.deepeducationnetwork.com

🧠 AI LITERACY WORKSHOP

Alex Gray and Matthew Wemyss are running a practical live workshop exploring AI literacy, human judgement and how schools can prepare staff and students to use AI well.

Saturday 3 October 2026

https://www.deepeducationnetwork.com/ai-literacy

🌍 DEEP EDUCATION NETWORK

https://www.deepeducationnetwork.com/

📲 FOLLOW

Instagram:

https://www.instagram.com/deepeducationnetwork/

TikTok:

https://www.tiktok.com/@ticpodcast

LinkedIn — Alex Gray:

https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexandergray84/

If this episode resonates, follow The International Classroom and send it to someone who has reached the end of Week 2 wondering why they are doing quite so much of the work.

Season 5 starts here.

Are your workplace wellbeing initiatives just a tick-box exercise? If your organization relies on free pizza and one-off yoga sessions to cure burnout, this episode is for you.

In this episode, Alex Gray sits down with Clare Martin, a former educator turned wellbeing and positive psychology expert. Clare breaks down exactly why traditional corporate wellbeing fails and how leaders can build sustainable systems that actually work. We explore the critical difference between mental health policies and proactive wellbeing, how to shift your mindset from "I should" to "I could," and why true psychological safety is the foundation of a thriving team.

CONNECT WITH CLARE MARTIN

Website: https://www.goldcresttraining.com/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/clare-martin-coaching/

ABOUT THE INTERNATIONAL CLASSROOM

The International Classroom explores the intersection of education, technology, and leadership. Hosted by Alex Gray, a school leader and educator based in Dubai, the podcast features deep-dive conversations with global educators, innovators, and thinkers working to shape the future of teaching and learning.

FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL

🌐 Website: https://www.deepeducationnetwork.com/

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/deepeducationnetwork/

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💻 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexandergray84/

Can AI help students learn more deeply — or does it just make it easier to avoid thinking?

Alex Gray sits down with Ryan Trattner, co-founder and CTO of StudyFetch, the AI learning platform that turns course materials into personalised flashcards, quizzes, summaries, study plans, and one-on-one tutoring through its AI tutor, Spark.E.

This conversation goes beyond the product. It's about the question now facing every classroom: what kind of learner does AI create, and where does the human teacher become even more important?

What we cover:

• Why the real question isn't whether students use AI, but how
• The behaviours AI tools quietly reward — and the ones they erode
• How StudyFetch designs Spark.E to encourage thinking, not shortcut it
• What schools get wrong when they try to "police" AI
• Where great teachers become irreplaceable in an AI-saturated world

Guest: Ryan Trattner, co-founder & CTO of StudyFetch (launched 2023).

Host: Alex Gray, The International Classroom Podcast — exploring how educators can lead with confident humility in a changing world.

If this episode made you think, follow the show and share it with an educator who needs to hear it.