Notes from the Inkpot
Writing, teaching, creating - one ink-stained idea at a time.

You Don’t Kill Someone for Their Ideas: What Charlie Kirk’s Murder Means for Classrooms
Charlie Kirk’s murder is an extreme reminder of where unchecked intolerance can lead. His wife, his children, and a crowd of students witnessed an act meant to silence, when what they expected was debate. As teachers, we can’t solve political violence — but we can shape how young people learn to disagree. In our classrooms, the habits we model and the structures we build matter: separating the person from the idea, listening before responding, refusing caricatures, and treating disagreement as an invitation, not a threat. This isn’t glamorous work. It won’t stop every act of hate. But it gives students practice in something the wider world has forgotten — how to live with difference without resorting to violence.

Adolescence on Netflix: What It Reveals About Our Boys and Why Teachers Should Watch It
A gripping, real-time series, Adolescence doesn’t just tell a story, it forces us to confront one. Following the radicalisation of a 13-year-old boy who murders his classmate after she calls him an incel, this four-part drama explores how misogyny, isolation, and online influence can collide in devastating ways. In this post, I reflect on what the show gets right, how it mirrors the challenges in our schools, and why teachers should be paying close attention.

Velvet Shadows and Candlelight: Why Darkness Belongs in the Classroom
Why are teens drawn to dystopias, gothic settings, and grief-soaked poetry? The answer might be simpler than you think. In this post, we explore how darker stories offer emotional depth, powerful writing opportunities, and space for healing inside the classroom.