Can you learn how to do something without doing the something? Is listening to people talk about learning to do something a complex or compound sentence? To explore this topic, join us and our menagerie, flora, fauna, offspring and a cool car cameo!

If you want something done right, then sometimes you have to do it yourself. But if what you want done is for someone to do your job for you, then that's kind of moot. Perhaps what you want to do is be mute, and let them do it for you. As long as they are doing it the way you want done, without you telling them how to do it, and for them to do it their own way, without you having to supervise them supervising.

A: "Did you hear that they got a new puppy?" B: "Get out of here!" A: Leaves...... B: "Oh, come on!" A: "Huh?" B: "Are you off?" A: (Sniffs own armpit) "Um, no?" B: "Are you off your wheaties?" A: ... (Gives up on English forever)

Pomp! Circumstance! Flowing Gowns! Is it all worth it? Or is it all about it? Is it the icing on the cake, or being pushed to give a rating and review after a meal? A lot of people love a good celebration, and it is a nice way for them to tie up a part of life that (presumably) required some commitment. So, come along with us while we throw our hats in the air and take selfies until our faces feel frozen as we stride across the stage in our best frock coats, frilly cravats and shiny buckled riding boots. BTW, 'pomp' is a rather silly sounding word. Seriously. Say it aloud to yourself. 'Pomp'

We all get a little lonely sometimes, but we get by with a little help from our friends. But what if we don't have any friends? What if nobody wants to help us? What if nobody wants our help? It's OK though, sometimes we're in a lovely egalitarian environment with a benign dictator who is willing to make sure that everybody gets a friend, such as a classroom! Surely teachers always have our best interests at heart and can foresee all possible issues with friends, partners, groupmates and coworkers. Right?

To homework, or not to homework. That is the question. Do you think Mr Wilkins will remember to check the assignment? Can I copy yours? Sorry, my dog ate my pencil.. In this episode, Troy and Steve facilate on this rather (un)important question. Both have long histroies of avoiding homework -  as students and as teachers. But both also have a long history of dealing with people who believe that it is important; other teachers, for instance. So. Before you listen, do the worksheet attached below, and you'll find the task sheet in the second attachment that you can complete once you have finished listening.

In this episode, Troy and Steve ask whether teachers can ever not be teachers. What happens to us after the lessons end? Can we turn all that teacher stuff off? Or do we carry it around like a bad backpack with all the important stuff in it that one can't possibly do without? Or, as we kind of hope, are we just normal people with a job and a life outside the job? Troy and Steve kind of agree for a change. For that reason, there is no arguing, bickering or death in this show.

To teach, or not to teach, the question is, is that a complete sentence, seeing as the rule dictates that sentences should contain a subject, verb, and object. Also, when is the correct time to use a semi colon; that is, is it correct to join the clauses as was done when it also includes a zero relative clause? Oh, and never and a sentence with a preposition. Because it's just wrong! I hope this episode is something you can put up with.

Are you comfortable? Are you happy? Is this activity pleasing you? Troy and Steve don't care, really. Nevertheless should you feel these things are important, you are a humanist. And if you teach lessons with these concerns in mind you are a teacher who worries about classroom atmosphere. Actually, Troy and Steve do care - we lied. Atmosphere is really really important and how you feel matters a lot. It really does. Tell us about your relationship with your mother.  Extension task: put commas in where you think they belong, Great job!

Do you ever have the feeling that the person handling the other end of your technology have no idea what they are doing? Like Troy and Steve trying to do this podcast, perhaps? Well, it might be that students and teachers have the same problem even though they have to teach and learn online. They may have absolutely no clue whatsoever. Well, with Covid we are all learning, developing, growing, expanding and cocking things up completely. It's so much fun, but nobody is enjoy it at all. Are we? Just go back to that initial question, do you ever get the feeling that reading episode descriptions about episodes is very meta? Or do you ever get annoyed when some people think the word meta is a social media network? Or for that matter, do you ever get annoyed by string of annoying questions?