Jay Dehaan didn’t grow up wanting to be a teacher. In fact, he hated school. He left education with no qualifications, spent five years in a wheelchair as a child due to Perthes disease, and was told by Citizens Advice that his family would be better off if he signed on.

But somehow, against the odds, Jay found his way into the classroom.

In this episode, Jay shares his early life with brutal honesty. We talk about growing up in chaos, being excluded by the very system he would later work in, and the life-changing moment his partner Sarah enrolled him on a college course without asking.

This is a story of trauma, tenacity, and the long, winding road into teaching. Jay is real, warm, and unfiltered. We loved this conversation, and we know you will too.

With thanks to our episode sponsors (Click to visit their websites):

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Mark Rickard - Author: Teach, Survive, Repeat

The Empowerful Club

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Thanks for listening 🙏
Edited with finesse by our Podcast Super Producer, Mike Roberts of Making Digital Real