Welcome to the Bridge Building Podcast: From Technology to the Trades! In this episode, host Stephen Anderson sits down with Martin Bannard, a robotics and design teacher who’s tackling a monumental project with his year 10 design class: setting up a school-sized recycling facility.
About This Episode: Martin Bannard describes himself as a teacher who approaches design and technology from an unconventional angle. His optimism—what he humorously calls “horrendously pathologically optimistic”—is driving a project that’s both ambitious and inspiring.
In this episode, you’ll hear the story of how Martin is guiding his students to build a functional recycling facility right within their school. Along the way, he shares valuable insights into the challenges and successes of this project, as well as practical advice for anyone interested in pursuing similar initiatives.
Episode Highlights:
- A Creative Approach: Learn how Martin combines robotics, design, and sustainability to create a hands-on learning experience for his students.
- Grant Writing Success: Discover the strategies Martin used to secure funding for this project, making it a perfect example for anyone considering writing a grant.
- Resources and More: While this podcast is audio-only, we’ve included links in the show notes to all the sites, documents, and resources Martin mentions. If you’re interested in seeing the video version of this conversation or would like access to the original call, let us know!
Join the Conversation: Martin Bannard’s passion for teaching and his innovative approach to design and technology will leave you inspired. If you’d like to see this episode in video format or have any questions, reach out—we’d love to hear from you!
Listen to the Episode: Listen Now
Resources and Links:
About the Bridge Building Podcast
“This is the place where we dissect and then discover the many ways ITD teachers all over this country are using their passion to create passionate students. We talk of measuring and manipulating a multitude of materials of design and divergent thought, of creation with our minds and with our hands. And most of all, we talk of growing great young people because of course that is what we do.”
So what does that mean other than I like to show off my alliteration skills? Since coming back to teaching a few years ago the thing that strikes me most, and frankly scared me most is how lonely this job is. How little we know about what is happening in our subject area. The classroom next door, a class in the next school, let alone the next town are a mystery to me. I know there are teachers out there doing incredible things and this (the podcast) is a way for me to find out and be inspired. I would like to invite you along to listen and learn, to be inspired by some of the sensational teachers I speak to on the “Bridge Building Podcast – from technology to the trades”
About the Podcast Host
Stephen Anderson is a Design Technology, Trade Training and accidental Science teacher at a small high school 2 hours North West of Brisbane.
Over To You
If you know someone who is doing something spectacular or just great fun in design and tech or in trade training, I would love to know about them.
Contact me through my email osaerial@gmail.com
Music by:
Viola Pink
My favourite busker from the Nanango markets.