What Teachers Are Learning from Their Own Lessons

We don’t often get to hear ourselves teach.

We might remember moments from a lesson—how it felt, how students responded, what we intended to do. But memory is patchy. And let’s be honest: teaching moves fast. There’s rarely time to rewind.

But something powerful happens when teachers do hear themselves.

When they listen back.

When they see a transcript.

When they notice things they didn’t spot in the moment.

That’s where learning really starts.

Insight From the Inside Out

As part of the Starlight pilot, teachers across a range of schools have begun exploring their own practice through classroom audio and AI-generated coaching reports. The lessons weren’t perfect. They weren’t polished for observers. And that’s the point.

Here’s what some teachers have discovered so far:

“I realised I was talking almost constantly. The transcript made that so clear. No wonder the students were drifting.”

— Secondary English teacher

“I thought I was cold calling, but I was just bouncing between volunteers.”

— History teacher

“I didn’t think I’d used much subject vocabulary. Turns out I’d used loads—just not always at the right level.”

— Primary science lead

Each insight came not from an observer, but from the teacher themselves.

Their words.

Their tone.

Their practice.

Replayed. Reflected. Refined.

Starlight Isn’t Judging. It’s Not Even Watching.

Starlight was built to support this exact kind of insight—not as a performance management tool, but as a professional mirror.

Teachers record a lesson.

Starlight transcribes it and analyses the dialogue, tone, pacing, questioning, and more.

A coaching-style report arrives within minutes.

No pressure.

No grades.

Just meaningful feedback—on your terms.

And for many, that’s been the most surprising thing:

It doesn’t feel like data. It feels like discovery.

Reflection Is a Skill. And a Gift.

There’s something deeply empowering about seeing your teaching from the outside in. Not to criticise. Not to compare. But to learn.

Whether it’s spotting strengths you hadn’t noticed or uncovering habits you didn’t realise were there, reflection is no longer just a diary entry—it’s data, insight, and a starting point for growth.

So here’s a question:

If you could listen back to your last lesson…

What would you want to hear?

Adam Sturdee

Co-founder of Starlight | Assistant Headteacher | Coaching Enthusiast

www.starlightmentor.com | www.coaching.software