Dominique Russell

What made you decide to become a teacher? We’ve been looking at teacher recruitment this month, but perhaps from a different lens that you might think. In this episode, you’ll hear about what young people are saying about teaching as a career, how much schools in Australia are growing year on year, and more.

As a school leader, have you consulted your students, staff and community members on the topic of student attendance and engagement? New research has explored First Nations student engagement and attendance in remote Australian schools by gathering valuable insights from those on the ground.

We speak often about the importance of students having an adequate amount of food to help them focus and learn during the school day. But what about teachers? In today’s podcast special, we’re joined by Tammie Jakstas, former teacher and Accredited Practising Dietitian, to hear about her teacher nutrition study.

We know the global teacher shortage is impacting many different school contexts, and that encouraging young people to consider a career in teaching is an important part of the long-term picture. Dr Tracy Woodroffe joins us to discuss her 12-month research project that gathered perspectives from Aboriginal students and teachers. These perspectives informed recommendations to encourage more Aboriginal young people in the Northern Territory to consider teaching.  

The Australian Bureau of Statistics release data on schools, staff and students in Australia each year. The latest data for 2024 show increases from 2023 in student retention, full-time equivalent teaching staff, and student enrolment.

As a teacher, knowing the words your students frequently use in their writing can help you understand where to extend their spelling and vocabulary skills. The 2024 Oxford Children’s Word of the Year report reveals words frequently used by primary aged children in their writing. 

The latest annual Youth Survey by national charity Mission Australia received responses from 17,480 young people (aged 15-19) around the country on issues important to them in 2024. Here, we look at the top personal challenges they are facing.

Last term, the 2024 recipients of the Prime Minister’s Prizes for Excellence in Science Teaching were announced. In this episode, Alice Leung and Daniel Edwards join us to share some of their favourite learning activities to run in the classroom, discuss why STEM is for everyone, and share how they use social media to connect with experts.

In the first edition of Researching education: 5 further readings for 2025, we share 5 further readings that focus on post-pandemic learning – including a report on the impact of small-group tutoring, a case study into migrant parents’ experiences during emergency home-schooling, and more.

A recent survey of more than 1,000 K-12 teachers working in Australian schools has found 47% (almost all female) have experienced sexual harassment within a school environment. Here we share the 6 key findings from the survey and some of the responses from participants.