It’s the opening day of Research Conference 2025! The Teacher team are busy meeting with classroom teachers and school leaders; and attending international keynote presentations, panel sessions and more, all addressing the overarching theme of transforming learning systems. 

The Science Teachers’ Association of New South Wales (STANSW) is offering a range of professional development events, networking and advocacy this year, supporting NSW teachers to excel in science education. 

The book featured in this edition of Teacher’s Bookshelf is a practical guide that explores the mechanisms behind masterly Mathematics teaching in China. In this extract for Teacher readers, the authors share how 3 teachers are using modelling to clearly define the goals and standards for students’ independent and group work.

Some of our 2024 Teacher Awards winners join us in this special podcast episode, where they share their top tips for starting the new year. From reading recommendations to leadership tips for welcoming and supporting staff for the new year, there’s something in this episode for everyone. 

In Teacher’s first reader submission of 2025, Brisbane-based senior educator Jessica J Griffin reflects on her own leadership practice and philosophy, and how this has changed over the course of her career – moving beyond authority to collaboration, empathy and resilience.

It’s a special, bumper episode of School Assembly as Teacher Editor Jo Earp chats to Dan McShea about setting the teaching direction, and also checks in on Ray Boyd and Rachael Lehr, who we followed in Series 1, and Series 2 principal Jo Camozatto to find out what’s been happening at their schools.

Over the last 5 years, staff at St Mary’s School in Geelong, Victoria, have had a focus on lifting student outcomes through evidence-based instruction. What started with Foundation phonics has now spread across the curriculum and year levels.

In our latest expert Q&A we’re joined by ACER Senior Research Fellow and lead author of the ‘TIMSS 2023 Australia Volume I’ report Nicole Wernert to discuss the main takeaways, and what the data say about year 4 and 8 student strengths and weaknesses in maths and science.

Recent research reveals a decline in high-quality music education availability, and that music teachers are particularly vulnerable to burnout. In response to these challenges, Gradus Software has developed MusicApprentice through extensive consultation with music educators over several years. 

Aspect runs autism-specific education programs in New South Wales and South Australia. In this Leadership Q&A, we speak to Joanne Tisdell – Principal of Aspect South East Sydney School – about supporting students on the autism spectrum, including curriculum content, collaborative partnerships and the design of teaching and learning spaces.