‘At Dromana College we had an issue with only a few teachers having the confidence to write a decent rubric…As a school, we therefore came up with our own guidelines on how to construct rubrics for years 7-10.’ In this reader submission, Assessment and Reporting Coordinator Jodi Wilson shares how the Victorian secondary school has been helping teachers to improve their own rubric design skills.

‘[Do] teachers need to be trained therapists? A resounding no. Teachers can provide the best support to students impacted by trauma by developing positive relationships, implementing evidence-informed classroom practices, providing effective instruction and managing the classroom environment so that all students, including those affected by trauma, can thrive,’ Dr Lorna Hepburn writes in our latest reader submission.

‘It is essential [teachers] have the training and resources needed to ensure that all students can access quality education.’ In this expert Q&A, we speak with ACER Research Fellow Kashfee Ahmed about a new resource kit on disability-inclusive education.

In this extract from their new book, Leading Improvement in School Community Wellbeing, Dr Donna Cross and Dr Leanne Lester are discussing the role of ‘wellbeing champions’ in a school setting, and the 4 key elements school leaders need to prioritise when it comes to staff wellbeing.

School Assembly is the podcast that explores what it takes to build a new school from the ground up. In Series 1 we’re following Principal Dr Ray Boyd and Associate Principal Rachael Lehr at Dayton Primary School in Western Australia. In this episode we’re talking about student enrolments.

All children deserve a healthy foundation for their development and growth, and schools play a crucial role in making this a reality. A new discussion paper suggests shifting the core purpose of schools and shares 5 key principles to enhance student wellbeing, learning and happiness.

‘As a school teacher or leader, you will understand the challenge of addressing gaps in students’ literacy and numeracy skills.’ In this article, Adam Inder shares findings from AERO’s 'Implementing effective tiered interventions in secondary schools' project.

In this edition of Researching education: 5 further readings, we share 5 pieces of content on the topic of supporting reading from researchers in Australia and from overseas, including an open access book with practical teaching strategies and a paper that takes a deep dive into phonemic proficiency.

Our latest Teacher’s Bookshelf features Becoming a Totally Inclusive School: A Guide for Teachers and School Leaders, written by Angeline Aow, Sadie Hollins and Stephen Whitehead. This exclusive extract shares examples of what it means to be a totally inclusive school – an equitable and just institution – and some of the challenges.

In the final article of a series about a 3-year Australian research project into Problem Based Learning in school-based STEM education, 2 of the teachers who are co-researchers in the project – Melissa Gatt and Frank Fabri – discuss student agency as a necessary condition for meaningful STEM learning.