In the second part of our Q&A, author-educator Vanessa Hamilton discusses what consent education is (and some of the misconceptions), examples of what it looks like for students in primary and secondary, best practice for schools, and some of the challenges faced by teachers and leaders.

Age-appropriate consent education will be mandatory in all Australian schools from 2023. Kit and Arlo Find a Way: Teaching consent to 8-12 year olds is a fictional chapter book created for use in primary classrooms. In the first instalment of a two-part Q&A with author-educators Ingrid Laguna and Vanessa Hamilton, we find out more about the resource and research about the impact of consent education in schools.

‘If you’re short on time it’s a great one for dipping in and out of without losing the flow. I also love books that make you stop, reflect and want to share with others, and Phosphorescence certainly ticks all those boxes.’ Teacher editor, Jo Earp, shares her review of Phosphorescence by Julia Baird.

How have things changed for schools over the last two years of the pandemic, and what are the improvement priorities now for teachers, principals and communities on the ground? Professor Pauline Taylor-Guy joins us for the latest episode in our School Improvement podcast series.

At Melba Copland Secondary School in Canberra, the library has been improving students' connection to recreational reading through an innovative program that allows students to select the books the library purchases. In this photo story, Teacher Librarian Mali Jorm shares how the program operates and the impact on student borrowing rates.

As a teacher, how has work impacted your wellbeing during the pandemic? What wellbeing initiatives are offered at your school, and how can they be improved to better support teachers? In this article, we outline five further readings which explore educator wellbeing in Australia and internationally.

Over the last four years, Aquinas College in Perth, Western Australia, has revamped its Student Leadership program, with the aim of increasing participation and strengthening student voice. Mark Weston – Director of Character Education and Leadership – shares details of how the program is structured and the impact it’s having.

‘Finally in Victoria, we are settling into some cooler weather which always has me craving a warm, nourishing bowl of soup. Minestrone soup is my favourite, mostly because of how flexible the recipe is.’ Editorial Assistant for Teacher, Dominique Russell, shares her recipe for Minestrone soup.

Student engagement in Maths is becoming increasingly important in Australia with the demand for skilled graduates in STEM industries growing. Here we speak to researcher Dr Maaike Wienk about new data showing a decline in Year 12 Maths participation, and what schools can do about it.

‘[The Sacúdete strategy] shows to others what the future of school could look like when we put learners at the centre and make the "extracurricular" the curriculum. That is the lesson that other countries can learn from.’ In his new Teacher column, Andreas Schleicher shares details of a successful program in Colombia that sees educators work as mentors and coaches.