The past few years have been a challenging time for school leaders around the world. In this episode of The Research Files, Dominique Russell is joined by Michelle Striepe to discuss her and her colleagues’ research into what school leaders have learned from leading during crises – including a 3-prong approach they utilised – and how they can be more resilient for future crises. 

Redlands School’s new 9-week, device-free residential learning program for all year 9s is providing opportunities for integrated learning, relationship building and community mindedness. Head of Secondary School Gemma Van de Peer tells Teacher readers about why and how the program was developed, and the impact it has had on student learning and wellbeing.

At Warriapendi Primary School, the leadership team has been on a journey to build staff instructional capacity to lift student outcomes since 2022. In a 3-part series for Teacher, they share their journey so far and the progress they’ve made in literacy instruction. This first article focuses on how they’ve cultivated a positive culture to lay the foundation for change. 

Dr Fatemeh Aminpour – Research Fellow at the City Futures Research Centre at UNSW – joins Teacher editor Jo Earp to explore how you can go about making small, thoughtful changes to playgrounds and outdoor spaces informed by student feedback and research to improve the experience for all children.

‘Staff are integrating AI into their practice in ways that align with their readiness, confidence, and classroom context.’ In today’s article, Georgie Facci from Scotch College Junior School, Adelaide, shares how the school is embedding AI into the teaching and learning across the curriculum, and how staff are building their confidence and capabilities to foster a culture of empowered experimentation.

Conversations about children’s online safety are fixated on the most visible harms. The Alannah & Madeline Foundation uses the 4cs framework (Content, Contact, Conduct and Compulsion) to explain why this approach will never achieve lasting results.  

For some students and families, barriers related to health, wellbeing and social services can significantly hinder their access to learning. Creating a school hub is one solution. In today’s article we find out more about the Mirrung Program at Ashcroft Public School – a bespoke model that’s meeting community needs and having positive impacts for everyone involved.

Each year, the Australian Institute for Teaching and School Leadership’s (AITSL) Australian Teacher Workforce Data initiative collects data from higher education providers, teacher regulatory authorities and teachers themselves on topics important to the national teacher workforce. In today’s article, Dr Gillian Clark, Alex Allan and Dr Susan-Marie Harding from AITSL provide a snapshot of some of the latest data. 

As a teacher, you’ll likely remember your first few years in the profession and the support that made a difference to you. But what does the research say about how schools can best support early career teachers? Ebony Malzek from Monash University joins Dominique Russell in this podcast to discuss new research in this area. 

For more than 20 years, ReachOut Australia has been helping young people access support as they experience mental health challenges. Free, anonymous and confidential, ReachOut is a safe place where young people can express themselves, get a deeper understanding of what's happening in their lives, connect with judgment-free support, and build resilience to manage their challenges now and in the future.