School Assembly is the podcast that explores what it takes to build a new school from the ground up. It’s the first episode of Series 2, and we’re in the Melbourne suburb of Truganina to meet Jo Camozzato, principal of the new dual campus Bemin Secondary College, which opens its doors to students at the start of the 2024 school year.

In this episode of School Improvement, we’re joined by Angeline Aow and Sadie Hollins, 2 of the authors of Becoming a Totally Inclusive School: A Guide for Teachers and School Leaders. We’ll be talking about what we mean by Total Inclusivity, and exploring the Continuum on Becoming a Totally Inclusive School – a 6 stage framework to help schools and educators move from theory to practice.

‘[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.

Any kind of change can be exciting and sometimes daunting, and moving from primary to secondary school is no different. So, what are the worries and challenges for students, and what would help to make the process easier? In this episode we’re discussing the research behind Life Ed’s Guide to Thrive transition program and how student voice has informed the resources.

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.

Does your school have a Reconciliation Action Plan in place? Briar Road Public School has been recognised for their reconciliation initiatives and in this article, we speak to the principal and Aboriginal Culture and Curriculum teacher about how they have created a culture at their school where Aboriginal education is embedded in the curriculum.

Why is everyone talking about ChatGPT? In today’s podcast special, we speak with several education experts to hear their thoughts on the potential impact of ChatGPT on teaching and learning – from assessment, to equity in education, and policy decisions. ChatGPT will also be joining us as a guest.

The latest winners of the annual Prime Minister’s Prizes for Excellence in Science teaching are George Pantazis from Marble Bar Primary School in Western Australia, and Veena Nair from Viewbank College in Victoria. They both join us in this episode to discuss the work they’ve been recognised for.

In today’s podcast, we’re joined by Dr Carly Sawatzki from Deakin University to discuss the state of financial education across Australia. She also shares how opportunities for teaching about finance are framed within the Australian Curriculum and provides examples of other educators teaching financial education exceptionally well.

The 2022 winners of the Prime Minister’s Prizes for Excellence in Science Teaching have just been announced. In this article, we share the contributions the primary and secondary school teachers are making to Science education.