The IEA’s Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) is a global assessment measuring student achievement in years 4 and 8. Teachers from participating schools also complete a questionnaire. Today’s infographic looks at the topics that mathematics teachers reported needing professional development on in the future.

In this expert Q&A Amy Ayres – President of the Science Teachers’ Association of New South Wales – discusses integrating technology into science instruction and improving students’ critical thinking or inquiry skills. These were 2 areas of future PD need highlighted in the latest Australian TIMSS teacher questionnaire findings.

Teacher editor Jo Earp sits down with Mali Jorm, Madison Dearnaley and Tracy Kelly to talk about managing school library and reading spaces, including building a student-driven collection, creating fresh and welcoming spaces, and strategies to encourage reading for pleasure. They also share their personal and student book recommendations. 

‘I wanted to make a meaningful change in how our kids see themselves as mathematicians.’ Mathematics teacher Holly Wedd has been making a significant difference to the way students at her school succeed in maths by boosting their confidence and reducing mathematics anxiety. 

Last term, we shared the 2025 winners of the Australian STEM Video Game Challenge. Teacher aide David Jeffery was the mentor for one of the winning student teams. In today’s Q&A, he tells us about the benefits of the challenge for student learning, and shares advice for other schools wanting to have a crack in 2026.

Each cycle of the global Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA) includes a teacher questionnaire. One questionnaire topic – encouraging mathematical thinking – can help foster critical thinking, enhance problem-solving skills and allow students to see the relevance and connectedness of mathematics in their lives.

What opportunities are available to your students to develop skills in data analysis, game theory and digital citizenship? eSports might be one vehicle for schools. In this article we speak to the eSport Coordinator at Ripley Valley State Secondary College to find out about its eSport Academy.

It’s well known from the research that high quality teaching and leadership teams learn from each other's practices. In today’s episode of Teacher Staffroom, we highlight one school’s story of their journey to build staff capacity. We also look at what principals have learned from leading during crises, and the success of one school’s phone-free year 9 program.

Maths anxiety and negative attitudes towards the subject impact student engagement, learning and achievement. St Raphael’s School in Adelaide has just hosted a week-long celebration designed to tackle maths anxiety and bust myths. In our latest leadership Q&A, Principal Emma Fowler shares more.

For teachers introducing students to the periodic table for the first time, Dr Gregory Watson and Dr Jolanta Watson from the University of the Sunshine Coast recommend you begin with a series of 3 pre-periodic tables. In today’s article, they explain what the introductory non-chemistry tables are, and how they can be used at a primary, secondary and even tertiary level.