Our annual Teacher magazine reader survey has concluded for another year. In this article, we’re delighted to share the winner of our $550 book prize bundle and an early overview of the insights you shared with us through the survey.

‘Students felt safe to wonder, investigate, disagree respectfully and learn from one another.’ Arushi Sikri, Primary Years Programme Coordinator at Prometheus School – an IB World School – shares how a simple 5-minute classroom sparked curiosity among her students and helped to drive deeper learning and understanding in a unit on the human body.

PISA is the world’s largest international assessment of student learning, and it shows how well 15-year-old students can apply their knowledge and skills in real-world situations. Each cycle assesses 3 core domains: science, reading and mathematics. Here’s a look at Australia’s 2025 performance in an international context. 

Drama can give students a voice to express themselves and demonstrate knowledge. In today’s article, we speak with Joseph Bough from Truganina P-9 College in Melbourne about how he built the school’s Performing Arts program. He shares the success they’ve experienced with participation and his favourite lesson activities. 

Teachers play a vital role in shaping the people we become. To celebrate World Teachers’ Day this year, we asked 5 educators to ‘tell us about a teacher that helped to shape the person you are today.’ 

In his latest Teacher column, Professor Martin Westwell, Chief Executive of the South Australian Department for Education, argues explicit instruction, classroom technology and AI raise the same essential question: who is doing the thinking? ‘The aim is not to make learning harder. It is to make sure the hard thinking is happening in the right place.’

As we start to turn our minds to the end of this school year, at Teacher, we take the time to invite you to share your feedback with us. Our annual reader survey launched this month and is open until 6 November 2026. In this episode, we take you through some early responses and other recent content highlights. 

In our annual reader survey, we ask: How did your own teachers have a positive impact on you as a student? How has their influence shaped who you are today? On this World Teachers’ Day, we shine a spotlight on the lasting impact of the profession by sharing some of your responses.

Thinking back to your own school years, it’s likely there were key friends you relied on for support. But it’s not just close friends who make a difference. New research from South Australia suggests that, when it comes to building resilience among adolescents, being part of larger peer groups is just as important.

As a teacher, what can you learn about your students from a good assessment? How can a good assessment support your understanding of individual students and help you plan for the next steps in teaching and learning? We’ve called on our ACER colleague, Dr Dara Ramalingam, Research Director of Assessment Development, to unpack these questions.