School leaders

'As we approach the third year of the pandemic, it’s crucial that teachers and students have the opportunity to reset for the school year ahead.' In our latest reader submission, Dr Tom Brunzell shares tools and strategies from trauma-informed and strengths-based practice that can be used to support teacher wellbeing and ensure students are ready to learn.

The Connection is a network of high-performing school leaders working in some of Australia’s most challenged communities. They’ve been reflecting on successful practices in their own schools since the start of the pandemic. Today’s article shares their top five recommendations for learning through COVID.

As a school leader, what’s your response to negative events or difficult situations? In the upcoming school year, what areas might you choose to work collectively with staff on improving? We’ve unpacked these questions recently at Teacher, so in this episode we’re looking at leadership.

The leadership team at Suncoast Christian College in Queensland has been working hard to open up classrooms, encourage greater sharing of practice, and make the shift to a more collaborative model of planning, teaching and assessment. We find out more from Principal Greg Mattiske and Director of Teaching and Learning Haley Whitfield.

A report released by the Australian Government Department of Education, Skills and Employment, addresses the unique challenges faced by school leaders in regional, rural and remote schools and outlines four key qualities of school leaders achieving high impact in these settings.

In a recent Teacher article, Ben Sacco from the MacKillop Institute discussed three elements that can directly support schools to improve teaching, learning and wellbeing – safety, relational trust, and shared language. In this follow-up, Sacco, and St Pius X Deputy Principal Stacey Atkins and Principal Joe Ewing share how the Catholic primary school has been putting these elements into action.

‘How do you respond when leaders opt for optimism, in order to skim over dealing with the real issues that your school and community are cultivating, because it is easier to deny they exist?’ What happens when positivity gets out of hand, and how can we best respond to those who refuse to acknowledge the bad times?

‘Last year offered school leadership teams, amongst other things, the chance to reflect on the hows and whys of education.’ Leon Furze, Director of Learning and Teaching, shares how the leadership team at Monivae College in regional Victoria has made significant changes to the Year 9-12 curriculum.

As Australia marks World Teachers’ Day, a new survey report released to coincide with the celebrations shines a light on school educators’ passion for and dedication to the profession and lifelong learning. But it also reveals how the job is taking a toll on their wellbeing.

As COVID-19 vaccination rates increase and schools here in Australia and around the world return to on-site learning, teachers and students will need to reestablish face-to-face relationships and routines, take time to reflect on their home learning experiences and think about where to from here. Dr Gail Brown and Dr Carl Leonard offer some advice and questions for reflection in today’s reader submission.