Australian education is caught in a storm. NAPLAN dominates the headlines, 'best practice' has become a byword for compliance, and the data tells a sobering story – falling attendance, disengaged students, and nearly four in ten teachers planning to leave the profession. Yet the system's response has been more of the same: narrower accountability, thinner pedagogy, louder metrics. Empowering Schools asks a different question: what if the problem isn't that we need better practices, but a better way of being in education altogether? Drawing on thinkers including Biesta, Freire, Ahmed and Spinoza, Dr Benjamin C. Zonca makes the case for empowerment as a relational, collective and continuous process – one that cannot be reduced to a checklist but can be cultivated and sustained. Through a clear Framework for Empowerment and eight interconnected Empowerment Practices spanning time, assessment, curriculum design, collaboration, critical literacy and policy, this book invites teachers and leaders to slow down, challenge their assumptions, and build schools where students, teachers and communities can genuinely thrive. Empowerment cannot be given – but the conditions for it can be created.

After twelve years as a principal, Jenny Cole walked out mid-meeting and never returned. That spectacular moment of burnout taught her everything she needed to know about the impossible choices facing educators today. Teach, Lead or Leave is the honest, practical guide for every big-hearted teacher and leader who's ever whispered, 'How much longer can I keep doing this?' This isn't a book about convincing you to stay or go – it's about helping you make a conscious, informed decision that aligns with who you are and what you need to live a deeply satisfying life. Through personal stories, research-backed frameworks, and real experiences from educators across Australia, Jenny offers six distinct pathways forward. Whether you choose to stay and reshape your role, step into leadership, pause to rest and reset, pivot sideways within education, ease out with grace, or leave entirely, this book provides the clarity and courage to move from restlessness to intentional action. Complete with reflective prompts, practical tools, and frameworks for understanding your values, strengths, and purpose, Teach, Lead or Leave is the coaching conversation every educator deserves when facing one of the most important career decisions they'll ever make.

Teaching is one of the most rewarding professions on earth – and one of the most demanding. So why do we so rarely extend to ourselves the care and kindness we pour into others every day? In this warm, evidence-based guide, positive psychology coach and educator Chris Egan makes a compelling case for self-compassion as the missing ingredient in educator wellbeing. Drawing on 20+ years of robust research, 35 years in education, and the real stories of teachers and school leaders who have transformed their inner lives, this book offers a practical roadmap for moving from burnout and self-criticism towards genuine flourishing. With reflective prompts, innovative practices, and honest stories from the classroom and beyond, this book meets educators exactly where they are – and gently, powerfully, invites them somewhere better. Because the same compassion you give your students? You deserve it too.

You’ve worked hard to get where you are – but what got you here won’t get you there. This book is for educational leaders who sense they’re stuck in the weeds, overwhelmed by daily tasks, firefighting, and keeping their heads down while others seem to move ahead. Drawing on decades of experience as a teacher, school leader, and leadership coach, Janine Stratford reveals the game-changer that separates leaders who survive from those who thrive: strategic thinking. This isn’t corporate jargon or abstract theory – it’s a practical blueprint for leading with purpose, direction, and clarity that will transform both your team’s success and your future career.  Through the Leadership Blueprint Model – Brand, Recognise, Align, Nurture, and Demonstrate – this book shows you how to step back from the busyness, build the culture your team needs to succeed, and position yourself for the impact and recognition you deserve. Packed with real stories, actionable strategies, and honest insights about what actually works, this is the book that helps you work smarter, lead differently, and create change that lasts. Whether you’re an aspiring leader or an experienced one ready for your next step, this is your roadmap from overwhelm to strategic leadership – and from hard work to lasting legacy.

We've become skilled at applying trauma-informed practices to our work with young people. But what about the adults doing this work? Teachers, youth workers, social workers, carers and support staff are wading through water daily, pretending we can do so without getting wet. This book challenges that assumption. Drawing on trauma theory and research, wellbeing science and two decades of frontline experience, Megan Corcoran makes the case that trauma-informed practice cannot be something we apply to others – it must be something we embody ourselves. Beyond Survival Mode offers a compassionate and practical roadmap for professionals working in trauma-affected environments. Through the NEST framework – Notice, Embed, Strengthen, Thrive – Corcoran guides readers beyond baseline coping towards genuine flourishing, even amid challenging work. This book illuminates how trauma exposure, unsafe team culture and systemic pressures compromise practitioner wellbeing, and what we can do about it. It’s not another call for individual self-care; it's an invitation to reimagine what becomes possible when organisations create the conditions for adults to feel safe, valued and supported to do meaningful work together.

Teaching has always been demanding. But somewhere between the staffroom and the school run, the lesson plans and the bedtime routine, it became something else entirely: relentless. Teach, Parent, Repeat says what teachers are thinking but are rarely allowed to say out loud: that the emotional labour is enormous, the expectations are contradictory and the line between who you are at work and who you are at home stopped existing a long time ago. Written by teacher, researcher and mother Emma Derainne, this is an honest, warm and wickedly funny survival guide for educators who still care deeply – and are quietly wondering how long they can keep going at this pace. Through sharp personal storytelling and grounded research, Teach, Parent, Repeat names the invisible load, challenges the myth of endless holidays and offers something genuinely rare: permission to set boundaries, lead with humanity and fall in love with teaching again – on your own terms.

Schools say they value relationships – but do their systems actually support them? The Relational School is for educators and leaders who sense the gap between what their school aspires to be and what it feels like to work and learn there every day. Drawing on decades of experience as a teacher, counsellor and school leader, Sue Chandler explores why well-intentioned relational initiatives struggle to stick – and what it takes to build a culture where connection, accountability and trust aren't just ideals, but everyday practice. Through compelling stories, practical frameworks and honest reflections, this book introduces the Relational Practice Bridge – a systems-level approach to embedding relational culture across leadership, policy and daily interactions. Complete with the Relational Practice Assessment Audit Tool, this is not another quick-fix behaviour management model. It's an invitation to reimagine how schools relate, lead and respond – with clarity, courage and a willingness to align what we say we value with how we actually work.

FAMILY-HISTORY SLEUTHING IS TODAY'S BIGGEST HOBBY WORLDWIDE This unique and practical handbook will help you craft the history of your ancestors in an interesting and rewarding way that other people will want to read. Hazel Edwards addresses the vital issues of how to: interview elderly relatives and people close to the family use anecdotes and record memories do justice to intriguing ancestors structure the drama and tension inject life into a name on a shipping list present the family's secrets diplomatically. This revised edition of Hazel's best-selling guide to writing a family history acknowledges the latest e-formats that writers use, includes helpful tips on how to write history for children or write a eulogy, and covers the growing interest in touring military battlefields and researching onsite material.

Effective instructional leadership doesn't just happen – it's created by design. Research shows it has a greater impact on student outcomes than any other form of school leadership, yet developing this capability remains one of education's most pressing challenges. Instructional Leadership: 15 High-Impact Practices to Develop Instructional Leaders provides a comprehensive framework for building the leadership capability that matters most. Drawing on extensive research and decades of practical experience, Glenn Forbes presents five critical components and fifteen evidence-based practices proven to improve student outcomes. Whether you're a new leader seeking foundational knowledge, an experienced principal developing your team, or a system leader supporting schools, this book equips you with the tools to move beyond administrative management and become an active driver of instructional improvement.

Connecting with Your Students is a simple, practical resource for all educators who want to build meaningful relationships with their students while developing essential life skills that drive academic success. This engaging and effective book contains 40 chapters organised across four school terms, each focusing on a different life skill. Teachers can follow the chapters chronologically throughout the year or select specific skills that align with their students’ needs. Each chapter features inspiring quotes, student-friendly definitions, ten practical classroom activities requiring minimal preparation, and real-life stories illustrating each skill in action. The activities foster positive classroom relationships while equipping students with the tools they need to overcome challenges and flourish. Learning these skills will help your students not only navigate the demands of school life but also thrive throughout their lives.   Preparing developing brains for life. Andrew Fuller Andy shows teachers exactly how to build genuine relationships. Professor Pasi Sahlberg The secret sauce for teachers: relationships before curriculum. Andrew Dalgleish

Driving School Improvement: Practical strategies and tools is designed to support school leaders in practical, adaptable and context-specific ways to advance their school’s improvement journey. The focus of the book is implementation. A broad collection of tools, activities and pro formas are provided, which have been used successfully in a range of schools. School leaders can begin at their school’s point of need and select the path that is most valuable to their setting. This second edition builds on the success of the original resource and, with extensive feedback from the field, delivers significantly expanded, refined and updated research, case studies and techniques to help schools meet the implementation challenge. With the help of Driving School Improvement, whole-school improvement can be embedded so that it becomes truly sustainable, resulting in measurable long-term progress in learning outcomes for schools, teachers and students.

Kit goes to school with her friends Harley and Vanya, and always tries her best at everything she does. Arlo is too loud, too close, just too... much. But when a moving van pulls up next to Kit’s house one weekend, Kit and Arlo find out they have a lot more in common than they thought. Join Kit, Arlo and their friends as they navigate school, home life and friendships, and learn more than a few things about how to get along. Kit and Arlo Find a Way: Stories about consent for 8–12 year olds is a much-needed consent teaching resource for Grades 3 to 6. An action-packed and relatable fictional chapter book, Kit and Arlo is a page-turning journey of upper primary school kids – Kit, Arlo, Harley and Vanya – developing and exploring friendships with plenty of ups and downs. Entertaining and compelling as a standalone narrative, Kit and Arlo’s secret weapon is that it contains all of the complex components of consent and includes respectful relationships education in an age-appropriate format. Teachers and parents can read the story, chapter by chapter, and then use the discussion points and ‘read and respond’ notes to facilitate conversations around consent in child-friendly ways. For schools and families needing a more in-depth consent and respectful relationships curriculum, a dedicated Kit and Arlo resources platform houses evidence-based teaching activities, videos, webinars, podcasts, resource links and lesson plans designed to tie in with the story. Kit and Arlo Find a Way is a vital resource for schools and families doing the essential work of empowering kids with decision-making skills that will carry through to their interactions and relationships later on in life. The Educational Publishing Awards Australia (EPAA) also recognised the importance and quality of this resource, awarding Kit and Arlo Find a Way wins for both the Educational Chapter Book and Outstanding Primary Resource categories.  NSW government schools should navigate to the NSW Department of Education’s Student Wellbeing external programs catalogue here to learn more about accessing this resource.  Key topics include: body boundaries and safety verbal and non-verbal cues developing a sense of self, personal strength and self-determination understanding that the responsibly of ‘yes’ or ‘no’ should be shared understanding that shared activities should have enthusiastic, affirmative and ongoing consent having the courage to withdraw consent understanding gendered stereotypes, coercion and power imbalances learning to have empathy for others managing disappointment when someone changes their mind how to be an upstander when someone is being harmed the keys to respectful relationships and better friendships. Teaching consent to children For schools and families needing a more in-depth consent and respectful relationships curriculum, a dedicated Kit and Arlo resources platform houses evidence-based teaching activities, videos, webinars, podcasts, resource links and lesson plans designed to tie in with the story. Consent is integral to human relationships throughout our whole lives. It is complex and also surprisingly simple. The basic principles of consent must always apply to all of our connections, including with family, friends, work and play.  However, people are complex. In different situations, we can experience a range of different feelings, thoughts and emotions. In order to be sure that someone wants to share an experience with us equally, and that they are giving affirmative permission. We need to make important choices and decisions to ensure we always have and give consent.  Download the resources here.

Play-based learning has long been a means of facilitating teaching and learning in the early childhood years. The Walker Learning Approach, an Australian-designed, evidence-based play pedagogy, provides a solid base and foundation for intentional and responsive teaching in the early years. The program's systems and practices support teams of early childhood educators in a consistent approach that ensures continuity and predictability for children, educators and families. Early Childhood Play Matters provides guidance and many practical ideas on implementing the Walker Learning Approach within early childhood learning practices. Topics include: Intentional teaching How to minimise time spent on planning and documentation while producing clinical and professional records How to set up open-ended play learning experiences to promote skills How to scaffold with intention and purpose for learning How to communicate effectively as an educator How to honour and build relationships with children and families. It also includes organisational ideas and resources, a full-colour section of photographs, templates for planning, assessment and reporting activities, and a bibliography for further reference. Early Childhood Play Matters concentrates on the most formative years of education (birth to six years of age), with intentional, rich and rigorous play-based opportunities for young children. It builds upon the successful work that Shona Bass and Kathy Walker have achieved in play-based curriculum in the early and primary years nationally and internationally. Early Childhood Play Matters Resources Daily/Weekly Record Sheet Individual observation and planning record (IOPR) Statement of intent: Early Childhood Education generic planning indicator

Following the success of Play Matters 2nd ed., Engagement Matters is the next stage of the Walker Learning Approach for implementation with primary students in Grades 3-6. Engagement Matters provides a step-by-step, practical guide for teachers, emphasising student engagement, empowerment and achievement, and importantly, personalised learning. The transition from Grade 2 into the middle and upper primary years is made seamless through the provision of tips, activities and explanatory theory. Engagement Matters will equip schools with the capacity to actively engage students in their learning across all subject areas and diverse contexts. In doing so, Engagement Maters effectively lays the foundations for ongoing engagement and successful learning throughout the school life. The book contains a full colour section of photographs to highlight key themes. Download the Appendices documents for planning, assessment and reporting activities here: Planning Materials Editable Templates

In this highly successful resource, Kathy Walker demonstrates the key principles of the Walker Learning Approach that she has developed over 15 years of observation, participation and presentation in schools and child care centres across Australia. Play Matters provides practical guidance and innovative strategies for teachers working with young children from preschool to Grade 2, through a unique balance of explicit instruction in literacy and numeracy skills and personalised, explorative learning. The book promotes the active engagement of all young children, with an enhanced focus on children from diverse backgrounds as well as children with specific needs. Play Matters is packed with pedagogical features to support implementation in any educational setting. It contains a full colour section of photographs. Organisational ideas and resources are provided, along with a comprehensive bibliography for further reference and advice. Download the Appendices documents for planning, assessment and reporting activities in Word or PDF.    

You invest hours crafting thoughtful feedback. Students spend seconds looking at it. They skim comments, correct surface details, or ask “Is this good?”—not because your feedback lacks quality, but because they haven't yet learned how to identify what they need or seek the right help. Guidance that should accelerate learning stalls, through no fault of teacher expertise. This isn’t a feedback problem. It's a learner capability problem. From Feedback to Advice shows how to develop students who actively seek the help they need and act on it with purpose. By making your thinking visible—revealing the feedback process you’ve always managed internally—you help students understand how improvement actually works. Through six progressive stages, James Anderson presents a practical pathway for developing students’ capacity to direct their own improvement. You'll learn how to cultivate students who: Shift from “Is this good?” to “Here's what I've tried, and here's where I need help” Understand and navigate the improvement process themselves  Identify their learning gaps and present evidence of their attempts  Request specific, purposeful advice rather than waiting for evaluation  Take increasing ownership of their learning—lesson by lesson, year by year This isn't a book about writing better comments. It's a book about developing the learner capability that makes feedback matter. With practical strategies for primary and secondary classrooms, and a clear progression leaders can implement school-wide, this book offers a systematic approach to strengthening learner expertise. When students develop the capability to seek the help they need—and act on it—feedback finally works as intended. Learning accelerates. And the improvement process you once carried alone becomes a genuine partnership.

Teaching Business: A Practical Guide for Secondary School Teachers is an indispensable resource for educators at every stage of their career. Written by experienced Business Studies teacher, HSC Senior Marker and MBA graduate Ben Andersen, this book cuts through the noise of competing educational theories to deliver clear, classroom-tested strategies that genuinely work. Structured around three core actions – content delivery, application strategies and business communication – it offers practical tools to streamline complex content, reduce cognitive overload and develop the kind of flexible business thinking that prepares students not just for exams, but for life beyond school. More than a teaching manual, Teaching Business makes a compelling case for why business education matters. Andersen argues that all life is business, and that teachers of this subject occupy a uniquely powerful position to cultivate personal empowerment, ethical leadership and entrepreneurial thinking in the next generation. Whether you are a first-year teacher handed a syllabus and a dusty textbook, or a seasoned educator looking to sharpen your craft, this book offers the practical mentorship, honest reflection and actionable guidance to help you – and your students – thrive.

Every generation of Christian school leader stands in the quarry, chisel in hand, cutting stone toward something far greater than themselves. Grand Designs: Building Faithful Christian Schools That Last the Test of Time is a compelling guide for leaders committed to building Christian schools that endure as living communities of faith, formation and purpose. Dr Darren Iselin and Dr Daniel Pampuch argue that the greatest risk facing Christian schools today is not external pressure but internal drift. When foundational vision fades, a once vibrant community becomes an impressive but empty monument. Structured around four foundation stones of alignment, belonging, excellence and imagination, and four dimensions of formation for the next generation, Grand Designs offers both a framework and a call to action for Christian school leaders, educators and board members. Rich with research, theological grounding and honest reflection from the field, this is a book for those who understand that Christian schooling is an intergenerational project, one that demands clarity of purpose, courage of conviction, and the wisdom to prepare those who will continue building long after we are gone.

Every child is born with the most extraordinary organ on earth – a brain that is constantly growing, adapting, and rewiring itself in response to the world around it. In The Livewired Child, renowned educator and neuroscience researcher Dr Michael C. Nagel takes parents and educators on a fascinating journey through the developing brain, from conception to the early school years. Drawing on the latest neuroscientific research, Dr Nagel reveals how the experiences we provide children in their earliest years don't just shape who they are – they quite literally wire the architecture of their brains. Written in an accessible and engaging style, The Livewired Child bridges the gap between cutting-edge brain science and the everyday realities of raising and educating children. Covering everything from learning and language to emotional intelligence and cognitive development, Dr Nagel offers practical insights to help parents, teachers, and caregivers make the decisions that matter most – because understanding how a child's brain grows is the first step to nurturing it well.

What does it take to build a school that forms good men? Building Schools for Boys offers a compelling and practical framework for educators committed to this question. Drawing on decades of global research and real-world school leadership, Professor Phil Cummins and David Atkinson argue that character is not an add-on to a boys' education – it is the whole work. Grounded in the conviction that boys thrive when they belong, fulfil their potential and learn to do good in the world, this book challenges schools to move beyond narrow academic measures and build cultures of intentional character formation. Spanning six key dimensions of school life – contribution, hope, intention, expectation, value and experience – the book weaves together research, practical frameworks and rich case studies from outstanding schools across Australia, the United Kingdom, South Africa, New Zealand, Canada and the United States. Whether you lead a boys' school, teach in one or are rethinking what education for young men can and should be, Building Schools for Boys offers both the rationale and the roadmap for schools where boys become the good men the world needs.