Bestselling author returns with practical framework to transform collaborative meetings in schools
Following the success of his acclaimed book The Pruning Principle, education expert Dr Simon Breakspear is set to release his latest work, Elevated Conversations, offering educators a lifeline for one of their most persistent challenges: making collaborative time truly count.
Any educator knows the frustration. You block out precious time for team meetings, hoping for meaningful professional dialogue, only to find yourself in another draining, unfocused session that leaves everyone feeling more exhausted than energised. With teaching professionals already stretched to their limits, the waste of collaborative time isn't just inefficient – it's demoralising.
A toolkit born from real classroom experience
Elevated Conversations emerges from Simon's extensive work with thousands of educators worldwide, offering seven field-tested conversational tools designed to transform how educational teams engage in professional dialogue. Rather than prescribing specific meeting content, the book focuses on powerful frameworks that can be adapted to any school context.
'The goal isn't to add more to educators' plates', explains Simon. 'It's about making the collaborative time they already have far more purposeful and energising'.
The book addresses a fundamental shift in approach – moving teams from what Simon terms 'weary talk' to truly elevated conversations that stimulate fresh thinking, strengthen team connections and drive practical improvements in educational practice.
Ready-to-use templates for immediate impact
What sets Elevated Conversations apart is its practical applicability. Developed through extensive collaboration with diverse teaching professionals and refined through real-world feedback, the book provides ready-to-use templates and structured approaches that any team member can implement immediately.
The toolkit is designed to reduce preparation workload for team leaders while simultaneously elevating the quality of discussions – a combination that addresses two of educators' most pressing needs in collaborative settings.
From practitioner to global education advisor
Dr Simon Breakspear brings unique credibility to this challenge. With a PhD from the University of Cambridge and current roles as Adjunct Senior Lecturer at UNSW and advisor to the NSW Department of Education, his expertise is grounded in both rigorous research and practical classroom experience as a former high school teacher.
As the creator of the Teaching Sprints method, The Pruning Principle and founder of Strategic Schools, Dr Breakspear has worked with over 100,000 educators across more than 10 countries, consistently demonstrating his ability to translate evidence-based ideas into actionable tools that work in real educational settings.
Building on proven success
The upcoming release builds on the momentum of The Pruning Principle, which became a bestseller by offering educators practical strategies for focusing their efforts on what matters most. Elevated Conversations continues this tradition of providing concrete solutions to universal educational challenges.
Elevated Conversations by Dr Simon Breakspear will be available soon, offering educational teams everywhere the opportunity to transform their collaborative time from obligation to opportunity.
Pre-order Simon's new book here.
