Products – Page 8 – Amba Press

Many teachers don’t see themselves as writers – a disconnect often rooted in their own restrictive school experiences where writing meant following rigid assignments with little room for creative freedom. Yet writing alongside students transforms teaching, allowing educators to demonstrate the authentic struggles and joys of the writing process while building their own confidence with words. In Notebook Notions, experienced educator and writer Alan j Wright shares the lessons learned across a rewarding career, revealing how the simple act of keeping a writer’s notebook can revolutionise both your teaching practice and your relationship with writing itself. Drawing from years of experience as a teacher who writes – and a writer who teaches – Alan offers practical wisdom on launching and sustaining a writer’s notebook practice. From collecting raw ideas and embracing inspiration to moving notebook entries into finished projects, this book provides a clear pathway for educators ready to model genuine writer agency in their classrooms. With warmth and candour, Alan reminds us that becoming a writer requires the same courage as learning to ride a bicycle: you must simply climb on and start pedalling. Your notebook journey begins with daring to fill that first blank page.

Now You Are a Principal $42.95

"Educational leadership is an intricate labyrinth, woven with the threads of vision, empathy, resilience, and innovation. It is about creating an environment where every student finds their rhythm and every teacher feels valued and empowered." In Now You Are a Principal, Dr Paul Teys draws on over four decades of educational experience to offer a compelling guide for school leaders. Blending personal anecdotes with practical advice, Teys explores the multifaceted role of a principal, emphasising the creation of a well-being-centred culture, effective school governance, and the delicate balance between innovation and tradition. This insightful book goes beyond mere management techniques, advocating for visionary and empathetic leadership. Dr Teys shares his experiences navigating financial challenges, crises, and an ever-changing educational landscape, highlighting the importance of transparent communication and ethical decision-making. Whether you're a new principal or a seasoned leader, Now You Are a Principal will serve as an invaluable resource as you seek to make a lasting impact in education.

Oh Boy! $39.95

What’s really going on inside the head of a boy?What can neuroscience teach us about educating and raising boys? This engaging book takes a close look at the male brain – how it develops, and how it is different – and the crucial role it plays in how a boy thinks, learns and engages with the world. Moving past the ‘boys will be boys’ dictum, neuroscientist Dr Michael C. Nagel gives us a guided tour of a boys’ brain, and explains how differences in structure and neurochemistry impact their behaviour, learning, emotions and bodies. Exploring aggression, learning difficulties, behaviour, emotional problems, toxic masculinity and the challenges of technology, Nagel offers solutions and ideas for parents and teachers. Drawing on the latest research, Nagel applies neuroscientific insight to the common problems boys face, and argues that by understanding why boys do what they do, we can better work with them to increase their wellbeing and educational outcomes.

On Character $34.95

What does it mean to live a life of good character? And how do we form such character in ourselves and those we teach? Character is how we live our lives as individuals and in community. It's how we strive to belong, fulfil our potential and do what is good and right in the world. It's how we wrestle with ourselves and the world to make a mark and measure up. Through the metaphor of the stonemason's chisel – making marks that are both distinctive and enduring – Dr Phil Cummins reveals character as the wrestling between who we are and who we might become. Drawing on decades of experience working with schools worldwide, he shows how we are formed through this wrestling, always the wrestling, in a life that might come, in time, to be both worthwhile and well-lived. A person of good character can be seen and recognised as one who pursues what is best, who seeks to know, love and do what is true and beautiful in the world. Yet for all our good intentions, we cannot ever quite be the best versions of ourselves, no matter how much we would like this to be the case. We need relationships of character apprenticeship that show us we are not good enough yet – and then help us to grow. Written with clarity, wisdom and a distinctively Australian perspective on equity and excellence, this essential guide challenges educators, leaders and anyone committed to human flourishing to embrace the formation of character for lives of purpose, integrity and service to others.

On the Same Wavelength $42.95

Discover how students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) think and learn differently in this groundbreaking guide for educators. Drawing from extensive research and firsthand accounts, On the Same Wavelength: Neurodiversity, Memory, Learning, and the Autism Spectrum introduces the innovative Thinking, Memory, and Learning Framework (TML), empowering teachers to become cross-cultural interpreters between neurotypical and neurodivergent minds. Through a unique blend of neuroscience, psychology and lived experience, this book challenges traditional teaching approaches and offers practical insights for creating hospitable learning environments that honour cognitive diversity. Whether you're a classroom teacher, school leader or education professional, you'll gain valuable tools for understanding and supporting students with ASD, while learning how to build bridges between different ways of thinking and learning. This essential resource transforms complex research into actionable strategies for inclusive education.

Optometrist $13.95

Have you ever wondered what it’s like to be an optometrist? In this book from the Real People, Real Careers series, we follow Joe on his journey from recent migrant to qualified optometrist. On the way, you’ll read all about what Joe does each day, see pictures of the clinic where he examines patients, and learn some interesting facts about his job as well as key terms that will help you to better understand the world of work.

Outdoor Education at School $39.95

Outdoor Education at School contains sets of practical activities and problem-solving lessons for primary school students. Designed to be done completely within the school grounds and with minimal amount of equipment, these lessons and activities will appeal to the teacher who has little experience in outdoor education and will act as a valuable resource to the experts in the field. The contents are based not only on learning in the outdoors but on learning about and for the outdoors. Specific topics covered include: Environmental studies Initiative games Navigation Bushcraft Mapping Students will enjoy the variety of topics covered while learning skills in personal development, self-esteem, resourcefulness, independence, leadership and cooperation. The lessons are not organised in year levels but in developmental progression from simple and introductory to complex.

Paddock Bomb $12.95

Welcome to the Clancy of the Outback series. Eleven-year-old Clancy has been thrust into life out woop-woop. These are the stories of his outback adventures at his uncle's sheep station, Overflow Station. In this book, Dad's old car has to be taken off the road, so Little Bill decides it could be Clancy's 'paddock bomb'. Meaning he was going to drive it around the farm. Meaning Little Bill was going to teach Clancy to drive. She makes Clancy sit in a baby booster seat so Clancy could see over the steering wheel, and that was just the start of his humiliation! At the conclusion of this book there is an Outback Facts section which provides information on all the car acronyms you will hear, there a poem about the paddock bombs as favourite cars, and the all-important, Outback Jokes section.

Passion, Guts and Leadership $39.95

Deborah Patterson shares her trials and tribulations gleaned over decades of being in schools, the education system and leadership roles. This book provides teachers, educators and principals with a collection of tips, tools and strategies to help them become the best they can be and the leader that they want to be. Knitting together stories and providing a whole lot of sound advice, Deborah provides a real insight into principalship and how to be a successful unconventional educational leader.

People Interacting $42.95

People Interacting is an extensive resource of interactive games that can be used to help students develop a breadth of social skills. The 150 activities have been designed for a range of abilities, ages and levels of maturity. Each activity is clearly set out with a focus, time, materials, the procedure and points for discussion. The selection of activities cover warm ups, self development and responsibility, communication and relationships, and problem solving and decision making. Each procedure, variation and discussion topic has been tried and tested and chosen specifically because of the value it provides to students. Combining the activities with conversational prompts to encourage reflection and discussion, People Interacting aims to encourage and aid the development of the student as a total person by exploring mind, body, emotions, values, and attitudes. The activities enable students to make sense of what they experience in terms of their own needs – their ability to solve problems, to develop a positive self-concept and to develop their social and interpersonal skills more broadly.

-23% sale

Phil Cummins Character bundle $119.95 $154.75

Get all 5 books in this special bundle.

Play Matters $62.95

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.

Poetry Unlocked $29.95

Demystify the world of poetry with this accessible, student-centred guide that transforms the often-intimidating subject into an engaging exploration. From understanding the fundamental elements that make a poem to mastering poetic devices and forms, this comprehensive handbook walks you through everything you need to confidently analyse and appreciate poetry across cultures and time periods. Each chapter builds essential skills – from exploring themes and word choice to writing analytical responses and creating your own original works. With diverse examples from Australian and global poets, practical exercises, and guidance for building a personal poetry portfolio, this book equips students with the tools to not only succeed in classroom poetry analysis but also discover the joy and creative power of poetic expression in the digital age.

Positive School Culture & Effective Leadership $34.95

There is a growing body of research concerning the important role of the school principal in cultivating a positive school culture. School culture influences all happenings in a school and therefore impacts on a school community and on an individual's behaviour, expectations and interactions with others. It follows that cultivating and sustaining a positive school culture should be one of the highest priorities for all school principals. To improve schools and student learning, you must first focus on the culture of the school. Based on Australian author Michael Stewart's groudbreaking PhD thesis, this book explores the journey of a school principal in creating a positive school culture and presents research findings from a case study that explored the cultivation of a positive school culture from the viewpoint of the principal and the various stakeholders within the school. The results from this research indicate that the principal plays a pivotal and crucial role in the cultivation of a positive school culture. However, the results also demonstrated that the principal cannot do this alone, as many other members of the school community contribute to a school's culture. The principal's success in cultivating a school culture was found to depend upon his ability to unite the school community to work together to achieve the school's goals and vision. Results from the research indicated that the principal needed to use a range of strategies to cultivate and maintain a positive school culture. The aim for this book is to assist schools in creating positive school cultures. It is designed to provide some assistance for people who wish to make a difference in their own workplace.

Practical AI Strategies $39.95

Amid the discourse surrounding the controversial role of generative AI in education, Practical AI Strategies goes beyond the hype to explore the opportunities and challenges of the technology in K-tertiary education. The book looks past individual applications to explore the broader landscape of generative AI, offering educators invaluable insights into its workings and ethical considerations. Divided into six parts, Practical AI Strategies guides readers through the construction and ethics of generative AI technologies, navigates policy landscapes and provides practical strategies for using these technologies in education. Detailed sections on text and image generation provide a solid foundation for using generative AI, and prepare educators for multimodal technologies on the near horizon including video, audio and 3D generation. Leon Furze prompts educators to engage critically with generative AI and consider the near future of this rapidly developing technology. He encourages readers to navigate this terrain with an open mind and a discerning eye, and stresses the need for educators to have the fundamental skills to work with generative AI.

Practical AI Strategies 2 $39.95

Building on the foundation of the bestselling Practical AI Strategies, Leon Furze returns with an essential guide for educators navigating the rapidly evolving landscape of generative AI. This timely sequel moves beyond basic implementation to address the critical questions educators are now facing – from rethinking assessment to confronting issues of bias, environmental impact and the human cost of AI development. Leon introduces the Practical AI Process, a structured approach that prioritises pedagogical design over prompt engineering, and presents the innovative AI Assessment Scale. With expanded coverage of multimodal AI technologies including advanced image generation, AI video and voice synthesis, the book prepares educators for emerging capabilities like AI agents and the transformation of the internet itself. Grounded in real classroom applications yet unflinching in its critical analysis, Practical AI Strategies 2 equips educators with both the practical skills and ethical frameworks needed to engage thoughtfully with generative AI – neither dismissing its potential nor accepting it uncritically.

Practical Reading Strategies $42.95

Practical Reading Strategies introduces teachers to six highly effective strategies that every reader uses when grappling with texts. Through a range of engaging classroom activities, students will be introduced to Making Connections, Visualising, Questioning, Inferring, Summarising, and Synthesising as a way of making meaning and understanding what they read. Activities range from focused close reading to group work and discussion, and are broken down into teacher and student instructions, clear examples, and the underlying theory. With Practical Reading Strategies, all teachers can develop confidence in building their students’ abilities to read and understand. Templates from the Appendix are available to download here

-6% sale

Practical Strategies bundle $115.95 $122.85

Get all 3 titles in the Practical Strategies series. Practical Reading Strategies by Leon Furze (published March 2022)Practical Writing Strategies by Leon Furze and Benjamin White (published March 2023).Practical AI Strategies by Leon Furze (published January 2024)

Practical Writing Strategies $39.95

Educational Publishing Awards Australia 2023 Shortlist - Secondary Teacher Resource Practical Writing Strategies is the perfect guide for educators looking to take their students' writing to the next level. This book balances the process and product of writing with a clear Writing Cycle in six stages: Purpose, Exploration, Ideas, Skills, Collaboration, and Publication. Each stage includes engaging activities to help students understand and value the writing process. Practical Writing Strategies teaches genuine writing not just as an assessment task, but as a means of self-expression, exploration, creativity, and knowledge building. With Practical Writing Strategies, you will learn how to guide your students to become confident and successful writers.

Reading Skills Handbook $29.95

Reading is one of the most important skills. It is essential for success in not only high school, but life. Reading effectively isn’t always easy for students going through high school – including you, the reader – especially as students come across more difficult subjects. However, reading effectively doesn’t have to be complicated at all. In Reading Skills Handbook, Ben White provides a comprehensive approach to help students confidently unlock successful reading strategies and based on proven techniques and tips from years of teaching. Learn through the variety of reading skills, developing your reading comprehension, uncovering reading strategies for different types of texts, improving your reading speed and efficiency and, most importantly, developing a lifelong reading habit. Filled with practical tips and activities, this book will help you practice and apply the skills you’ll learn. Whether you’re a struggling reader or if you’re keen on improving your reading skills, Reading Skills Handbook will help you reach your full potential.

-15% sale

Real People, Real Careers bundle $119.95 $139.50

Get all 10 books in the Real People, Real Careers series. Architect 🏛️Optometrist 👓Hair Stylist 💇♀️Equine Carer 🐴Librarian 📚Zookeeper 🐍Bank Manager 🏦Teacher 👩🏫Web Designer 💻Engineer 🛠️

Reconceptualising Maths and Science Teaching and Learning $49.95

How do we enable young people to imagine themselves as the next generation of STEM professionals? How do we do this in a way that engages the desire to learn and explore? In Australia, there is increasing concern at the declining participation in advanced-level school mathematics and physical sciences; fewer students electing to study STEM programs at university; and, evidence of declining performance of Australian students on international comparative tests in mathematics and science. This timely book highlights the need to reconceptualise Maths and Science Teacher Education Programs (ReMSTEP) in order to revitalise maths and science teaching approaches within primary and secondary schools. Through a series of seven ‘innovations’, such as offering maths and science specialisations within primary pre-service teaching programs, or creating opportunities to connect scientists and mathematicians with both pre-service teachers and practitioners in developing activities for school contexts, ReMSTEP recognises that teacher graduates are powerful change agents for making maths and science curricula more engaging, challenging and relevant for primary and secondary students. This substantively researched text, based on ReMSTEP’s extensive trialling and exhaustive consultation with researchers and practitioners alike, enriches the debate on the educational relevance of maths and science, and is a crucial reference for educational decision-makers, lecturers and pre-service teachers, and school leaders.

Roadkill Rescue $12.95

Welcome to the Clancy of the Outback series. Eleven-year-old Clancy has been thrust into life out woop-woop. These are the stories of his outback adventures at his uncle’s sheep station, Overflow Station. In this book, the school bus runs over a mother kangaroo outside the gate to Overflow Station and Clancy and Little Bill find a joey in the pouch. Eventually the whole family become involved in looking after the joey. The story becomes more complicated when Big Bill announces a kangaroo cull. Clancy and Little Bill decide to mount a campaign to save the local wildlife which coincides with Little Bill declaring herself vegan. Nevertheless, the campaign goes on and is a huge success. At the conclusion of this book the Outback facts provides information about native wildlife. There is the DH Lawrence poem Kangaroo and the all-important, Outback Jokes section. Download the teacher notes here

Rock Climbing: Book 8 $12.95

Billy Kool was an ordinary boy until he was thrust into the life of an extreme sports TV celebrity. Billy feels down that the final episode of the Xtreme World of Billy Kool is coming up. But he is also excited because the final episode will feature the most extreme sport yet: rock climbing! Will Billy be able to climb the full rock face, or will he fall? At the end of the book, there is an extreme information section detailing the origins of rock climbing, a glossary and a description of the equipment used when rock climbing. Part of an 8-book series, the Billy Kool books are informative, empathetic and exciting; targeted to readers and reluctant readers alike ages 8-11 years. Teacher Notes here.