Teacher resources

Child protection training, undertaken by educators, maintains a general knowledge of what to do if concerns arise. The purpose of this book is to help the early childhood sector to be working from a position of earlier identification and prevention. This book is a step-by-step guide to champion children’s safety and wellbeing. As a practical tool, it will give clarification and confidence about what to do to create a culture of child safety at your education and care organisation.   Praise for this book: This book is a must-have for every early childhood professional’s bookshelf. Nicole takes a confronting topic and turns it into something real, something tangible, something not so scary. Full of practical examples, links to reputable resources and opportunities for reflection on current thinking and practice makes this book a useful resource for early childhood professionals at all stages of their career.- Sarah Louise Gandolfo, Professional learning project coordinator, Early Childhood Australia The topic has so many layers to unpick, so everything in it is important. I would definitely use it as a resource when needing further clarification. So very proud of the passionate and hardworking advocate she has become and continues to be as she explores and gains new knowledge to share with us all. - Karryn Grunden, Early childhood teacher Congratulations on your phenomenal book. The early years sector will really benefit from your hard work. We must start teaching protective education from the age of three at the latest, and your brilliant book will definitely help.- Holly-ann Martin OAM, Child abuse prevention education specialist The most valuable resource an early childhood educator can have right now is this book. A powerfully written text that provides not only a detailed yet easy-to-read summary of all Child Safe Standards, but cleverly and importantly a working document. This book allows educators and all those within our community to understand, to reflect and to be better when considering best practice. - Michelle Smith, Early childhood teacher I really enjoy your writing style and choice of language and expression. I only had to google one word to find its meaning! I loved it. You write beautifully.- Susie Rosback, Owner early childhood centre I believe that everyone will benefit from reading this and working through the suggestions, ideas and helpful/practical supports you have provided. As I read through your book, I created an extended version of a Quality Improvement Plan for Child Safe Standards. You have supported me to achieve a quality benchmark to implement all of the Standards.- Lorrelle Orrman, Early childhood director

In this provocative and informative book, Drs Rachael Sharman and Michael C. Nagel take the reader on a journey where nature and nurture intersect. Becoming Autistic reflects the concerns of the authors and numerous neuroscientists around the world that environmental impacts, like too much screen time and the lack of socialisation, have neurological consequences on the developing brain. The consequences of developmental changes in young people due to screen use are increasingly being expressed as psychological and behavioural changes that very much resemble known disorders such as autism spectrum disorder or virtual autism. This important book explores the pervasive impact of technology on the developing brains of young people. It raises questions regarding the trajectory of a generation that may be underdeveloped in aspects of interpersonal skills. Importantly, the authors offer practical ideas for ideas for correcting and changing the current course for many young people, so that subsequent generations can reshape the social norms and expectations of society and set new standards for a healthier outlook.  

If you’re an educator you’ll know this: teacher wellbeing has never been more important. And yet, this complex issue is often misunderstood, leading to band-aid solutions that don’t address the root cause or inspire long-term change. In this go-to guide for teachers and leaders, Amy Green provides inspiration and practical tools to unpack the many facets of teacher wellbeing. She explores the purpose of teacher wellbeing; where we’ve gone wrong in tackling issues such as burnout and stress; and what we can do to build teacher capacity and enhance school systems to support teacher wellbeing. Amy believes we all play a part in writing a better story for our teachers. With awareness and knowledge we can move beyond tokenistic activities to long-term, embedded, sustainable solutions. In these pages you will find a deeper, richer, more holistic approach to improving wellbeing. It’s a book that will inspire the real conversations we so desperately need. Together, we can bring about transformation far beyond what we imagine.   Praise for Teacher Wellbeing by Amy Green: I absolutely loved this book. The whole thing. It is absolutely needed and so timely. This is the go-to guide for school leaders and teachers who are eager to unpack the complex issue of educator wellbeing in this current crisis and beyond. Despite the best efforts of school leaders, many of us feel that we have been falling short when it comes to understanding how to proactively attack issues such as burnout for ourselves and our staff. The chapter summaries and 'Theory into Action' learning throughout provide practical strategies for the individual and collective change that is so desperately needed for teachers and school leaders. Celia King, School Leader This book emphasises why teacher wellbeing is important and that it is far more than feel-good activities. Amy highlights many things that may not initially be perceived as part of wellbeing, however through explanation, research-based evidence and links to teaching, it just makes sense. Amy shows how teacher wellbeing is crucial to school culture and that we need to be open to reflecting on and changing the structures we use to support the wellbeing of teachers. This book is a must-read for leaders and teachers alike. Dr Selena Fisk, Author, Data Storyteller This book will resonate with many school leaders and teachers. I found myself nodding along in agreement many times. The framework Amy uses for teacher wellbeing throughout this book synthesises the elements of being and doing individually and collectively so beautifully, and fits in with all we do in schools and as humans. It aligns school culture and improvement to collective wellbeing, and in a currency of change is 100% on message and what is needed right now and beyond. It is a powerful, important, yet easy read. I struggled to put it down. I want a copy for every teacher I know. Belinda Fenn, School Principal

We know education is not a level playing field. Those living with early adversity are starting school significantly less likely to complete their education than their peers who have things easier. When educators and schools understand childhood trauma, they are well placed to embed wellbeing practices into every interaction, and when those interactions are trauma-informed and responsive, students’ lives are positively impacted in a deep and enduring way. Safe to Learn offers readers an understanding of behaviour through the lens of trauma and adversity, and provides practical strategies for primary schools and educators to become trauma-informed and responsive in a way that best supports all students, regardless of their life experiences. This book offers guidance for schools to introduce, or expand, a whole-school model of integrated wellbeing practice and support for individual teachers to learn how they can make a significant difference to their students. It also provides the tools to identify which interventions may benefit a student or class as well as ideas for tracking and showing wellbeing growth.

‘I can barely keep my head above water. How could I possibly thrive at work?’ If you’re a teacher, I’ll bet you’re asking yourself this question. We enter the profession to help young people grow and learn, but find ourselves in a system that values compliance over individuality. Our days are spent supporting others, leaving us little time to rest and reflect. We nurture the wellbeing of our students, but neglect our own. If you want to become the teacher you always dreamed of being, it’s time to put yourself first. Backed by science and the stories of real teachers, Thrive will help you understand your needs, energy and choices. Discover strategic solutions for overcoming burnout and frustration, learn how to meaningfully discuss teacher wellbeing at school, and build the resources that will enable you to stop surviving and start thriving.

Talkin’ Chalk will inspire confidence, knowledge and understanding in every new teacher who reads it. Author Rebecca West, a Top 10 Finalist of the 2021 Global Teacher Prize and creator of YouTube channel Talkin’ Chalk, shares her invaluable top tips and experiences from two decades of teaching. This book offers real advice about how to set up your classroom, plan and monitor your workload, build relationships, reflect on practice and much more. The useful tips and editable templates make it a practical and indispensable resource. Talkin’ Chalk is a prerequisite to teaching your first class, and will remove any fear or angst from beginning teachers. Click here to download the templates in Word. Click here to download the templates in PDF.  

Teaching is a profession that includes moments of joy, fulfillment and deep engagement, but challenges and demands within the educational world can often lead to burnout. In The Sustainable Teacher, Melissa shares practical strategies to help teachers find a better balance. Using 10 key principles including intentional planning, effective time management and collaboration, this invaluable book offers advice, empathy and real-life stories to assist educators in their teaching careers. The Sustainable Teacher is recommended for readers who want to transform their approach to teaching through growth and self-empowerment. Teachers at all career stages will find inspiration to navigate their teaching journey with more energy, enthusiasm and resilience.

Dr Timothy O’Leary is a firm believer that decisions about improvements, whether they be for a teacher or school, need to be based on fact, not fancy. In Classroom Vibe he uses data to demystify why some classrooms are primed for learning while others aren’t and explains why strategies for change in schools often fail. In breaking down the atmosphere of the classroom as experienced by the students – the ‘classroom vibe’ – he gives teachers practical steps for improving theirs. The author argues that when teachers focus their improvement efforts on the ‘vibe’ in each of their classrooms and school leaders focus on supporting their teachers in this endeavour, everyone benefits. He provides a clear framework that highlights how the culture of a classroom can determine whether important teaching strategies will succeed or fail.   Praise for this book:  The right vibe is felt by all, but hard to deconstruct. How to create it is what this book is all about — the deconstruction of the essence of memorable classrooms. John Hattie, education researcher and best-selling author of Visible Learning Tim O’Leary provides an honest, well-written, and thoughtful account of teaching accompanied by practical strategies that will equip classroom teachers with the tools they need to be successful. Jenni Donohoo, five-time best-selling author and professional learning facilitator

2nd edition.  By Hazel Edwards OAM ISBN 9781922607447   Grief and Loss in Schools aims to support teachers and schools by providing discussion topics, play scripts and engaging activities to allow students to work through thoughts and feelings they may be having. With this book, Hazel Edwards hopes to dispel the taboo and uncomfortable feelings associated with this subject, and encourage schools and teachers to open up conversations. Hazel provides guidance to initiate a comfortable setting for students to express their thoughts, concerns and questions, and for teachers to address any misconceptions. Featuring stories from Hazel’s experience and research, as well as practical and thought-provoking questions, and role play scripts based on various scenarios, Grief and Loss in Schools is a welcome resource. It will help teachers encourage conversations that will benefit the mental health of their students and school communities.   Educator-author Hazel Edwards has written books for children, teachers and adults. Her best-known publication is the children’s picture book classic There’s a Hippopotamus on Our Roof Eating Cake (1980), now a series of picture books, classroom play scripts, a musical stage production and a short movie. As an aspiring young author in Grade 6, Hazel wrote her first (unpublished) book. After primary teacher training, she taught secondary school students and lectured at teachers’ college. She has published over 220 books across genres and subjects. She has also scripted for screen, stage and puppetry. She has obtained many awards including an OAM for Literature in 2013 and Monash University awarded her the 2022 Distinguished Alumni for Education.  

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.  

Good thinkers are 4P thinkers. The international bestseller, Become A Better Thinker, focuses on ways of improving the 4Ps. Positivity for better attention to a task Pattern seeking for identifying key elements Probing for asking yourself helpful questions Picturing for summarising key words and their connections Become a Better Thinker contains examples, strategies, and tests for improving the 4Ps. Aiming to examine, support and improve the creative and critical thinking skills of teachers and their students in order to help all learners think better in our rapidly evolving world. Revised and updated, this book is now in its fourth edition.     Download PDF of the tests from this book to use: The Langrehr Test of Creative ThinkingThe Langrehr Test of Critical ThinkingThe Langrehr Test of Early Childhood Thinking

The world is changing – and rapidly. If we want to foster young people’s ability to learn, live, lead and work in that changing world, the way we approach education and leadership in schools must change too.  In Game Changers: Leading Today’s Learning for Tomorrow’s World, Philip Cummins and Adriano Di Prato distil years of professional practice and research into a roadmap for leadership that changes the game of school. Centring the character and purpose of leaders in education, Cummins and Di Prato make the case for leadership that strengthens, informs, orientates, focuses, aligns and enriches – courageous leadership that prepares the young people in our care for the world they will inhabit tomorrow.  Featuring insights from dozens of game changers innovating the character, purpose and future of education, Game Changers: Leading Today’s Learning for Tomorrow’s World will challenge, inspire and change you.

Creating an Australian School Literacy Policy: A Research-Informed Guide to Designing a Policy That Fits Your School by Dr Margaret K Merga is the new go-to guide for creating effective and holistic literacy policy. Drawing on extensive analysis of literacy policy documents from one hundred and sixty-six schools in Australia and the United Kingdom, Dr Merga evaluates in this essential resource what makes literary policies effective – and what can hold them back – to provide a comprehensive framework for developing or revising your whole-school literacy policy. Creating an Australian School Literacy Policy empowers K–12 school leaders, classroom teachers and library professionals to become literacy leaders and make a real impact on their school communities. With a focus on ensuring clarity, depth and quality in these crucial documents, Dr Merga’s ground-breaking guide offers you the opportunity to transform the teaching and learning of literacy with a whole-school literacy policy that meets your school’s unique needs and supports your students to achieve their goals.

Leading with the Social Brain in Mind puts relationships front and centre of the important work that educators do. The number and different types of relationships that educators maintain on daily basis can be undervalued and underestimated. Specifically, it challenges system and school leaders to investigate how social brain theory affects the unintended results of collaborative interactions in their own complex organisational environments. Designing environments for collaboration in schools is a complex task and requires a lot of skill, especially in those where many institutional practices and structures are so widely accepted that they are rarely questioned. This book discusses the importance of collaboration in schools, explores silo mentality and asks educators to reflect on how their decisions are impacted by implementation barriers. It is an invaluable read for educators who want to understand associations among cognition, complexity and collaboration in leading change initiatives in schools.    

Do you want to engage students, prevent disruption, and maybe even teach a decent lesson? The Teaching Game offers a very practical approach that can be applied immediately. You’ll discover how to manage a classroom, deliver curriculum, provide effective feedback, use data, plan for the next unit, write an assessment piece, teach students on the spectrum, and care for your own wellbeing. This book is for those who are: About to embark on their teaching career Thinking of joining the teaching ranks Wanting to further develop their teaching skills Mentoring early-career teachers    

Data are everywhere. Countries are compared based on how their students perform in international testing. Schools are compared using standardised testing and school-leaver data. Students are tracked using their individual data and that of their peers. But while there is much already written about leadership styles, leading change and the benefits of being data informed, transferring an understanding of educational research and change leadership literature to a data-informed context is not always easy or seamless. Selena Fisk, EdD, author of Using and analysing data in Australian schools, believes that data should be used to support learning in a way that develops thriving learning communities where students are engaged and motivated. This invaluable resource introduces a 10-step process for leading data-informed change comprising measurable steps for action supported by connections to relevant literature and practical examples showing what the process looks like in schools. Fisk also introduces the 12 key elements required for a leader to prime the environment or build a culture that will enable them to lead data-informed change. Leading data-informed change in schools offers teacher team leaders, principals and administrators a practical guide on how to collect, analyse and use data to help school communities and the students they serve flourish.   Download the Appendix with all the templates here. 

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.   About the authors: Ken Hancock was a Senior Lecturer in Education at the University of South Australia and Flinders University. He taught in-service courses in humanistic education and person-centred education throughout his life. He also worked in schools in the areas of behavioural management, social learning, and staff development. Barry Blaby was a Principal of primary schools in Adelaide. He has had many years’ experience as a teacher, administrator and teacher educator, and trialled all the activities in this book in pre-school to tertiary level settings.

This practical resource provides early years professionals and foundation teachers with games, activities and strategies to incorporate language into movement. The premise is that learning language concepts through movement will help all children, particularly especially those who might have language delays or coming from non-English-speaking backgrounds. Section one provides whole class and individual movement activities to enable children to learn single-word concepts and simple phrases. Section two contains concept games and development motor movements activities and ideas that will help develop the physical process needed in learning language. Educators, teachers and learning assistants can easily implement these ideas to their programs and be equipped with the knowledge and confidence to help children develop language through movement and active play.   Authors: Garry Powell was a teacher and administrator in both country and city government schools for 32 years. He was a classroom teacher, specialist physical education teacher and principal at inner city schools. He lectured in tertiary education for 15 years, and has spoken on teacher education at conferences and workshops. Garry has written numerous teacher reference books. Debra Armstrong has taught in government primary schools for 28 years. She has been a classroom teacher, a specialist teacher in art and physical education, and a lecturer at Monash University. Debra has undertaken research in Australia and overseas, and won awards for her contribution to teaching. Debra has co-authored a number of teacher reference books.     Download the Flashcards here

Scripts allow hesitant students to be able to assume the protection of a character and play a role or explore issues which may concern them in real life. Issues contains a collection of scripts, discussion prompts and activities for use in the classroom, as a way of opening up students to understand and process topical and sensitive issues in their world, from a range of perspectives. The art of performing harnesses the students’ engagement in the subject and offers a chance to immerse themselves within the protection of a character or role. This book gives middle school and secondary school students a chance to discuss contemporary topics or problems during the classroom rehearsal and performance of these scripts. There are enough parts for the whole class to participate, and conversation prompts and activities are provided to extend and deepen classroom discussion. Extensively workshopped and already used in classrooms nationally, this large collection of student performance scripts allows students and teachers to improve their ability to understand, navigate and discuss sensitive issues in the classroom.

In Interventions in Cases of Bullying in Schools: A Training Manual for Teachers and Counsellors, renowned bullying expert Dr Ken Rigby OAM draws on five decades of practice and research to help schools tackle the seemingly intractable problem of bullying. Designed to be deployed alongside policy development and preventive programs, this essential training manual sets out nine evidence-based methods of intervention. Using a series of role-plays and prompts for discussion, Interventions in Cases of Bullying in Schools supports practitioners in selecting and applying the most appropriate method for each unique case of bullying. It also features a practical framework for recording and evaluating the application of interventions in your unique context, as well as suggestions of dozens of resources that will further develop your understanding of bullying. Practical, easy to use and focused firmly on solutions, Dr Rigby’s Interventions in Cases of Bullying in Schools is your indispensable guide to addressing one of the most vexed issues facing educators today.   Download Appendix B: Recording Form reproducible here. 

A simple, yet beautiful reflection journal to accompany Gratitude Practices for Teachers. Far from recycling simplistic gratitude platitudes, Dr Kerry Howells and Dr Jo Lucas offer a series of deep gratitude practices educators can use straightaway to create meaningful change. With chapters addressing problems such as exhaustion, toxic staff relationships, perfectionism and angry students, this journal will support educators through everyday difficulties.  Whatever your challenges are right now, discover how you can grow your resilience, nurture robust and respectful relationships, and replenish your joy and passion for education by practising deep gratitude. 

Igniting STEM Learning: A Guide to Designing an Authentic Primary School STEM Program is a groundbreaking resource for teachers and leaders ready to take on the challenge of bringing robust and sustainable STEM learning to their primary schools. Having kicked STEM programs into gear around Australia, experienced educator, coach and consultant Dr Adrian Bertolini distils decades of practice into a book that has the capacity to empower and transform. In Igniting STEM Learning, you’ll find the support you need to establish the ways of thinking, structures and ongoing practices that develop students and teachers alike as learners and problem solvers. From delivering learning experiences to meeting curriculum requirements, designing authentic assessment and more, this comprehensive resource lights the way to a primary school STEM program that ignites curiosity and prepares students to thrive in a changing world. Access the resources and templates from the book here  

Would you like maths with that? Improving numeracy in the primary years guides educators and school leaders through numeracy improvement with a focus on deeply understanding the difference between mathematics and numeracy, their relationship and the implication on teaching and pedagogy. Author and expert Thelma Perso takes a holistic approach to mathematics teaching, supporting readers to transform low-level learning into higher-order thinking in their classrooms to ensure all students can tackle mathematics with confidence. With a thorough and knowledgeable approach, Thelma lays the foundations for teachers, school leaders and school communities to enhance their numeracy pedagogies and, in turn, improve the numeracy capabilities of their students. Starting with numeracy definitions and how to teach mathematics for numeracy attainment through to intervention, extension and assessment, the chapters support readers through the whole numeracy improvement journey. Would you like maths with that?, along with the online resources developed for individual educators and schools to assess their current numeracy positions, show how it is not only possible but necessary to improve student numeracy achievement regardless of educator, subject area and student capability. Would you like maths with that? will empower educators to teach mathematics in engaging and effective ways that teach students to use mathematics confidently to meet the needs of their everyday lives.   Download the resources and templates from the book here.

I don’t have any ideas.’ ‘How do I set the scene?’ ‘This is too hard!’ Heard any of those before? What if there was a way to nurture our students’ imaginations, confidence and creative problem-solving capabilities while building the essential writing skills that will set them up for success across the curriculum? In Time to Write: A Powerful Writing Practice for Your Classroom Beth Cregan calls on her own extensive writing and teaching experience to deliver a framework for a classroom writing practice that does just that. Supported by over thirty classroom-ready activities to power-up your writing program in fifteen-minute blocks, the strategies set out in Time to Write will enable you to meet students where they are, encourage reflective practices and build a community of empowered, independent writers. The result is a class that hums with creative energy. It’s time to flip the script on what it means to write and be creative – to maximise the creative potential of the students in your classroom and draw out the confident writers within. All you need is fifteen minutes, something to write with and a sense of curiosity. What are you waiting for? It’s time to write!   Access the resources and templates from the book here