Bestsellers

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.   Praise for this book: "I laughed, I cried, and then I laughed and cried some more ...! What a journey. This book is jam-packed with strategies, tips and advice that have been learned by living a life, both personally and professionally, with courage, resilience and authenticity." Dr Loretta Piazza

In Talking Sex, Vanessa Hamilton fearlessly explores the complex topic of human sexuality. Drawing from extensive experience and contemporary research, this groundbreaking book challenges readers to reconsider outdated beliefs about sex and sexuality education. It’s packed with conversation starters, tips and strategies to empower adults to provide the accurate, comprehensive, age-appropriate information children need for a fulfilling and safe journey through life. Talking Sex covers a variety of topics including sexual safety, diversity, reproduction, pleasure, consent and sexual health — because, after all, most conversations about human sexuality have hardly anything to do with what we commonly think of as ‘sex’.   Your children are getting a sexuality education every day from the world around them. But is it the one you want them to receive? Who do you want to tell your child about each topic related to sex, human sexuality, consent and respect? Hopefully the answer is you. Children don’t need ‘sex ed’, they need sexuality education, information and conversations. Become the askable and tellable adult that children need you to be.

High Impact Reading Instruction and Intervention in the Primary Years is a call to action for passionate teachers, education assistants, principals, and deputy principals who believe in the transformative power of literacy. With a focus on evidence-based practices and the science of reading, Julie Scali equips educators with accessible and practical knowledge to elevate their teaching to the next level. In the first part of the book, Julie lays the foundation for high-impact literacy instruction and intervention, emphasising the importance of data-informed practice, high expectations, explicit instruction, daily review, and response to intervention. With an unwavering dedication to student success, she guides educators through the fundamentals that will empower them to create classrooms where every student can thrive. The second part of the book dives into the science of reading, unravelling the complexities of how children best learn to read. Julie connects research to practical examples, providing educators with insights on implementing structured literacy in the classroom. Unlock the potential of young minds and nurture a love for reading that will last a lifetime.     Access resources and templates from the book here.

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

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

‘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.

  Developing the critical and creative thinking skills of students in our classrooms is a necessary culture that all teachers should foster. Not only does it underpin the syllabus outcomes and content indicators, but the ability to think critically and creatively, and to articulate that thinking to others, is a hugely valuable skill in today’s world. Supporting students to be critical and creative thinkers requires us as educators to be willing to build our capacity, to make small consistent shifts towards embedding practices and fostering a ‘thinking’ environment that welcomes questions, that celebrates multiple perspectives and is comfortable working in a space that requires depth of understanding. This book was written with the teacher and leader in mind and is a mix of foundational theory and practical strategies with tools you can take away and apply in your classroom or with your teams tomorrow. It is divided into five parts, with each component delving into key areas of embedding critical and creative thinking into practice.   Reviews: The Thinking Classroom does what few books have accomplished before: it guides educators in creating learning experiences that cultivate critical and creative thinking in their scholars. Alice Vigors walks readers through how to help students understand themselves better as learners and to be more reflective and aware of their own thinking. I am certain The Thinking Classroom will be a highly referenced book in my inquiry repertoire. Trevor McKenzie, teacher and author of the bestselling books Dive into Inquiry and the Inquiry Mindset series The Thinking Classroom was astutely written by Alice with so many great insights and examples of quality practice. The practical nature of this book means teachers can implement ideas in their classroom straight away. I absolutely loved reading this book. Aaron Johnston, assistant principal andfounder of Mr J’s Learning Space The Thinking Classroom is a must-have for all educators. Alice clearly and authentically articulates with an abundance of practical resources how critical and creative thinking is integral to student success. James Gray, deputy principal I love the practical nature of this book. The fact that you can scan a QR code to locate additional information and resources is brilliant. The Thinking Classroom is a must-read for every teacher and leader. Rebecca West, deputy principal andfounder of Talkin’ Chalk The Thinking Classroom is a very easy-to-read book with so many practical strategies I could apply in my classroom tomorrow. There were so many ‘ah-ha’ moments in this book and powerful statements that really helped me to see the link between my current classroom practice and the fostering of a thinking classroom. A definite must-read. Demetra Vekic, classroom teacher

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

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 

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.

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.  

Get all 3 titles in the Practical Strategies series. Practical Reading Strategies by Leon Furze Practical Writing Strategies by Leon Furze and Benjamin WhitePractical AI Strategies by Leon Furze

As educators we all recognise the power of using data to inform our work. A key piece that is often missing is how we engage students in their data story. When we use data with students they become data-informed learners. They have a better understanding of their ability as a learner and can articulate their goals and challenges more clearly. We can support our students through targeted conversations, working in partnership to help them improve. There are three main purposes for using data with students: goal setting, learning dispositions or behaviour, and the quality of student learning or understanding. There are five main modes by which we do this: data walls, success criteria, student-generated assessment, deliberate conversations and data on walls in classrooms. In this book, Dr Selena Fisk unpacks these purposes and modes, giving practical ideas for implementation in schools and classrooms. She offers guidance in having constructive data-informed conversations with students, while building a culture of psychological safety where data use is productive and transformational.   Praise for this book: This book offers readers an important glimpse into what it takes to ensure that students can answer my 5 questions: What are you learning and why? How are you doing? How do you know how you are doing? How do you improve? Where do you go for help? When they can, we know that they are all 'Data-informed Learners'! This makes this book a rich piece of school improvement literature. Dr Lyn Sharratt - International Consultant and Author  

We know that data can be a powerful force for student learning and achievement, but what data should we be collecting, how should it be analysed and what does it really mean? Without answers to these big questions, making use of data in the classroom can end up being an afterthought – even a source of stress and confusion. In this expanded second edition of Using and analysing data in Australian schools, Dr Selena Fisk offers a practical guide for bringing data to life. Learn how data from a range of sources – formative and summative assessment, standardised testing, informal reflections and more – can empower everyone, from teachers to school leaders to students. Featuring over thirty relevant in-school examples, this essential resource is filled with customisable templates, strategies and tips you can start using today to build a culture of learning and trigger real data-informed change in your classroom. Using and analysing data in Australian schools will deepen your understanding of your students’ achievements and abilities and, in inviting students to take ownership of their data, transform how they see themselves as learners.   Download the templates here. 

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. 

Get Selena Fisk's 3 data books in this bundle.  Using and Analysing Data in Australian Schools - 2nd edition by Selena FiskLeading Data-Informed Change in Schools by Selena FiskData-Informed Learners: Engaging Students in Their Data Story by Selena Fisk