Education Enclave

Are we spending too much time trying to get progression points “right”? In this episode of Education Enclave , I explore the tension between accuracy and impact, and share two real school examples that highlight the risks at both ends of the spectrum. A practical reflection on moderation, teacher judgement, and focusing our time where it matters most in improving student learning.

Welcome to another episode of the Education Enclave podcast where I highlight excellence in education. This edition has a twist, as my colleague Jess Howe is interviewing me.  Jess asks me about: * My back story in education * How I became a principal * What were the key actions to turn around Woori Yallock PS * Key influences & supports * Actions that led to a culture of continuous improvemen...

In this episode I’m joined by Jess Wallace who I’ve worked closely with since 2011. Jess has had some unique influences that have helped shape her into the outstanding educator she is today.  For example, working at McDonalds while she was completing her teaching degree, as well as playing bowls from a young age, including representing Victoria which Jess still does. We cover a lot of ground in th...

In this episode I'm joined by Bre Boyer who I've worked closely with over a number of years at Cobram PS. The main focus of our conversation is on phonics, and the practices that Bre has implemented across the junior school. The school's growth data from Foundation to Year 1 is phenomenal. A big reason for this is the teaching being assessment responsive, i.e. meeting the needs of e...

Welcome to another edition of the Education Enclave podcast, where I focus on excellence in education. Today’s guest has had a big influence on my career by encouraging me to pursue the principal role, and was then my mentor when I did in fact become a principal. Chris Thomas is currently an independent consultant, who was previously the Director of Programs at the Queensland Education Leadership...

In this latest episode I’m joined by my friend and colleague, Matt Knight. Matt has a super impressive CV, which we dig into by discussing his pathway into teaching, how he ventured into consultancy and everything between. Matt has much to be proud of, but his number one is bringing about significant, sustained school improvement. Cobram PS, the school he led for several years, is still high perfo...

In this issue I’m joined once again by Keay Cobbin, who was also my most recent guest on the podcast. There has been lots of positive feedback regarding our first episode together which you can listen to here . There are so many topics that Keay and I could (and often do) discuss, and for this instalment we decided to delve into all things curriculum. We both feel that post-COVID this is often the...

Welcome to another edition of the Education Enclave podcast, where it is my job to unpack excellence in education. In this issue I’m joined by Keay Cobbin who has had a massive influence on me both personally and professionally.  After teaching in Victoria for a number of years, Keay and her partner Steve Willy headed over to New York to work as consultants for a decade. On their return to Victori...

Welcome to another edition of the Education Enclave podcast. This episode has been a long time coming. In this episode I’m joined by Flick Curnow who is the Assistant Principal at Woori Yallock Primary School. In Flick’s career she has witnessed and helped lead the school from rock bottom to sustained excellence as one of the best schools in Victoria. The school hosts numerous visits each year fro...

Welcome to another episode of the Education Enclave podcast. This episode is a discussion of chapter 5 of Debbie Miller’s book, What’s the Best That Could Happen? New Possibilities for Teachers & Readers .  While you can listen to this episode as a stand alone, the best experience will be if you’ve read the entire book, as well as listened to the earlier episodes where we discuss chapters 1 –...

Welcome to another episode of the Education Enclave podcast. This episode is a discussion of chapter 2 of Debbie Miller’s book, What’s the Best That Could Happen? New Possibilities for Teachers & Readers .  While you can listen to this episode as a stand alone, the best experience will be if you’ve read the first two chapters, as well as listened to the earlier episode where we discuss chapter...

Welcome to another episode of the Education Enclave podcast. This episode is a discussion of chapter 3 of Debbie Miller’s book, What’s the Best That Could Happen? New Possibilities for Teachers & Readers .  While you can listen to this episode as a stand alone, the best experience will be if you’ve read the first three chapters, as well as listened to the earlier episodes where we discuss chap...

Welcome to another episode of the Education Enclave podcast. This episode is a discussion of chapter 4 of Debbie Miller’s book, What’s the Best That Could Happen? New Possibilities for Teachers & Readers .  While you can listen to this episode as a stand alone, the best experience will be if you’ve read the first four chapters, as well as listened to the earlier episodes where we discuss chapt...

Welcome to another episode of the Education Enclave podcast. In this episode I’m joined by Jess Howe who is the Foundation Team Leader at Woori Yallock Primary School. Jess is an amazing educator, who I’ve had the privilege of observing from the start of her career, right up until now. If you’re an Early Years teacher this is a must listen. We discuss the Foundation classroom, high expectations, c...

This is episode 2 of Education Enclave. In this episode I’m joined by Erin Beissel, who in 2021 was awarded Teacher of the Year by the Victorian Department of Education and Training. Erin is currently on maternity leave from Clarinda PS, but we managed to squeeze in our chat while Audrey was having a nap. We discuss professional learning, leadership, literacy and all things education. I hope you e...

This is Episode 1 of the Education Enclave podcast. For those of you who don’t have any context on me, I focus on excellence in education from F-12. Earlier in the year, via my weekly newsletter , I offered to run a Study Group on a selected text over the course of the year. Based on the educators who expressed interest I decided to focus on Debbie Miller’s, What’s the Best That Could Happen? New...