The Art of Teaching

Today on The Art of Teaching podcast, I’m joined by Kiri , an educator who believes learning should be adaptive, reflective, and deeply connected to place. With extensive experience in regional and remote schools, Kirri has seen how education rooted in land, language, and community can transform lives. Kiri’s work focuses on building capacity, strengthening pedagogy, and creating environments wher...

Today, I'm joined by Emma, Executive Director, Strategic Priorities at the NSW Department of Education and a proudly accredited Lead Teacher. With a career shaped by a deep commitment to educational excellence, Emma has held a range of influential leadership roles at both the school and system levels. She played a key role in founding the HALT Association NSW and now returns as its President, cont...

Today, I’m joined by Melissa Kennedy - a passionate educator, leader, and storyteller. Melissa is Head of English at her school, a sessional university lecturer, and a presenter who brings depth and clarity to conversations about teaching, leadership, and curriculum. She’s also an accomplished author and was recently recognised as an ACEL New Voice in School Leadership for 2024. Her work lives at...

Reimagining the Future of Education Through Innovation with Ariam Mogos. Ariam leads the emerging tech portfolio at Stanford’s d.school, where she supports students and educators in designing with tools like AI, always with a keen eye on their ethical impact on people and the planet. Her work spans continents, from Africa and Asia to the US and Europe, collaborating with organisations like UNICEF,...

Andrea Downie is a systems leader, educator, and wellbeing expert who has worked collaboratively with hundreds of schools and organisations around the world on the application of wellbeing science, education redesign and systems leadership. Andrea is currently the Head of Wellbeing on the Board of Executive at British School Jakarta and also an Honorary Fellow of the Centre for Wellbeing Science a...

Today’s guest is Peter Howes, Principal of Ballina Coast High School and a passionate leader in public education. With more than three decades of experience across teaching, leadership, and community engagement, Peter brings a deep commitment to equity, innovation, and inclusion in every aspect of his work. As a seasoned school leader, he’s driven by a belief that every student — no matter their b...

Today’s guest is Dr. Daniel T. Willingham a cognitive scientist, professor, and author whose work bridges the gap between research and the classroom. He’s a professor of psychology at the University of Virginia and the bestselling author of Why Don’t Students Like School?, a go-to book for educators looking to understand how students learn. Dr. Willingham has a rare gift for translating complex sc...

Today I’m joined by Ash Smith, co-founder of Rainbow Sky Creations — a passionate educator creating practical, inspiring resources for teachers. Through her work, Ash supports educators to feel more confident, organised, and empowered in their classrooms. Let’s jump into the conversation.  

Adam Larby, Head of Tudor House at The King’s School, is a passionate educator, thoughtful leader, and lifelong learner devoted to nurturing both character and curiosity. With years of leadership experience at Shore’s North Sydney Preparatory School and a deep commitment to faith, family, and community, Adam brings a rich blend of wisdom, vision, and heart to his role. It’s a conversation about le...

Next up on The Art of Teaching podcast is Stef Thom . With over 12 years in Catholic Education, Stef is a passionate, Highly Accomplished Lead Teacher known for building capacity in others. From leading in the classroom to advising the Minister for Education, Stef brings energy, faith, and purpose to everything she does. Let’s dive into her inspiring journey.  

Today, we enter the world of Professor Sugata Mitra — TED Prize winner and creator of the Hole in the Wall experiment — whose work is reshaping how children learn. He has shown that with curiosity and connection, children can teach themselves — and each other. But in a world where learning organises itself, one question remains: do we still need teachers? Join me as we explore the space where tech...

Sarah is a graduate of Wheelock College in Boston, Massachusetts, and has over 26 years of experience as an elementary school teacher in San Jose, California. She was a Cotsen Foundation "The Art of Teaching" Fellow and has worked closely with Dr. Jo Boaler on integrating Big Ideas into elementary mathematics. Sarah is featured in Dr. Boaler’s book Math-ish and will also appear in her forthcoming...

Bronwyn Ryrie Jones designs and leads impactful professional learning for teachers and instructional leaders. With experience supporting over 30,000 educators across Australia and internationally, she is known for delivering clear, practical, and research-informed programs. Bron brings expertise from classroom teaching, instructional coaching, and teacher education at the University of Melbourne....

I am thrilled to share the next episode of The Art of Teaching podcast! Following the success of The Thinking Classroom, Alice Vigors returns with a powerful new resource for educators: The Learning Classroom: Supporting Educators to Make Student Learning Visible, Shareable, Amplified and Meaningful. In this practical and research-informed guide, Alice offers strategies to help teachers create dyn...

Melinda is a teacher and coaching psychologist with 20+ years’ experience supporting school staff and leaders. With research in compassion fatigue, burnout, and engagement, she offers evidence-based wellbeing support through coaching, facilitation, and strategic planning. Melinda has worked as a teacher, counsellor, consultant, educator, and general manager. She takes a compassionate, practical ap...

Professor David Gurr is a global expert in educational leadership at the University of Melbourne. He has authored over 200 publications, presented at numerous conferences, and contributed to research projects worth more than $26 million. A founding member of key international leadership networks, he has supervised over 60 postgraduate research students and conducted more than 100 school reviews ac...

Dr Mitchell Gibbs is a lecturer and researcher at the University of New South Wales. He holds a Bachelor of Exercise Science, a Master of Research, and a PhD from Western Sydney University. His research centres on back pain, focusing on exercise and education through a biopsychosocial lens. Mitchell teaches musculoskeletal rehabilitation and strength and conditioning. With over 10 years of industr...

Shane Hatton is a leadership and culture expert, author, and speaker. With a background in business and psychology, he helps leaders build high-performing teams through better communication and connection. He’s the author of Lead The Room and Let’s Talk Culture, and hosts the podcast Phone Calls With Clever People. Shane has worked with top organisations like Microsoft and the Victorian Government...

Dr Phil Cummins is a global leader in education, character, and leadership. With over 30 years of experience, he leads a School for tomorrow. and CIRCLE Education, guiding schools to deliver purposeful learning. He’s Associate Professor at Alphacrucis University College, co-host of the Game Changers podcast, and author of 30+ books. His four-book series—based on global research and conversations—g...

Tom is a highly respected educational consultant, author, and former headteacher with more than 30 years of experience in schools. Renowned for championing evidence-informed teaching, he has written several influential books, including The Learning Rainforest, Rosenshine’s Principles in Action, and Teaching WalkThrus (co-authored with Oliver Caviglioli). Through his blog, teacherhead.com, and inte...

Today, it is a pleasure to release the 200th episode of The Art of Teaching. To mark this milestone, we’re doing something a little different. The incredible Matt Pitman takes over the mic to interview me. We reflect on the biggest lessons I’ve learned from two hundred conversations with educators, leaders, and changemakers from around the world. Whether you've been here since Episode 1 or you're...

Summer Howarth is an education strategist, learning designer, and founder of The Eventful Learning Co . She works with schools, organisations, and governments to create powerful learning experiences. Her career includes teaching in NSW and the USA, lecturing at Sydney University, and leading innovation at AITSL. Summer has worked with partners like Zoos Victoria, The Prince’s Trust Australia, and...

Up next is a conversation that I recently had with John Cleary . John has recently stepped away from leading School and System Improvement at the Northern Territory Department of Education. Before this, he was the Principal of a primary school in Katherine. He also created the NT Learning Commission, which promotes student-led research and uses the Impact Evaluation Cycle. In 2018, John was named...

Steven Trotter, an experienced education leader, has spent over a decade as a principal, system leader, and senior leader. His book, The Art of Skimming Stones, introduces the SKIM Model—a practical approach to sustained school improvement. Unlike traditional leadership frameworks, SKIM focuses on intentional, subtle shifts that drive meaningful change. With a passion for professional learning, He...

Welcome to today's episode! I’m excited to have Alison Bonhomme with me. Alison is an inspiring leader with a Master's in Applied Positive Psychology, known for her dedication to community, personal growth, and making a positive impact. Alison is also the director of The Flourishing Workplace - I have placed a link to her website below.  In this conversation, we'll explore her journey, her work an...