The Art of Teaching

Ashleigh Smith: Rainbow Sky Creations, influential books and memorable teachers.

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: Thriving together, school culture and servant leadership.

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 leadership, legacy, and building a school culture where students and staff can truly thrive.

Stef Thom: Highly Accomplished and Lead Teacher pathways and the power of collaborative coaching

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.

 

Professor Sugata Mitra: Unpacking Self-Organised Learning Environments and the enduring role of the teacher.

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 technology empowers, autonomy flourishes, and human connection still matters.

Even when learning finds its own path… a great teacher remains the guiding light.

Sarah Nolan: Math-ish in action, teaching beyond content and embracing mistakes.

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 book on data education. A passionate educator, Sarah is deeply committed to a teaching philosophy rooted in a growth mindset, collaborative learning, and relationship-building.

Bronwyn Ryrie Jones: Unlocking the power of high-impact teaching in every classroom

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. She is respected for making complex research accessible and for understanding the challenges of teaching. A published author with Corwin Press, Bron regularly presents on responsive teaching, explicit instruction, and assessment. She collaborates with education systems and leadership organisations to create customised professional learning that drives real improvement in teaching practice.

Alice Vigors: The Learning Classroom.

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 dynamic, student-centred classrooms where learning is visible, meaningful, and shared. This essential resource is perfect for educators looking to boost engagement, amplify student voice, and celebrate learning across their school community.

Here is my first conversation with Alice: https://shorturl.at/KD1wz

Melinda Phillips: Honest conversations about burnout, boundaries, and emotional literacy

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 approach tailored to each school’s context. Melinda is an Associate Certified Coach with the International Coach Federation.

Professor David Gurr: Educational leadership, serving others and global perspectives.

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 across Australia and internationally. David has held editorial roles in major education journals and received several honours from the Australian Council for Educational Leaders, including the prestigious Gold Medal. He also consults widely and holds fellowships with institutions in Hong Kong, the UK and Canada.

Dr Mitchell Gibbs: Teaching strength, changing our minds and the future of pain management.

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 industry experience, he also consults on complex pain and in professional sport. It was a pleasure speaking with him about his journey and passion for teaching.