The Art of Teaching

Today I am joined by Shane Leaning. Shane is a Shanghai-based organisational coach who works with international schools around the world. He supports school leaders and teams to strengthen culture, collaboration and meaningful change.

He is the co-founder of Work Collaborative and co-author of the best-selling book Change Starts Here. Shane also hosts Education Leaders, a podcast featuring impactful interviews with renowned thought leaders and deep dives into school trends and strategies from around the world, all designed to support school leaders in their leadership journey.

Through his work across Asia, the UK and beyond, Shane brings a rich international perspective and a deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing school leaders today.

Shane’s book, Change Starts Here: https://workcollaborative.com/get-the-book/

Leadership Intensive Programme: https://educationleaders.co/intensive/

Education Leaders Podcast: https://educationleaders.co/podcast/

Lottie Dowling is the Director Of Education at Culture Agents, the Australasia Lead at Inspire Citizens and a life long learner specialising in Global Citizenship/Competence, Intercultural understanding and Student Leadership. She has worked in education 25 years+ as an educator and PD facilitator on a global, national and regional levels and run networks of schools working on pedagogical change and whole school improvement. She designs student programs and works with young people to build their global capabilities. She believes in the transformative power of education for all young people.

Today, I’m joined by Scott D. Anthony, Clinical Professor of Strategy at the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College, whose work focuses on the adaptive challenges posed by disruptive change.

Scott is the author of nine books, including his latest, Epic Disruptions: 11 Innovations That Shaped Our Modern World. The book was selected for JPMorgan’s Next List, which recognises cutting-edge ideas across technology, business, financial markets, the arts and culture.

Before joining Dartmouth, Scott spent more than 20 years at Innosight, the growth strategy consultancy founded by Harvard Business School Professor Clayton Christensen.

His influence on the field of innovation is widely recognised. Thinkers50 named Scott the world’s fifth most influential management thinker in 2025, after naming him the world’s leading innovation thinker in 2017.

In this conversation, we explore the innovations that have shaped modern life, what history teaches us about disruptive change, and how leaders can respond thoughtfully when the future feels uncertain.

It is a privilege to welcome Scott D. Anthony to The Art of Teaching. 

Adriano Di Prato is an experienced educator, executive leader, author and podcast host whose work continues to shape conversations about learning, leadership and the future of education.

With more than thirty years of experience across schools, higher education and global advisory practice, Adriano brings a rare depth of wisdom, clarity and purpose to his work. He has led significant improvement across student outcomes, governance, strategy and organisational culture, while continuing to champion the human side of education.

He is the co-author of the bestselling book Game Changers: Leading Today’s Learning for Tomorrow’s World, co-host of the Game Changers podcast, and a respected voice in educational leadership across Australia and beyond.

This is the second time I have had the privilege of speaking with Adriano, and I am truly in awe of the work he does. He leads with both vision and heart, and every conversation with him leaves me thinking more deeply about what it means to serve, lead and create meaningful change in education.

I hope you enjoy this conversation with the brilliant Adriano Di Prato.

Here his amazing TEDx talk. 

A career spent at the sharp end of human services tends to clarify your priorities. After decades in executive roles across the sector, Andrew eventually served as NSW Public Guardian, leading an organisation safeguarding the rights and dignity of people who depend on others to make decisions in their best interest. Andrew then made a late career change by transitioning to the ‘best job in the world’ – being a teacher. Working in alternative education with young people who don’t always fit neatly into other settings, his approach is grounded in nervous system support —creating calm, predictable and empowering environments and taking every available opportunity to treat young people with dignity and respect.

Amy Berry PhD has worked in education for more than 20 years as a teacher, researcher, author, and professional learning facilitator. She is the creator of The Engagement Hub and is widely recognised for her work in learner engagement, agency, formative evaluation, and play-based learning. Her work has supported educators across Australia, the United States, Asia, and the Middle East.

Dr. Benjamin Freud is Head of School and Strategic Lead, Regenerative Education at Green School Bali. He founded the Biomimicry for Regenerative Design (BiRD) Lab, K-12 programme built on the recognition that life has been designing for 3.8 billion years longer than we have. Students learn to look closely at how the living world works and to bring what they find into the things and processes they design.

He holds a PhD in History, along with an MSc in Education, an MBA, and an MA in International Relations. His background in sociology, philosophy, and history shapes how he thinks about schools, as places where students learn to contribute to the wider community, human and other-than-human.

Reciprocity sits at the centre of his work: the idea that learning should gift back to the people, places, and forms of life it draws from, rather than take from them.

Andrew Gray is an experienced board member, CEO of not-for-profit organisations, consultant, leadership mentor, and entrepreneur who owns and runs multiple businesses. With a strong track record across governance, leadership, and organisational development, he brings both strategic insight and real-world execution to the spaces he serves.

He spent 18 years on the board of a private Christian school, including 13 years as Chairman, where he played a key role in shaping vision, culture, and long-term sustainability. His depth of experience in education governance and leadership makes him a trusted voice in both school and organisational contexts.

Andrew is also an in-demand keynote speaker and trainer, known for delivering practical, values-driven leadership frameworks that translate into real impact. As a podcaster, he engages in meaningful conversations around leadership, personal growth, and cultural challenges.

I’m joined by Dr Adam Fraser PhD, and Bob Willetts to explore The Flourish Movement. Their work focuses on the real experience of educators. Not the surface-level conversation, but what sits underneath. The emotional load. The cognitive demand. The quiet accumulation that builds over time.

At the centre of this conversation is Secondary Traumatic Stress. It is present in schools more than we often think. It shapes how teachers think, feel, and respond. It also shapes whether people stay in the profession.

Adam and Bob bring both research and lived experience. They speak with honesty about what they are seeing across schools, and what needs to change. This is not about adding more to a teacher’s plate. It is about understanding the conditions that allow people to do their best work and remain well while doing it. We talk about what Secondary Traumatic Stress looks like in practice.

This is a grounded and important conversation. One that speaks to the reality of teaching, and the responsibility we all hold to care for the people at the heart of it.

Prue Car is the Deputy Premier of NSW, Minister for Education and Early Learning, and Minister for Western Sydney.

Prue grew up in Western Sydney and has represented the Western Sydney seat of Londonderry in NSW Parliament since 2015. Following the 2023 NSW election, Prue was appointed Deputy Premier, Minister for Education and Early Learning and Minister for Western Sydney. In her role as Minister for Education and Early Learning, Prue has prioritised listening to teachers, principals, and parents and is working tirelessly to improve the NSW education system. Prue’s goal is to ensure every child in the state can access high-quality public education and achieve their potential. In September 2023, Prue made a historic agreement which saw the state’s 95,000 public school teachers receive the largest pay increase in a generation. Prue has also prioritised addressing the needs of growing communities, addressing the backlog of school infrastructure needs in the state. The NSW Labor Government’s first Budget invested $3.5 billion over four years for new schools and school upgrades in Western Sydney, and an additional $1.4 for new schools and upgrades in regional NSW. Prue is also delivering the largest ever expansion of public preschools in the state’s history, investing a record $769 million to deliver 100 new public preschools by 2027. Together with the Premier of NSW, Chris Minns, Prue is committed to working hard for the students, families and people of NSW.

Her website is: https://www.pruecar.au/