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Snapshot of Events

You will see each event colour coded in its own track in the table below. All sessions are clickable showing the content and speaker for each.

 

For information on all events happening at the National Education Summit Melbourne please visit our website - https://nationaleducationsummit.com.au/melbourne/

 

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Thursday, September 3, 2026

AI in the Classroom
Capacity Building School Libraries
Diverse Learners Symposium
9:00 AM - 9:10 AM
Welcome by our MC - Day 1
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM Capacity Building School Libraries Diverse Learners Symposium
9:10 AM - 9:40 AM Curiosity in the age of AI
In a world increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence, curiosity remains our most powerful human trait. This keynote explores how curiosity fuels innovation, drives ethical decision-making, and empowers lifelong learning in an AI-driven era. Dan will unpack the evolving relationship between human curiosity and machine intelligence—highlighting how educators, leaders, and technologists can harness AI not just as a tool, but as a catalyst for deeper inquiry, creativity, and transformation. From classrooms to boardrooms, this session will challenge conventional thinking, showcase real-world examples, and offer actionable insights on how to cultivate curiosity in systems, pedagogy, and leadership. Whether you're navigating AI in education, policy, or enterprise, this keynote will inspire you to lead with questions, embrace uncertainty, and design futures where curiosity and technology co-evolve for the greater good. 		Constellations of Practice: Recentering the School Library with Purpose and Possibility
School libraries are constellations of practice: linking people, ideas and possibilities across the shifting landscape of education. In a time of uncertainty, where school leadership support is uneven, the pressure to do more is unrelenting, and recognition is often absent, the school library and its staff continue to bring coherence, connection and care for both students, teachers and the school community. This presentation invites participants to recentre their professional vision—not through reinvention, but by recognising the power of what already exists. Using the Know–Do–Be model as a reflective lens, we will explore how school library professionals already hold the knowledge, lead the practices and embody the values that sustain inclusive, future-focused and community-connected learning. Rather than calling for more effort, this session surfaces practical, achievable shifts—through thoughtful learning design, ethical technology use, and responsive programming—that build capacity without burnout. Anchored in research and real-world examples, the presentation reminds us that school library staff are stars - present, persistent, and guiding the way forward even when they go unnoticed. Attendees will leave with fresh clarity, restored energy and renewed confidence in their role—not as outliers, but as essential connectors in the learning constellation of their school. 		Converting Neurodiversity Into Neuro-advantage
Students with neurodiversity include students who are gifted, those who are oppositional or have dyslexia, or experience attention issues such as ADHD, or have experienced trauma as well as those who are on the spectrums. Each of these groups have strengths as well as vulnerabilities that can be catered for. Teachers are equipped with strategies as well as the most recent tech that overcomes learning disadvantages for neurodiverse students.
9:15 AM - 9:45 AM
9:40 AM - 10:10 AM Being Human in the World of GenAi
This workshop will explore some of the ethical considerations of AI use, with a focus on the human impacts. The workshop will explore elements such as bias, intellectual property, labour displacement and the hidden human workforce behind Generative AI. The interactive session encourages educators to reflect on which teaching tasks can be delegated to AI and which should remain human-led, with the aim of prompting critical discussion and personal reflection on AI’s role in education and society as a whole during the workshop. 		Linking Generative AI and Inquiry Learning: Hand in hand, or a contradiction in terms?
This presentation considers the impact of generative AI on inquiry learning. Does it mean that learning by inquiry has to be diminished, because teachers can't trust students to be ethical users of AI? Or can it work hand in hand with the stages of an inquiry learning model, to simplify, enhance and enrich student enquirers? The answer to this is by no means clear. This presentation seeks to raise questions, suggest some possible answers, by considering the literature in this area, and by preparing for, going through, and assessing an experience in a Sydney high school of an inquiry project based on the FOSIL model, which incorporates the use of AI at every stage. In this presentation, Lee will look at the pros and cons of Generative AI when it is applied to an inquiry learning model and suggests that developing such an expertise is really needed in schools by both students and teachers. 		Anxiety: What Your Students Need You to Know
Research shows us that 1 in 3 females and 1 in 5 males will experience an anxiety condition in their lifetime with the median onset age now being 15 years young. Statistics around anxiety are increasing at a rapid rate amongst our young people. In this one-hour presentation, The Big Sister Experience will cover the science behind anxiety and how to explain this to your students. They will share their top tips for supporting your students with anxiety, and how to empower them with strategies to manage their anxieties on their own, both in and outside of the classroom.
10:00 AM - 10:30 AM
10:10 AM - 10:30 AM Q&A Panel with Dr Kay Oddone & Ela Sircelj to answer questions
10:10 AM - 10:40 AM Verification > AI Detection
As educators, we need to move away from seeing AI generated content as a form of plagiarism. We need to stop wasting time and resources trying to detect the use of AI across unsupervised assessments. Beyond wasting teacher time, AI detectors risk humiliating vulnerable students who may be falsely accused of cheating. Instead, it's time to structurally redesign our assessment practice. To verify human thinking even when students are using AI while completing their work. This session will give teachers the tools and principles to redesign their assessments to verify real understanding in the AI era. 		Teaching for diversity requires diversity
The saying, often attributed to Albert Einstein, "If you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid," Diversity requires diversity, the challenge is, are we really acknowledging diverse needs and providing diversity in our teaching practice? This session will challenge the way we as a teacher conceive neurodiversity and our acceptance of the teaching practices that cater for various learning needs (beyond what is accepted as the norm). This session will explore what we can do to navigate and remove the obstacles in our teaching practice that become roadblocks to for our neurodiverse learners. Those obstacle's which so many of our creative geniuses have had to navigate.
10:30 AM - 11:00 AM
Libraries - Day 1 Morning Tea
10:40 AM - 11:00 AM Q&A Panel with Dan Bowen & Victoria Spicer-Stuart to answer questions Q&A Panel for Presenters 2 and 3 to answer questions
10:45 AM - 11:15 AM
11:00 AM - 11:30 AM
AI - Day 1 Morning Tea
Media Literacy Across the Curriculum
How do we teach students to critically analyse media across the curriculum? Informit will demonstrate how Explore Media and the Australian Media Literacy Alliance framework make media literacy explicit and achievable. See practical classroom applications comparing news coverage, identifying bias, and developing critical thinking skills.
Diverse - Day 1 Morning Tea
11:30 AM - 12:00 PM Cyborgs in schools - where to next?
Classrooms are no longer just human spaces. From lesson planning to student support, AI is slipping into the daily rhythms of teaching and learning. But are schools ready for this “cyborg moment,” where human expertise and machine intelligence fuse? This session explores what’s possible, what’s risky, and what’s next. Expect provocations, practical examples, and a peek into the near-future of education where teachers, students, and AI learn to co-evolve. 		School Library Toolkit SLAV Narratives That Connect: One Approach, Many Outcomes
Oral narratives are more than just stories, they’re a powerful, multi-purpose tool that can unlock language, connection, and learning for students with Language Disorder, Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) and language difficulties, and can simultaneously support diverse learning needs, promote inclusion, and foster social and emotional wellbeing. Grounded in a strengths-based and culturally responsive lens, this session will explore how oral narratives can: · Support neurodivergent learners (including students with DLD, autism and other diverse language profiles) through flexible, scaffolded language intervention · Enhance social-emotional learning by using narrative to build skills, emotional vocabulary, and regulation through safe and structured storytelling and shared experiences · Promote inclusion and identity by creating space for diverse learners, to share their stories in affirming, meaningful ways
11:30 AM - 12:30 PM
11:45 AM - 12:15 PM
12:00 PM - 12:30 PM Building Connection and Visibility in School Libraries: The Three Cs Approach
How can school libraries build their visibility and strengthen their role within the wider learning community? This session explores one library’s journey to increase its impact through the Three Cs: Cohorts, Community, and Curriculum. Using the Ciantar Learning Common’s (CLC) work as a case study, we will share practical strategies for connecting library programs with student cohorts, building authentic community engagement, and embedding the library within the curriculum. Participants will be invited to reflect on their own contexts, analyse key approaches taken by the CLC, and exchange ideas for transformative collaborations.
12:00 PM - 12:40 PM Personalised Learning at Scale: Building Custom AI Chatbots for Every Student
At Salesian College Sunbury, we wanted to go beyond simply using off-the-shelf AI tools in the classroom. Our goal was to give every student a personalised tutor for each subject they study, grounded entirely in their actual coursework. This session will demonstrate how our Digital Learning & Innovation team built an internal platform that lets teachers upload their subject content, assessment instructions, and resources, then automatically generates a dedicated AI chatbot for each student in each class. These chatbots can answer questions, explain content in different ways, and guide students step-by-step through their tasks — all while staying aligned with teacher expectations. Built using AI APIs within our College's Generative AI Framework, this system has transformed student engagement and reduced the time teachers spend on repetitive clarification. Attendees will see how we designed the workflows, guardrails, and safety systems that make this possible within a school context. Participants will leave with a clear blueprint for creating their own custom learning support tools using generative AI. 		Cultivating Belonging: Trauma-Informed Pathways to Connection and Growth
Belonging is not a soft ideal, it’s a biological and emotional necessity for learning. In this session, author and educator Jade Wong shares how trauma impacts a child’s sense of belonging and what educators can do to rebuild trust, safety, and identity within school communities. Blending storytelling, lived experience, and classroom strategies, Jade invites educators to see beyond behaviour and nurture the deep human need to belong that underpins all resilience and growth and is particularly necessary for students in Out of Home Care.
12:30 PM - 1:30 PM
Libraries - Day 1 Lunch
12:40 PM - 1:00 PM Q&A Panel with Matt Esterman & Brodie McGee to answer questions Q&A Panel including Jade Wong to answer questions
12:45 PM - 1:15 PM
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
AI - Day 1 Lunch
Diverse - Day 1 Lunch
1:30 PM - 2:00 PM Q&A Panel with Informit, SLAV & Lauren Kyte to answer questions
1:30 PM - 2:30 PM
1:45 PM - 2:15 PM
2:00 PM - 2:30 PM AI in Action: Empowering the Next Generation of Innovators
Is AI a threat to education or its greatest new tool? Join the Yarra Ranges Tech School for a look at how we are harnessing the power of Artificial Intelligence to foster student agency and supercharge STEM learning. This presentation moves beyond fear and explores how to thoughtfully integrate AI into the classroom to help students and teachers thrive. We will explore our hands-on programs that introduce students to the fundamentals of AI through engaging activities in programming, robotics, design, and home automation. Discover how we provide clear instructions and expectations that empower students to use AI platforms as a powerful tool to accelerate their own learning and creativity. In this session, we will dive into practical examples, including: • A case study on how we developed our home automation program and how students use AI to design and automate their own homes. • Strategies for using AI to drive student entrepreneurship and innovation. • An overview of how our teachers leverage AI to rapidly develop new learning experiences and enhance their own practice. 		Reigniting Reading Through Student Choice and Teacher–Librarian Collaboration: Literature Circles and Socratic Seminars in a Global Issues Unit
Engaging adolescents in reading is not just about fostering literacy, it is about igniting curiosity, critical thinking, and a lifelong love of learning. Adolescent reading engagement remains a key priority in contemporary education, and recent research highlights that when students are provided with voice, choice, and authentic opportunities to connect with texts and one another, their motivation and engagement increase. Literature circles and Socratic discussions are identified as effective strategies that promote deeper comprehension, critical thinking, and intrinsic motivation—key factors that underpin engaged reading and lifelong literacy development (Webber et al., 2023). By implementing these strategies, educators can foster a culture of curiosity and enjoyment while equipping students with the skills to think critically, communicate effectively, and take ownership of their learning. 		Leaning into Difference - Neuroaffirming practice in the classroom
Creativity and imagination are unleashed when we know ourselves and we know how to appreciate and celebrate different perspectives. Developing a classroom culture that actively celebrates difference and promotes student capacity to advocate for their needs and those of others is critical. This presentation will explore how educators can build neuro-affirming classrooms through our social emotional learning frameworks and the impacts this has on student agency and creativity.
2:30 PM - 3:00 PM
2:30 PM - 3:10 PM Using AI to increase Human connection
There is a lot of discussion of AI removing humanity. I refuse to accept this narrative. At the Anglican Schools Corporation we have built tools for our teachers that enable more human connection, not less. In this session Julian will discuss how AI can enable more human connection and show tools and processes they have developed that his increased student agency, strengthened authentic student voice and increase connections between educators. 		Reading Lounges and Sustained Reading
After developing two reading lounges in the past 12 months, it can be seen how a change within a Library Space can alter the reading behaviour of students. Mr Sloth's Rainforest Reading Lounge for Year 3-6 and Sunny's Storyland for K3-Year 2 are examples of a new approach. Utilising Marketplace and a tight budget students are evolving into a new way of reading for pleasure in these spaces. Hear about new ideas within Junior and Senior School Libraries where sustained reading is the priority. 		Neuroinclusivity in Action: What It Feels Like to Learn with a Different Brain
Every classroom includes students whose brains process, learn, and behave differently, yet many teachers still feel unsure how to recognise and respond to neurodiverse needs. In this powerful and practical session, Scott B Harris draws on 17 years of lived experience with a traumatic brain injury to give teachers a firsthand understanding of what neurodiversity feels like, and how to create classrooms where every learner can thrive. Combining evidence-based research (developed in collaboration with Professor John Hattie) and practical classroom strategies, this session takes participants through interactive simulations that mirror real neurodiverse experiences such as cognitive dysfunction, disorganisation, and sensory overwhelm. Teachers will walk away with a deeper understanding of executive functioning, simple adjustments that de-escalate behaviour, and classroom tools that make learning more inclusive, not just for neurodivergent students, but for all.
2:30 PM - 3:45 PM
3:10 PM - 3:30 PM Q&A Panel with Travis Burroughs & Julian Ridden to answer questions Q&A Panel with Virginia Hand & Trish Trchala to answer questions Q&A Panel with Rebecca Ball & Scott B Harris to answer questions
3:15 PM - 3:45 PM
3:30 PM - 3:45 PM
Ask the Audience – Delegates share the one idea that they will work on next week (AI - Day 1)
Ask the Audience – Delegates share the one idea that they will work on next week - Libraries Day 1
Ask the Audience – Delegates share the one idea that they will work on next week - Diverse Day 1
3:45 PM - 4:00 PM
Wrap up - Day 1
Wellbeing for Future Focused Schools
Early Stages Theatre
Classroom of the Future
9:00 AM - 9:10 AM
Welcome by our MC - Day 1
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM Wellbeing for Future Focused Schools
9:10 AM - 9:40 AM Culture as the Compass: Guiding Wellbeing, Behaviour, Relationships and School Success
School culture shapes every aspect of life within a school community, influencing how individuals think, feel, and interact. A strong and positive culture is built on relationships, guided by vision and values, and expressed through daily behaviours and expectations. Everyone has a role to play in creating and sustaining this culture. This workshop explores how schools can intentionally shape culture to foster wellbeing, strengthen relationships, and drive collective success. Participants will: • Examine the role of positive relationships at the heart of school culture. • Explore how vision and values guide everyday actions and interactions. • Learn strategies to strengthen connection, collaboration, and belonging. • Consider practical approaches to embed wellbeing into school life. • Identify the factors that can damage or undermine a positive school environment. • Discover how culture can be a powerful driver of learning and success.
9:15 AM - 9:45 AM Authentic teaching. Finding your voice, to deliver what works
In my early years of teaching, my mentor looked over everything I was doing and asked, "Can you manage all this?" Knowing there were only four weeks left until the holidays, I confidently replied, "Yes." He paused, then clarified: "Can you manage all this for the next four decades?" I realised I could not. Wanting to be a teacher who changes the trajectory of young lives is a truly noble—and achievable—goal. This session cuts through the noise to explore what really matters in teaching. We’ll explore how to teach in a way which is both effective and enjoyable, for you and your students, while helping you gain clarity and confidence in your impact. We'll balance core pedagogical principles with strategies to help you find your unique voice and authentic teaching style, making your practice not only sustainable for the long-haul, but deeply fulfilling. 		Critical and Creative Thinking: still essential in the age of AI
This session will delve into the fundamental concepts of critical and creative thinking, illuminating how these cognitive processes differ yet complement each other in problem-solving and learning. Participants will examine the importance of nurturing these skills in educational settings, particularly as AI technologies become increasingly prevalent in society and the workforce. In an age where AI can efficiently process information and automate routine tasks, the uniquely human abilities to think critically—evaluating information, questioning assumptions, making judgements—and creatively—generating novel ideas, approaches, and solutions—remain vital. The session will explore how educators can intentionally foster these ‘soft skills’ within the curriculum, using practical strategies and classroom activities.
9:40 AM - 10:10 AM Resilience & Adaptability: Preparing Schools for an Uncertain Future
Education is being reshaped by global challenges — pandemics, climate events, rapid technological change, and shifting social dynamics. This session equips school leaders and educators to design resilient, adaptable systems that keep students at the center, no matter what the future holds. This session provides a roadmap for creating agile, resilient schools that prioritise learning, safety, and wellbeing — no matter the external environment. It offers practical, tested strategies that support educators in building robust systems ready for disruption. Key Takeaways for Participants: • Rethink classroom models to respond to global crises and changing community needs. • Learn how to design hybrid and remote learning systems that maintain continuity and equity. • Explore leadership strategies for building organisational adaptability and future preparedness. • Walk away with crisis-readiness planning templates for curriculum, staff development, and student engagement.
10:00 AM - 10:30 AM
TIANE520 Pty Ltd
Strategenics COF Sponsor
10:10 AM - 10:30 AM Q&A Panel with Dr Michael Stewart & Dr Sonia Cheema to answer questions
10:10 AM - 10:40 AM
10:30 AM - 11:00 AM
Wellbeing - Day 1 Morning Tea
10:40 AM - 11:00 AM
10:45 AM - 11:15 AM Why screening is different: early numeracy, early flags, and what makes a good screener
Early numeracy difficulties can be surprisingly hard to detect in everyday classroom practice. Young learners often develop unevenly, compensate with surface strategies, or appear to be coping until foundational gaps begin to constrain later learning. This session explores why early identification matters, and why screening plays a fundamentally different role from formative or summative classroom assessment in the early years. Rather than functioning as teaching tools or detailed diagnostics, screeners are designed to flag potential risk early, enabling timely, well targeted teaching and support before difficulties become entrenched. Drawing on research into early mathematics development, the session examines why timing is critical in early numeracy, and how screening complements — but does not replace — high quality classroom assessment. The presentation concludes by unpacking the core principles that underpin effective early years screeners, including efficiency, a strong conceptual focus, developmental appropriateness for young learners, and the value of hybrid approaches for assessing key numeracy concepts. These ideas are illustrated through examples from the PAT Early Numeracy Screener, highlighting how well designed screening supports earlier action and stronger learning trajectories. 		Building Better Learners: Using Cognitive Science to Support Study Success
Learning isn’t just about effort—it’s about understanding how the brain works. Many students don’t realise that forgetting is a natural process. Cognitive science shows that new information fades quickly unless we revisit it at the right times, a phenomenon known as the Forgetting Curve. This session explores practical strategies to strengthen memory and learning, including Spaced Retrieval Practice, which helps students move knowledge into long-term memory without cramming. We’ll look at how these techniques can be embedded into everyday study routines to improve retention and confidence. Participants will also discover a structured approach to teaching study skills across the year. Each week introduces a simple, evidence-based strategy—such as Smart Notes, Blank Page Retrieval, Goal Setting, and Time Management—supported by short, accessible resources for classroom use. Beyond academics, we’ll discuss ways to help students manage stress, maintain motivation, and reflect on their progress to build resilience and balance. By the end of this session, educators will have practical tools and insights to help students learn more effectively, remember longer, and take ownership of their learning journey.
11:00 AM - 11:30 AM The Ripple Effect: Why Wellbeing Begins With Us
Participants will leave with three immediately implementable strategies — practical, realistic tools that can be applied the very next day to elevate personal wellbeing and create ripple effects that strengthen school communities. This session is for educators at every level who want practical ways to care for themselves and create ripple effects that elevate wellbeing across their school communities — becoming the change the world quietly hopes for, one small meaningful moment at a time.
11:30 AM - 12:00 PM
11:30 AM - 12:30 PM Avoiding Educator Burnout - Practical Strategies for Educators
In the dynamic landscape of education, the demands on educators can often lead to feelings of stress and burnout. This session aims to empower educators with practical tools and insights to recognise the signs of burnout, understand its underlying causes, and implement proactive measures to maintain their wellbeing. Instead of adding to your workload, what can we take away? We’ll work through effective strategies to prevent burnout and cultivate a sustainable and fulfilling teaching career.
11:45 AM - 12:15 PM Learning the ropes as an early career teacher
Sharing the key things I have learnt along the way that I wish I knew as an early career teacher from setting classroom routines to learning walls, learning environments to student agency and behaviour management. 		Setting Our Students and Ourselves up for 2040
It is estimated that we have experienced 0.1% of the technological changes we will see by 2040. This means we will all essentially be newbies as we begin to understand the enormity of the changes facing our world. The world is poised at the point of one of the greatest changes in history and if our students are not able to capitalise on those opportunities, their ability to succeed will be lessened. This presentation outlines the major digital innovations and revolutions foreseeable and considers the skills that will be needed in 2040. Three of the basic skills that are outlined are- show up (ready to learn and perform), opt in (rather than avoid) and be curious.
12:00 PM - 12:30 PM
12:00 PM - 12:40 PM
12:30 PM - 1:30 PM
Wellbeing - Day 1 Lunch
12:40 PM - 1:00 PM
12:45 PM - 1:15 PM Beating the statistics
The transition from university life to full-time teaching can feel overwhelming. Suddenly, you are not only responsible for your own wellbeing, but also entrusted with the growth, learning, and care of other families’ children, all while navigating new systems and expectations. Rebecca shares practical strategies and personal stories from her own journey as an early career teacher and now emerging leader. Topics will include managing workload, setting realistic expectations, and balancing the emotional demands of the profession. Drawing on experiences from working in three different schools, Rebecca will provide insights into navigating school cultures, building strong professional relationships, and seeking support before burnout strikes. Participants will leave this session with: Tools for effective planning and managing workload Strategies for seeking support and clarifying expectations Insights on protecting professional wellbeing and navigating tricky situations Approaches for responding to age-based assumptions and building credibility Advice on fostering mentor relationships and thriving in diverse school cultures Guidance on finding a school culture that aligns with your values and goals This session offers an honest and practical look at what it takes not just to survive the first years of teaching, but to lay the foundations for a long and fulfilling career, ultimately beating those statistics. 		Curiosity in Action: Why Hands-On Learning Matters More Than Ever
In a world where information is instantly accessible and technology continues to reshape education; the role of the classroom is evolving. When answers are everywhere, the real opportunity for teachers is to nurture curiosity, critical thinking and confident problem solving. In this interactive session we will explore how simple, curiosity-driven investigations can transform learning in the classroom. You will experience two hands-on activities, from a live science demonstration to a creative design challenge and reflect on how experimentation, questioning and iteration deepen student understanding. Through practical examples and real classroom insights, you will learn how you can bring powerful hands-on learning into your classroom using both structured experiments and everyday materials. Expect a fun and practical session designed to spark curiosity and leave with a simple framework for creating powerful hands-on learning moments.
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
1:30 PM - 2:00 PM
1:30 PM - 2:30 PM The Global Joy Mission: Empowering Educators and Students to Thrive, Not Just Survive
What if joy wasn’t a reward at the end of a busy school term, but a daily strategy for wellbeing and performance? In this inspiring and science-backed session, Organisational Psychologist and author of Productivity Joy, Simi Rayat, shares the Global Joy Mission, a movement to equip 5 million people including Educators and students with the tools to thrive by 2030. Discover the 5Qs Formula, a simple, evidence-based, science-backed daily practice to build emotional regulation, focus and resilience in just five minutes a day. Learn how schools across Australia are embedding these tools into classrooms and how your school can join the national pilot programme to make wellbeing a daily mental fitness habit, not an occasional lesson. You’ll walk away inspired, equipped and ready to create a culture of calm, confidence and connection in your school community.
1:45 PM - 2:15 PM Exploring tips and tricks to help master the art of teaching
Starting out in your teaching career can be daunting, overwhelming and exciting all at the same time. In this presentation, Grant will present a range of tips and tricks that he explores with preservice and early career teachers in his role as an Associate Lecturer Work Integrated Learning. He will explore the idea of early career teachers as worker learners and how it is ok not to know everything in the classroom and that it is ok to seek help. Delegates will walk away with a range of practical tips and tricks that will make your life easier in the classroom.
Campion Education
2:00 PM - 2:30 PM
2:30 PM - 3:00 PM Building a school playground to engage students that reduces behaviour incidents
We will showcase how the development of a Playground Masterplan to engage students reduced playground incidents. Instead of waiting for the problem to happen, we created a space where all students can connect or find a place where they belong. It is not just about more sporting equipment. Providing small, simple spaces can create more options for all students. St Mary's has a small playground space and like most schools, not a great deal of spare money. Come along and here the inspiration around this project.
2:30 PM - 3:10 PM The Anti 5am Club
The Anti 5am Club challenges the myths that tie success to early starts, perfect mornings, and relentless output. Instead, it equips teachers with practical tools they can use to protect their energy, design days that work for them, and model sustainable wellbeing. The workshop is grounded in lived experience and research, offering realistic strategies to help educators and school leaders flourish across the whole day. We will also explore "Moral Trauma", something that many teachers have but do not know they have.
2:30 PM - 3:45 PM Beyond the Curriculum
This session is designed specifically for graduate and early-career teachers (0–3 years). This heart-led workshop goes beyond traditional curriculum training to equip new educators with the emotional intelligence, relational strategies, and trauma-informed mindset essential for thriving in today’s classrooms. Grounded in the lived experience approach of The Big Sister Experience, participants will explore topics such as student behaviour through a trauma lens, teacher and student wellbeing, inclusive and culturally responsive classrooms, and tools to prevent burnout. With an emphasis on authenticity over perfection, this powerful session supports participants to lead with confidence, connection, and care. Teachers leave with practical tools, a renewed sense of purpose, and a supportive graduate network, plus post-session resources to continue their growth beyond the day.
3:10 PM - 3:30 PM Q&A Panel with Simi Rayat & Andrew Murray to answer questions
3:15 PM - 3:45 PM
Workshop Sponsor 4
3:30 PM - 3:45 PM
Ask the Audience – Delegates share the one idea that they will work on next week - Wellbeing Day 1
3:45 PM - 4:00 PM
Knowledge Centre
9:00 AM - 9:10 AM
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
9:10 AM - 9:40 AM
9:15 AM - 9:45 AM Settling the Storm: Distress Tolerance Skills for Moments of Emotional Overwhelm in the Classroom
Why can’t we just feel whelmed? Not flooded. Not shut down. Not about to explode. Just… whelmed. For many young people, even mild discomfort can feel intolerable, pushing them outside their Window of Tolerance and into reactive states like fight, flight, or freeze. In these moments, distress becomes the driver, and behaviour often turns impulsive, disruptive, or withdrawn, affecting both learning and safety. In this session, we’ll explore the distress paradox, how efforts to avoid discomfort can actually amplify it, and how patterns of up- or down-regulating behaviour become strategies to manage an internal world that feels overwhelming. That’s the function of distress tolerance. It doesn’t fix the feeling, but it gives students something to reach for in the feeling. A way to ground, distract, or steady themselves just enough to choose a better next move. This session equips educators with practical, psychologically informed tools to support students through moments of emotional intensity, responding in ways that reduce impulsive reactions and gently redirect emotional momentum, while preserving a sense of safety and flow in the classroom
9:40 AM - 10:10 AM
10:00 AM - 10:30 AM Balancing Empathy with Accountability in an educational context
In contemporary educational settings, the ability to balance genuine empathy with clear, values aligned accountability is emerging as a critical capability for teachers and leaders. This session explores how relational practices—such as active listening, perspective taking, and emotional validation—can strengthen staff collaboration and foster psychologically safe learning environments, while also preventing the risks of over accommodation, blurred boundaries, and “toxic empathy.” Grounded in current research on emotional intelligence and compassionate accountability, the presentation offers a practical framework for educators seeking to build trust, promote student responsibility, and navigate challenging conversations with clarity and confidence. Participants will leave with evidence informed strategies that support both professional collegiality and the development of resilient, connected, and high expectation classrooms.
10:10 AM - 10:30 AM
10:10 AM - 10:40 AM
10:30 AM - 11:00 AM
10:40 AM - 11:00 AM
10:45 AM - 11:15 AM Using data analytics tools to effectively manage evidence-based teaching
Learn how modern data analytics tools give teachers centralised access to assessment data across their entire school—covering every student, every assessment, and any time period. Clear, visual dashboards make it easy to track achievement and progress, identify students at risk or exceeding expectations, and support timely, targeted intervention. This session will also explore how features such as curriculum tracking, dynamically generated lesson plans, integrated individual learning plans and support for widely used assessments like DIBELS and PAT help streamline teaching and planning. See how a purpose-built data analytics platform can simplify data use and support better decision-making for both teachers and school leaders.
11:00 AM - 11:30 AM
11:30 AM - 12:00 PM
11:30 AM - 12:30 PM
11:45 AM - 12:15 PM
Camp Quality
12:00 PM - 12:30 PM
12:00 PM - 12:40 PM
12:30 PM - 1:30 PM
12:40 PM - 1:00 PM
12:45 PM - 1:15 PM
University of Newcastle
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
1:30 PM - 2:00 PM
1:30 PM - 2:30 PM
1:45 PM - 2:15 PM The 5 Chairs®: A Practical Tool for Whole School Well-being
What if well-being could become the operating system of your school? The 5 Chairs® by Louise Evans provides a practical behavioural framework that helps students and educators move from reactivity to responsibility, from conflict to connection, and from stress to self-regulation. Come and discover a simple but powerful tool for building emotionally intelligent classrooms and a thriving whole-school culture.
2:00 PM - 2:30 PM
2:30 PM - 3:00 PM
Spotlight 5
2:30 PM - 3:10 PM
2:30 PM - 3:45 PM
3:10 PM - 3:30 PM
3:15 PM - 3:45 PM
Presenter
3:30 PM - 3:45 PM
3:45 PM - 4:00 PM
AI in the Classroom
Capacity Building School Libraries
9:00 AM - 9:10 AM
Welcome by our MC - Day 1
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM Capacity Building School Libraries
9:10 AM - 9:40 AM Curiosity in the age of AI
In a world increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence, curiosity remains our most powerful human trait. This keynote explores how curiosity fuels innovation, drives ethical decision-making, and empowers lifelong learning in an AI-driven era. Dan will unpack the evolving relationship between human curiosity and machine intelligence—highlighting how educators, leaders, and technologists can harness AI not just as a tool, but as a catalyst for deeper inquiry, creativity, and transformation. From classrooms to boardrooms, this session will challenge conventional thinking, showcase real-world examples, and offer actionable insights on how to cultivate curiosity in systems, pedagogy, and leadership. Whether you're navigating AI in education, policy, or enterprise, this keynote will inspire you to lead with questions, embrace uncertainty, and design futures where curiosity and technology co-evolve for the greater good. 		Constellations of Practice: Recentering the School Library with Purpose and Possibility
School libraries are constellations of practice: linking people, ideas and possibilities across the shifting landscape of education. In a time of uncertainty, where school leadership support is uneven, the pressure to do more is unrelenting, and recognition is often absent, the school library and its staff continue to bring coherence, connection and care for both students, teachers and the school community. This presentation invites participants to recentre their professional vision—not through reinvention, but by recognising the power of what already exists. Using the Know–Do–Be model as a reflective lens, we will explore how school library professionals already hold the knowledge, lead the practices and embody the values that sustain inclusive, future-focused and community-connected learning. Rather than calling for more effort, this session surfaces practical, achievable shifts—through thoughtful learning design, ethical technology use, and responsive programming—that build capacity without burnout. Anchored in research and real-world examples, the presentation reminds us that school library staff are stars - present, persistent, and guiding the way forward even when they go unnoticed. Attendees will leave with fresh clarity, restored energy and renewed confidence in their role—not as outliers, but as essential connectors in the learning constellation of their school.
9:15 AM - 9:45 AM
9:40 AM - 10:10 AM Being Human in the World of GenAi
This workshop will explore some of the ethical considerations of AI use, with a focus on the human impacts. The workshop will explore elements such as bias, intellectual property, labour displacement and the hidden human workforce behind Generative AI. The interactive session encourages educators to reflect on which teaching tasks can be delegated to AI and which should remain human-led, with the aim of prompting critical discussion and personal reflection on AI’s role in education and society as a whole during the workshop. 		Linking Generative AI and Inquiry Learning: Hand in hand, or a contradiction in terms?
This presentation considers the impact of generative AI on inquiry learning. Does it mean that learning by inquiry has to be diminished, because teachers can't trust students to be ethical users of AI? Or can it work hand in hand with the stages of an inquiry learning model, to simplify, enhance and enrich student enquirers? The answer to this is by no means clear. This presentation seeks to raise questions, suggest some possible answers, by considering the literature in this area, and by preparing for, going through, and assessing an experience in a Sydney high school of an inquiry project based on the FOSIL model, which incorporates the use of AI at every stage. In this presentation, Lee will look at the pros and cons of Generative AI when it is applied to an inquiry learning model and suggests that developing such an expertise is really needed in schools by both students and teachers.
10:00 AM - 10:30 AM
10:10 AM - 10:30 AM Q&A Panel with Dr Kay Oddone & Ela Sircelj to answer questions
10:10 AM - 10:40 AM Verification > AI Detection
As educators, we need to move away from seeing AI generated content as a form of plagiarism. We need to stop wasting time and resources trying to detect the use of AI across unsupervised assessments. Beyond wasting teacher time, AI detectors risk humiliating vulnerable students who may be falsely accused of cheating. Instead, it's time to structurally redesign our assessment practice. To verify human thinking even when students are using AI while completing their work. This session will give teachers the tools and principles to redesign their assessments to verify real understanding in the AI era.
10:30 AM - 11:00 AM
Libraries - Day 1 Morning Tea
10:40 AM - 11:00 AM Q&A Panel with Dan Bowen & Victoria Spicer-Stuart to answer questions
10:45 AM - 11:15 AM
11:00 AM - 11:30 AM
AI - Day 1 Morning Tea
Media Literacy Across the Curriculum
How do we teach students to critically analyse media across the curriculum? Informit will demonstrate how Explore Media and the Australian Media Literacy Alliance framework make media literacy explicit and achievable. See practical classroom applications comparing news coverage, identifying bias, and developing critical thinking skills.
11:30 AM - 12:00 PM Cyborgs in schools - where to next?
Classrooms are no longer just human spaces. From lesson planning to student support, AI is slipping into the daily rhythms of teaching and learning. But are schools ready for this “cyborg moment,” where human expertise and machine intelligence fuse? This session explores what’s possible, what’s risky, and what’s next. Expect provocations, practical examples, and a peek into the near-future of education where teachers, students, and AI learn to co-evolve. 		School Library Toolkit SLAV
11:30 AM - 12:30 PM
11:45 AM - 12:15 PM
12:00 PM - 12:30 PM Building Connection and Visibility in School Libraries: The Three Cs Approach
How can school libraries build their visibility and strengthen their role within the wider learning community? This session explores one library’s journey to increase its impact through the Three Cs: Cohorts, Community, and Curriculum. Using the Ciantar Learning Common’s (CLC) work as a case study, we will share practical strategies for connecting library programs with student cohorts, building authentic community engagement, and embedding the library within the curriculum. Participants will be invited to reflect on their own contexts, analyse key approaches taken by the CLC, and exchange ideas for transformative collaborations.
12:00 PM - 12:40 PM Personalised Learning at Scale: Building Custom AI Chatbots for Every Student
At Salesian College Sunbury, we wanted to go beyond simply using off-the-shelf AI tools in the classroom. Our goal was to give every student a personalised tutor for each subject they study, grounded entirely in their actual coursework. This session will demonstrate how our Digital Learning & Innovation team built an internal platform that lets teachers upload their subject content, assessment instructions, and resources, then automatically generates a dedicated AI chatbot for each student in each class. These chatbots can answer questions, explain content in different ways, and guide students step-by-step through their tasks — all while staying aligned with teacher expectations. Built using AI APIs within our College's Generative AI Framework, this system has transformed student engagement and reduced the time teachers spend on repetitive clarification. Attendees will see how we designed the workflows, guardrails, and safety systems that make this possible within a school context. Participants will leave with a clear blueprint for creating their own custom learning support tools using generative AI.
12:30 PM - 1:30 PM
Libraries - Day 1 Lunch
12:40 PM - 1:00 PM Q&A Panel with Matt Esterman & Brodie McGee to answer questions
12:45 PM - 1:15 PM
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
AI - Day 1 Lunch
1:30 PM - 2:00 PM Q&A Panel with Informit, SLAV & Lauren Kyte to answer questions
1:30 PM - 2:30 PM
1:45 PM - 2:15 PM
2:00 PM - 2:30 PM AI in Action: Empowering the Next Generation of Innovators
Is AI a threat to education or its greatest new tool? Join the Yarra Ranges Tech School for a look at how we are harnessing the power of Artificial Intelligence to foster student agency and supercharge STEM learning. This presentation moves beyond fear and explores how to thoughtfully integrate AI into the classroom to help students and teachers thrive. We will explore our hands-on programs that introduce students to the fundamentals of AI through engaging activities in programming, robotics, design, and home automation. Discover how we provide clear instructions and expectations that empower students to use AI platforms as a powerful tool to accelerate their own learning and creativity. In this session, we will dive into practical examples, including: • A case study on how we developed our home automation program and how students use AI to design and automate their own homes. • Strategies for using AI to drive student entrepreneurship and innovation. • An overview of how our teachers leverage AI to rapidly develop new learning experiences and enhance their own practice. 		Reigniting Reading Through Student Choice and Teacher–Librarian Collaboration: Literature Circles and Socratic Seminars in a Global Issues Unit
Engaging adolescents in reading is not just about fostering literacy, it is about igniting curiosity, critical thinking, and a lifelong love of learning. Adolescent reading engagement remains a key priority in contemporary education, and recent research highlights that when students are provided with voice, choice, and authentic opportunities to connect with texts and one another, their motivation and engagement increase. Literature circles and Socratic discussions are identified as effective strategies that promote deeper comprehension, critical thinking, and intrinsic motivation—key factors that underpin engaged reading and lifelong literacy development (Webber et al., 2023). By implementing these strategies, educators can foster a culture of curiosity and enjoyment while equipping students with the skills to think critically, communicate effectively, and take ownership of their learning.
2:30 PM - 3:00 PM
2:30 PM - 3:10 PM Using AI to increase Human connection
There is a lot of discussion of AI removing humanity. I refuse to accept this narrative. At the Anglican Schools Corporation we have built tools for our teachers that enable more human connection, not less. In this session Julian will discuss how AI can enable more human connection and show tools and processes they have developed that his increased student agency, strengthened authentic student voice and increase connections between educators. 		Reading Lounges and Sustained Reading
After developing two reading lounges in the past 12 months, it can be seen how a change within a Library Space can alter the reading behaviour of students. Mr Sloth's Rainforest Reading Lounge for Year 3-6 and Sunny's Storyland for K3-Year 2 are examples of a new approach. Utilising Marketplace and a tight budget students are evolving into a new way of reading for pleasure in these spaces. Hear about new ideas within Junior and Senior School Libraries where sustained reading is the priority.
2:30 PM - 3:45 PM
3:10 PM - 3:30 PM Q&A Panel with Travis Burroughs & Julian Ridden to answer questions Q&A Panel with Virginia Hand & Trish Trchala to answer questions
3:15 PM - 3:45 PM
3:30 PM - 3:45 PM
Ask the Audience – Delegates share the one idea that they will work on next week (AI - Day 1)
Ask the Audience – Delegates share the one idea that they will work on next week - Libraries Day 1
3:45 PM - 4:00 PM
Wrap up - Day 1

Diverse Learners Symposium
Wellbeing for Future Focused Schools
9:00 AM - 9:10 AM
Welcome by our MC - Day 1
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM Diverse Learners Symposium Wellbeing for Future Focused Schools
9:10 AM - 9:40 AM Converting Neurodiversity Into Neuro-advantage
Students with neurodiversity include students who are gifted, those who are oppositional or have dyslexia, or experience attention issues such as ADHD, or have experienced trauma as well as those who are on the spectrums. Each of these groups have strengths as well as vulnerabilities that can be catered for. Teachers are equipped with strategies as well as the most recent tech that overcomes learning disadvantages for neurodiverse students. 		Culture as the Compass: Guiding Wellbeing, Behaviour, Relationships and School Success
School culture shapes every aspect of life within a school community, influencing how individuals think, feel, and interact. A strong and positive culture is built on relationships, guided by vision and values, and expressed through daily behaviours and expectations. Everyone has a role to play in creating and sustaining this culture. This workshop explores how schools can intentionally shape culture to foster wellbeing, strengthen relationships, and drive collective success. Participants will: • Examine the role of positive relationships at the heart of school culture. • Explore how vision and values guide everyday actions and interactions. • Learn strategies to strengthen connection, collaboration, and belonging. • Consider practical approaches to embed wellbeing into school life. • Identify the factors that can damage or undermine a positive school environment. • Discover how culture can be a powerful driver of learning and success.
9:15 AM - 9:45 AM
9:40 AM - 10:10 AM Anxiety: What Your Students Need You to Know
Research shows us that 1 in 3 females and 1 in 5 males will experience an anxiety condition in their lifetime with the median onset age now being 15 years young. Statistics around anxiety are increasing at a rapid rate amongst our young people. In this one-hour presentation, The Big Sister Experience will cover the science behind anxiety and how to explain this to your students. They will share their top tips for supporting your students with anxiety, and how to empower them with strategies to manage their anxieties on their own, both in and outside of the classroom. 		Resilience & Adaptability: Preparing Schools for an Uncertain Future
Education is being reshaped by global challenges — pandemics, climate events, rapid technological change, and shifting social dynamics. This session equips school leaders and educators to design resilient, adaptable systems that keep students at the center, no matter what the future holds. This session provides a roadmap for creating agile, resilient schools that prioritise learning, safety, and wellbeing — no matter the external environment. It offers practical, tested strategies that support educators in building robust systems ready for disruption. Key Takeaways for Participants: • Rethink classroom models to respond to global crises and changing community needs. • Learn how to design hybrid and remote learning systems that maintain continuity and equity. • Explore leadership strategies for building organisational adaptability and future preparedness. • Walk away with crisis-readiness planning templates for curriculum, staff development, and student engagement.
10:00 AM - 10:30 AM
10:10 AM - 10:30 AM Q&A Panel with Dr Michael Stewart & Dr Sonia Cheema to answer questions
10:10 AM - 10:40 AM Teaching for diversity requires diversity
The saying, often attributed to Albert Einstein, "If you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid," Diversity requires diversity, the challenge is, are we really acknowledging diverse needs and providing diversity in our teaching practice? This session will challenge the way we as a teacher conceive neurodiversity and our acceptance of the teaching practices that cater for various learning needs (beyond what is accepted as the norm). This session will explore what we can do to navigate and remove the obstacles in our teaching practice that become roadblocks to for our neurodiverse learners. Those obstacle's which so many of our creative geniuses have had to navigate.
10:30 AM - 11:00 AM
Wellbeing - Day 1 Morning Tea
10:40 AM - 11:00 AM Q&A Panel for Presenters 2 and 3 to answer questions
10:45 AM - 11:15 AM
11:00 AM - 11:30 AM
Diverse - Day 1 Morning Tea
The Ripple Effect: Why Wellbeing Begins With Us
Participants will leave with three immediately implementable strategies — practical, realistic tools that can be applied the very next day to elevate personal wellbeing and create ripple effects that strengthen school communities. This session is for educators at every level who want practical ways to care for themselves and create ripple effects that elevate wellbeing across their school communities — becoming the change the world quietly hopes for, one small meaningful moment at a time.
11:30 AM - 12:00 PM Narratives That Connect: One Approach, Many Outcomes
Oral narratives are more than just stories, they’re a powerful, multi-purpose tool that can unlock language, connection, and learning for students with Language Disorder, Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) and language difficulties, and can simultaneously support diverse learning needs, promote inclusion, and foster social and emotional wellbeing. Grounded in a strengths-based and culturally responsive lens, this session will explore how oral narratives can: · Support neurodivergent learners (including students with DLD, autism and other diverse language profiles) through flexible, scaffolded language intervention · Enhance social-emotional learning by using narrative to build skills, emotional vocabulary, and regulation through safe and structured storytelling and shared experiences · Promote inclusion and identity by creating space for diverse learners, to share their stories in affirming, meaningful ways
11:30 AM - 12:30 PM Avoiding Educator Burnout - Practical Strategies for Educators
In the dynamic landscape of education, the demands on educators can often lead to feelings of stress and burnout. This session aims to empower educators with practical tools and insights to recognise the signs of burnout, understand its underlying causes, and implement proactive measures to maintain their wellbeing. Instead of adding to your workload, what can we take away? We’ll work through effective strategies to prevent burnout and cultivate a sustainable and fulfilling teaching career.
11:45 AM - 12:15 PM
12:00 PM - 12:30 PM
12:00 PM - 12:40 PM Cultivating Belonging: Trauma-Informed Pathways to Connection and Growth
Belonging is not a soft ideal, it’s a biological and emotional necessity for learning. In this session, author and educator Jade Wong shares how trauma impacts a child’s sense of belonging and what educators can do to rebuild trust, safety, and identity within school communities. Blending storytelling, lived experience, and classroom strategies, Jade invites educators to see beyond behaviour and nurture the deep human need to belong that underpins all resilience and growth and is particularly necessary for students in Out of Home Care.
12:30 PM - 1:30 PM
Wellbeing - Day 1 Lunch
12:40 PM - 1:00 PM Q&A Panel including Jade Wong to answer questions
12:45 PM - 1:15 PM
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Diverse - Day 1 Lunch
1:30 PM - 2:00 PM
1:30 PM - 2:30 PM The Global Joy Mission: Empowering Educators and Students to Thrive, Not Just Survive
What if joy wasn’t a reward at the end of a busy school term, but a daily strategy for wellbeing and performance? In this inspiring and science-backed session, Organisational Psychologist and author of Productivity Joy, Simi Rayat, shares the Global Joy Mission, a movement to equip 5 million people including Educators and students with the tools to thrive by 2030. Discover the 5Qs Formula, a simple, evidence-based, science-backed daily practice to build emotional regulation, focus and resilience in just five minutes a day. Learn how schools across Australia are embedding these tools into classrooms and how your school can join the national pilot programme to make wellbeing a daily mental fitness habit, not an occasional lesson. You’ll walk away inspired, equipped and ready to create a culture of calm, confidence and connection in your school community.
1:45 PM - 2:15 PM
2:00 PM - 2:30 PM Leaning into Difference - Neuroaffirming practice in the classroom
Creativity and imagination are unleashed when we know ourselves and we know how to appreciate and celebrate different perspectives. Developing a classroom culture that actively celebrates difference and promotes student capacity to advocate for their needs and those of others is critical. This presentation will explore how educators can build neuro-affirming classrooms through our social emotional learning frameworks and the impacts this has on student agency and creativity.
2:30 PM - 3:00 PM
2:30 PM - 3:10 PM Neuroinclusivity in Action: What It Feels Like to Learn with a Different Brain
Every classroom includes students whose brains process, learn, and behave differently, yet many teachers still feel unsure how to recognise and respond to neurodiverse needs. In this powerful and practical session, Scott B Harris draws on 17 years of lived experience with a traumatic brain injury to give teachers a firsthand understanding of what neurodiversity feels like, and how to create classrooms where every learner can thrive. Combining evidence-based research (developed in collaboration with Professor John Hattie) and practical classroom strategies, this session takes participants through interactive simulations that mirror real neurodiverse experiences such as cognitive dysfunction, disorganisation, and sensory overwhelm. Teachers will walk away with a deeper understanding of executive functioning, simple adjustments that de-escalate behaviour, and classroom tools that make learning more inclusive, not just for neurodivergent students, but for all. 		The Anti 5am Club
The Anti 5am Club challenges the myths that tie success to early starts, perfect mornings, and relentless output. Instead, it equips teachers with practical tools they can use to protect their energy, design days that work for them, and model sustainable wellbeing. The workshop is grounded in lived experience and research, offering realistic strategies to help educators and school leaders flourish across the whole day. We will also explore "Moral Trauma", something that many teachers have but do not know they have.
2:30 PM - 3:45 PM
3:10 PM - 3:30 PM Q&A Panel with Rebecca Ball & Scott B Harris to answer questions Q&A Panel with Simi Rayat & Andrew Murray to answer questions
3:15 PM - 3:45 PM
3:30 PM - 3:45 PM
Ask the Audience – Delegates share the one idea that they will work on next week - Diverse Day 1
Ask the Audience – Delegates share the one idea that they will work on next week - Wellbeing Day 1
3:45 PM - 4:00 PM

Early Stages Theatre
Classroom of the Future
9:00 AM - 9:10 AM
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
9:10 AM - 9:40 AM
9:15 AM - 9:45 AM Authentic teaching. Finding your voice, to deliver what works
In my early years of teaching, my mentor looked over everything I was doing and asked, "Can you manage all this?" Knowing there were only four weeks left until the holidays, I confidently replied, "Yes." He paused, then clarified: "Can you manage all this for the next four decades?" I realised I could not. Wanting to be a teacher who changes the trajectory of young lives is a truly noble—and achievable—goal. This session cuts through the noise to explore what really matters in teaching. We’ll explore how to teach in a way which is both effective and enjoyable, for you and your students, while helping you gain clarity and confidence in your impact. We'll balance core pedagogical principles with strategies to help you find your unique voice and authentic teaching style, making your practice not only sustainable for the long-haul, but deeply fulfilling. 		Critical and Creative Thinking: still essential in the age of AI
This session will delve into the fundamental concepts of critical and creative thinking, illuminating how these cognitive processes differ yet complement each other in problem-solving and learning. Participants will examine the importance of nurturing these skills in educational settings, particularly as AI technologies become increasingly prevalent in society and the workforce. In an age where AI can efficiently process information and automate routine tasks, the uniquely human abilities to think critically—evaluating information, questioning assumptions, making judgements—and creatively—generating novel ideas, approaches, and solutions—remain vital. The session will explore how educators can intentionally foster these ‘soft skills’ within the curriculum, using practical strategies and classroom activities.
9:40 AM - 10:10 AM
10:00 AM - 10:30 AM
TIANE520 Pty Ltd
Strategenics COF Sponsor
10:10 AM - 10:30 AM
10:10 AM - 10:40 AM
10:30 AM - 11:00 AM
10:40 AM - 11:00 AM
10:45 AM - 11:15 AM Why screening is different: early numeracy, early flags, and what makes a good screener
Early numeracy difficulties can be surprisingly hard to detect in everyday classroom practice. Young learners often develop unevenly, compensate with surface strategies, or appear to be coping until foundational gaps begin to constrain later learning. This session explores why early identification matters, and why screening plays a fundamentally different role from formative or summative classroom assessment in the early years. Rather than functioning as teaching tools or detailed diagnostics, screeners are designed to flag potential risk early, enabling timely, well targeted teaching and support before difficulties become entrenched. Drawing on research into early mathematics development, the session examines why timing is critical in early numeracy, and how screening complements — but does not replace — high quality classroom assessment. The presentation concludes by unpacking the core principles that underpin effective early years screeners, including efficiency, a strong conceptual focus, developmental appropriateness for young learners, and the value of hybrid approaches for assessing key numeracy concepts. These ideas are illustrated through examples from the PAT Early Numeracy Screener, highlighting how well designed screening supports earlier action and stronger learning trajectories. 		Building Better Learners: Using Cognitive Science to Support Study Success
Learning isn’t just about effort—it’s about understanding how the brain works. Many students don’t realise that forgetting is a natural process. Cognitive science shows that new information fades quickly unless we revisit it at the right times, a phenomenon known as the Forgetting Curve. This session explores practical strategies to strengthen memory and learning, including Spaced Retrieval Practice, which helps students move knowledge into long-term memory without cramming. We’ll look at how these techniques can be embedded into everyday study routines to improve retention and confidence. Participants will also discover a structured approach to teaching study skills across the year. Each week introduces a simple, evidence-based strategy—such as Smart Notes, Blank Page Retrieval, Goal Setting, and Time Management—supported by short, accessible resources for classroom use. Beyond academics, we’ll discuss ways to help students manage stress, maintain motivation, and reflect on their progress to build resilience and balance. By the end of this session, educators will have practical tools and insights to help students learn more effectively, remember longer, and take ownership of their learning journey.
11:00 AM - 11:30 AM
11:30 AM - 12:00 PM
11:30 AM - 12:30 PM
11:45 AM - 12:15 PM Learning the ropes as an early career teacher
Sharing the key things I have learnt along the way that I wish I knew as an early career teacher from setting classroom routines to learning walls, learning environments to student agency and behaviour management. 		Setting Our Students and Ourselves up for 2040
It is estimated that we have experienced 0.1% of the technological changes we will see by 2040. This means we will all essentially be newbies as we begin to understand the enormity of the changes facing our world. The world is poised at the point of one of the greatest changes in history and if our students are not able to capitalise on those opportunities, their ability to succeed will be lessened. This presentation outlines the major digital innovations and revolutions foreseeable and considers the skills that will be needed in 2040. Three of the basic skills that are outlined are- show up (ready to learn and perform), opt in (rather than avoid) and be curious.
12:00 PM - 12:30 PM
12:00 PM - 12:40 PM
12:30 PM - 1:30 PM
12:40 PM - 1:00 PM
12:45 PM - 1:15 PM Beating the statistics
The transition from university life to full-time teaching can feel overwhelming. Suddenly, you are not only responsible for your own wellbeing, but also entrusted with the growth, learning, and care of other families’ children, all while navigating new systems and expectations. Rebecca shares practical strategies and personal stories from her own journey as an early career teacher and now emerging leader. Topics will include managing workload, setting realistic expectations, and balancing the emotional demands of the profession. Drawing on experiences from working in three different schools, Rebecca will provide insights into navigating school cultures, building strong professional relationships, and seeking support before burnout strikes. Participants will leave this session with: Tools for effective planning and managing workload Strategies for seeking support and clarifying expectations Insights on protecting professional wellbeing and navigating tricky situations Approaches for responding to age-based assumptions and building credibility Advice on fostering mentor relationships and thriving in diverse school cultures Guidance on finding a school culture that aligns with your values and goals This session offers an honest and practical look at what it takes not just to survive the first years of teaching, but to lay the foundations for a long and fulfilling career, ultimately beating those statistics. 		Curiosity in Action: Why Hands-On Learning Matters More Than Ever
In a world where information is instantly accessible and technology continues to reshape education; the role of the classroom is evolving. When answers are everywhere, the real opportunity for teachers is to nurture curiosity, critical thinking and confident problem solving. In this interactive session we will explore how simple, curiosity-driven investigations can transform learning in the classroom. You will experience two hands-on activities, from a live science demonstration to a creative design challenge and reflect on how experimentation, questioning and iteration deepen student understanding. Through practical examples and real classroom insights, you will learn how you can bring powerful hands-on learning into your classroom using both structured experiments and everyday materials. Expect a fun and practical session designed to spark curiosity and leave with a simple framework for creating powerful hands-on learning moments.
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
1:30 PM - 2:00 PM
1:30 PM - 2:30 PM
1:45 PM - 2:15 PM Exploring tips and tricks to help master the art of teaching
Starting out in your teaching career can be daunting, overwhelming and exciting all at the same time. In this presentation, Grant will present a range of tips and tricks that he explores with preservice and early career teachers in his role as an Associate Lecturer Work Integrated Learning. He will explore the idea of early career teachers as worker learners and how it is ok not to know everything in the classroom and that it is ok to seek help. Delegates will walk away with a range of practical tips and tricks that will make your life easier in the classroom.
Campion Education
2:00 PM - 2:30 PM
2:30 PM - 3:00 PM Building a school playground to engage students that reduces behaviour incidents
We will showcase how the development of a Playground Masterplan to engage students reduced playground incidents. Instead of waiting for the problem to happen, we created a space where all students can connect or find a place where they belong. It is not just about more sporting equipment. Providing small, simple spaces can create more options for all students. St Mary's has a small playground space and like most schools, not a great deal of spare money. Come along and here the inspiration around this project.
2:30 PM - 3:10 PM
2:30 PM - 3:45 PM Beyond the Curriculum
This session is designed specifically for graduate and early-career teachers (0–3 years). This heart-led workshop goes beyond traditional curriculum training to equip new educators with the emotional intelligence, relational strategies, and trauma-informed mindset essential for thriving in today’s classrooms. Grounded in the lived experience approach of The Big Sister Experience, participants will explore topics such as student behaviour through a trauma lens, teacher and student wellbeing, inclusive and culturally responsive classrooms, and tools to prevent burnout. With an emphasis on authenticity over perfection, this powerful session supports participants to lead with confidence, connection, and care. Teachers leave with practical tools, a renewed sense of purpose, and a supportive graduate network, plus post-session resources to continue their growth beyond the day.
3:10 PM - 3:30 PM
3:15 PM - 3:45 PM
Workshop Sponsor 4
3:30 PM - 3:45 PM
3:45 PM - 4:00 PM

Knowledge Centre
9:00 AM - 9:10 AM
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
9:10 AM - 9:40 AM
9:15 AM - 9:45 AM Settling the Storm: Distress Tolerance Skills for Moments of Emotional Overwhelm in the Classroom
Why can’t we just feel whelmed? Not flooded. Not shut down. Not about to explode. Just… whelmed. For many young people, even mild discomfort can feel intolerable, pushing them outside their Window of Tolerance and into reactive states like fight, flight, or freeze. In these moments, distress becomes the driver, and behaviour often turns impulsive, disruptive, or withdrawn, affecting both learning and safety. In this session, we’ll explore the distress paradox, how efforts to avoid discomfort can actually amplify it, and how patterns of up- or down-regulating behaviour become strategies to manage an internal world that feels overwhelming. That’s the function of distress tolerance. It doesn’t fix the feeling, but it gives students something to reach for in the feeling. A way to ground, distract, or steady themselves just enough to choose a better next move. This session equips educators with practical, psychologically informed tools to support students through moments of emotional intensity, responding in ways that reduce impulsive reactions and gently redirect emotional momentum, while preserving a sense of safety and flow in the classroom
9:40 AM - 10:10 AM
10:00 AM - 10:30 AM Balancing Empathy with Accountability in an educational context
In contemporary educational settings, the ability to balance genuine empathy with clear, values aligned accountability is emerging as a critical capability for teachers and leaders. This session explores how relational practices—such as active listening, perspective taking, and emotional validation—can strengthen staff collaboration and foster psychologically safe learning environments, while also preventing the risks of over accommodation, blurred boundaries, and “toxic empathy.” Grounded in current research on emotional intelligence and compassionate accountability, the presentation offers a practical framework for educators seeking to build trust, promote student responsibility, and navigate challenging conversations with clarity and confidence. Participants will leave with evidence informed strategies that support both professional collegiality and the development of resilient, connected, and high expectation classrooms.
10:10 AM - 10:30 AM
10:10 AM - 10:40 AM
10:30 AM - 11:00 AM
10:40 AM - 11:00 AM
10:45 AM - 11:15 AM Using data analytics tools to effectively manage evidence-based teaching
Learn how modern data analytics tools give teachers centralised access to assessment data across their entire school—covering every student, every assessment, and any time period. Clear, visual dashboards make it easy to track achievement and progress, identify students at risk or exceeding expectations, and support timely, targeted intervention. This session will also explore how features such as curriculum tracking, dynamically generated lesson plans, integrated individual learning plans and support for widely used assessments like DIBELS and PAT help streamline teaching and planning. See how a purpose-built data analytics platform can simplify data use and support better decision-making for both teachers and school leaders.
11:00 AM - 11:30 AM
11:30 AM - 12:00 PM
11:30 AM - 12:30 PM
11:45 AM - 12:15 PM
Camp Quality
12:00 PM - 12:30 PM
12:00 PM - 12:40 PM
12:30 PM - 1:30 PM
12:40 PM - 1:00 PM
12:45 PM - 1:15 PM
University of Newcastle
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
1:30 PM - 2:00 PM
1:30 PM - 2:30 PM
1:45 PM - 2:15 PM The 5 Chairs®: A Practical Tool for Whole School Well-being
What if well-being could become the operating system of your school? The 5 Chairs® by Louise Evans provides a practical behavioural framework that helps students and educators move from reactivity to responsibility, from conflict to connection, and from stress to self-regulation. Come and discover a simple but powerful tool for building emotionally intelligent classrooms and a thriving whole-school culture.
2:00 PM - 2:30 PM
2:30 PM - 3:00 PM
Spotlight 5
2:30 PM - 3:10 PM
2:30 PM - 3:45 PM
3:10 PM - 3:30 PM
3:15 PM - 3:45 PM
Presenter
3:30 PM - 3:45 PM
3:45 PM - 4:00 PM

AI in the Classroom
9:00 AM - 9:10 AM
Welcome by our MC - Day 1
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
9:10 AM - 9:40 AM Curiosity in the age of AI
In a world increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence, curiosity remains our most powerful human trait. This keynote explores how curiosity fuels innovation, drives ethical decision-making, and empowers lifelong learning in an AI-driven era. Dan will unpack the evolving relationship between human curiosity and machine intelligence—highlighting how educators, leaders, and technologists can harness AI not just as a tool, but as a catalyst for deeper inquiry, creativity, and transformation. From classrooms to boardrooms, this session will challenge conventional thinking, showcase real-world examples, and offer actionable insights on how to cultivate curiosity in systems, pedagogy, and leadership. Whether you're navigating AI in education, policy, or enterprise, this keynote will inspire you to lead with questions, embrace uncertainty, and design futures where curiosity and technology co-evolve for the greater good.
9:15 AM - 9:45 AM
9:40 AM - 10:10 AM Being Human in the World of GenAi
This workshop will explore some of the ethical considerations of AI use, with a focus on the human impacts. The workshop will explore elements such as bias, intellectual property, labour displacement and the hidden human workforce behind Generative AI. The interactive session encourages educators to reflect on which teaching tasks can be delegated to AI and which should remain human-led, with the aim of prompting critical discussion and personal reflection on AI’s role in education and society as a whole during the workshop.
10:00 AM - 10:30 AM
10:10 AM - 10:30 AM
10:10 AM - 10:40 AM Verification > AI Detection
As educators, we need to move away from seeing AI generated content as a form of plagiarism. We need to stop wasting time and resources trying to detect the use of AI across unsupervised assessments. Beyond wasting teacher time, AI detectors risk humiliating vulnerable students who may be falsely accused of cheating. Instead, it's time to structurally redesign our assessment practice. To verify human thinking even when students are using AI while completing their work. This session will give teachers the tools and principles to redesign their assessments to verify real understanding in the AI era.
10:30 AM - 11:00 AM
10:40 AM - 11:00 AM Q&A Panel with Dan Bowen & Victoria Spicer-Stuart to answer questions
10:45 AM - 11:15 AM
11:00 AM - 11:30 AM
AI - Day 1 Morning Tea
11:30 AM - 12:00 PM Cyborgs in schools - where to next?
Classrooms are no longer just human spaces. From lesson planning to student support, AI is slipping into the daily rhythms of teaching and learning. But are schools ready for this “cyborg moment,” where human expertise and machine intelligence fuse? This session explores what’s possible, what’s risky, and what’s next. Expect provocations, practical examples, and a peek into the near-future of education where teachers, students, and AI learn to co-evolve.
11:30 AM - 12:30 PM
11:45 AM - 12:15 PM
12:00 PM - 12:30 PM
12:00 PM - 12:40 PM Personalised Learning at Scale: Building Custom AI Chatbots for Every Student
At Salesian College Sunbury, we wanted to go beyond simply using off-the-shelf AI tools in the classroom. Our goal was to give every student a personalised tutor for each subject they study, grounded entirely in their actual coursework. This session will demonstrate how our Digital Learning & Innovation team built an internal platform that lets teachers upload their subject content, assessment instructions, and resources, then automatically generates a dedicated AI chatbot for each student in each class. These chatbots can answer questions, explain content in different ways, and guide students step-by-step through their tasks — all while staying aligned with teacher expectations. Built using AI APIs within our College's Generative AI Framework, this system has transformed student engagement and reduced the time teachers spend on repetitive clarification. Attendees will see how we designed the workflows, guardrails, and safety systems that make this possible within a school context. Participants will leave with a clear blueprint for creating their own custom learning support tools using generative AI.
12:30 PM - 1:30 PM
12:40 PM - 1:00 PM Q&A Panel with Matt Esterman & Brodie McGee to answer questions
12:45 PM - 1:15 PM
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
AI - Day 1 Lunch
1:30 PM - 2:00 PM
1:30 PM - 2:30 PM
1:45 PM - 2:15 PM
2:00 PM - 2:30 PM AI in Action: Empowering the Next Generation of Innovators
Is AI a threat to education or its greatest new tool? Join the Yarra Ranges Tech School for a look at how we are harnessing the power of Artificial Intelligence to foster student agency and supercharge STEM learning. This presentation moves beyond fear and explores how to thoughtfully integrate AI into the classroom to help students and teachers thrive. We will explore our hands-on programs that introduce students to the fundamentals of AI through engaging activities in programming, robotics, design, and home automation. Discover how we provide clear instructions and expectations that empower students to use AI platforms as a powerful tool to accelerate their own learning and creativity. In this session, we will dive into practical examples, including: • A case study on how we developed our home automation program and how students use AI to design and automate their own homes. • Strategies for using AI to drive student entrepreneurship and innovation. • An overview of how our teachers leverage AI to rapidly develop new learning experiences and enhance their own practice.
2:30 PM - 3:00 PM
2:30 PM - 3:10 PM Using AI to increase Human connection
There is a lot of discussion of AI removing humanity. I refuse to accept this narrative. At the Anglican Schools Corporation we have built tools for our teachers that enable more human connection, not less. In this session Julian will discuss how AI can enable more human connection and show tools and processes they have developed that his increased student agency, strengthened authentic student voice and increase connections between educators.
2:30 PM - 3:45 PM
3:10 PM - 3:30 PM Q&A Panel with Travis Burroughs & Julian Ridden to answer questions
3:15 PM - 3:45 PM
3:30 PM - 3:45 PM
Ask the Audience – Delegates share the one idea that they will work on next week (AI - Day 1)
3:45 PM - 4:00 PM
Wrap up - Day 1

Capacity Building School Libraries
9:00 AM - 9:10 AM
Welcome by our MC - Day 1
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM Capacity Building School Libraries
9:10 AM - 9:40 AM Constellations of Practice: Recentering the School Library with Purpose and Possibility
School libraries are constellations of practice: linking people, ideas and possibilities across the shifting landscape of education. In a time of uncertainty, where school leadership support is uneven, the pressure to do more is unrelenting, and recognition is often absent, the school library and its staff continue to bring coherence, connection and care for both students, teachers and the school community. This presentation invites participants to recentre their professional vision—not through reinvention, but by recognising the power of what already exists. Using the Know–Do–Be model as a reflective lens, we will explore how school library professionals already hold the knowledge, lead the practices and embody the values that sustain inclusive, future-focused and community-connected learning. Rather than calling for more effort, this session surfaces practical, achievable shifts—through thoughtful learning design, ethical technology use, and responsive programming—that build capacity without burnout. Anchored in research and real-world examples, the presentation reminds us that school library staff are stars - present, persistent, and guiding the way forward even when they go unnoticed. Attendees will leave with fresh clarity, restored energy and renewed confidence in their role—not as outliers, but as essential connectors in the learning constellation of their school.
9:15 AM - 9:45 AM
9:40 AM - 10:10 AM Linking Generative AI and Inquiry Learning: Hand in hand, or a contradiction in terms?
This presentation considers the impact of generative AI on inquiry learning. Does it mean that learning by inquiry has to be diminished, because teachers can't trust students to be ethical users of AI? Or can it work hand in hand with the stages of an inquiry learning model, to simplify, enhance and enrich student enquirers? The answer to this is by no means clear. This presentation seeks to raise questions, suggest some possible answers, by considering the literature in this area, and by preparing for, going through, and assessing an experience in a Sydney high school of an inquiry project based on the FOSIL model, which incorporates the use of AI at every stage. In this presentation, Lee will look at the pros and cons of Generative AI when it is applied to an inquiry learning model and suggests that developing such an expertise is really needed in schools by both students and teachers.
10:00 AM - 10:30 AM
10:10 AM - 10:30 AM Q&A Panel with Dr Kay Oddone & Ela Sircelj to answer questions
10:10 AM - 10:40 AM
10:30 AM - 11:00 AM
Libraries - Day 1 Morning Tea
10:40 AM - 11:00 AM
10:45 AM - 11:15 AM
11:00 AM - 11:30 AM Media Literacy Across the Curriculum
How do we teach students to critically analyse media across the curriculum? Informit will demonstrate how Explore Media and the Australian Media Literacy Alliance framework make media literacy explicit and achievable. See practical classroom applications comparing news coverage, identifying bias, and developing critical thinking skills.
11:30 AM - 12:00 PM School Library Toolkit SLAV
11:30 AM - 12:30 PM
11:45 AM - 12:15 PM
12:00 PM - 12:30 PM Building Connection and Visibility in School Libraries: The Three Cs Approach
How can school libraries build their visibility and strengthen their role within the wider learning community? This session explores one library’s journey to increase its impact through the Three Cs: Cohorts, Community, and Curriculum. Using the Ciantar Learning Common’s (CLC) work as a case study, we will share practical strategies for connecting library programs with student cohorts, building authentic community engagement, and embedding the library within the curriculum. Participants will be invited to reflect on their own contexts, analyse key approaches taken by the CLC, and exchange ideas for transformative collaborations.
12:00 PM - 12:40 PM
12:30 PM - 1:30 PM
Libraries - Day 1 Lunch
12:40 PM - 1:00 PM
12:45 PM - 1:15 PM
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
1:30 PM - 2:00 PM Q&A Panel with Informit, SLAV & Lauren Kyte to answer questions
1:30 PM - 2:30 PM
1:45 PM - 2:15 PM
2:00 PM - 2:30 PM Reigniting Reading Through Student Choice and Teacher–Librarian Collaboration: Literature Circles and Socratic Seminars in a Global Issues Unit
Engaging adolescents in reading is not just about fostering literacy, it is about igniting curiosity, critical thinking, and a lifelong love of learning. Adolescent reading engagement remains a key priority in contemporary education, and recent research highlights that when students are provided with voice, choice, and authentic opportunities to connect with texts and one another, their motivation and engagement increase. Literature circles and Socratic discussions are identified as effective strategies that promote deeper comprehension, critical thinking, and intrinsic motivation—key factors that underpin engaged reading and lifelong literacy development (Webber et al., 2023). By implementing these strategies, educators can foster a culture of curiosity and enjoyment while equipping students with the skills to think critically, communicate effectively, and take ownership of their learning.
2:30 PM - 3:00 PM
2:30 PM - 3:10 PM Reading Lounges and Sustained Reading
After developing two reading lounges in the past 12 months, it can be seen how a change within a Library Space can alter the reading behaviour of students. Mr Sloth's Rainforest Reading Lounge for Year 3-6 and Sunny's Storyland for K3-Year 2 are examples of a new approach. Utilising Marketplace and a tight budget students are evolving into a new way of reading for pleasure in these spaces. Hear about new ideas within Junior and Senior School Libraries where sustained reading is the priority.
2:30 PM - 3:45 PM
3:10 PM - 3:30 PM Q&A Panel with Virginia Hand & Trish Trchala to answer questions
3:15 PM - 3:45 PM
3:30 PM - 3:45 PM
Ask the Audience – Delegates share the one idea that they will work on next week - Libraries Day 1
3:45 PM - 4:00 PM

Diverse Learners Symposium
9:00 AM - 9:10 AM
Welcome by our MC - Day 1
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM Diverse Learners Symposium
9:10 AM - 9:40 AM Converting Neurodiversity Into Neuro-advantage
Students with neurodiversity include students who are gifted, those who are oppositional or have dyslexia, or experience attention issues such as ADHD, or have experienced trauma as well as those who are on the spectrums. Each of these groups have strengths as well as vulnerabilities that can be catered for. Teachers are equipped with strategies as well as the most recent tech that overcomes learning disadvantages for neurodiverse students.
9:15 AM - 9:45 AM
9:40 AM - 10:10 AM Anxiety: What Your Students Need You to Know
Research shows us that 1 in 3 females and 1 in 5 males will experience an anxiety condition in their lifetime with the median onset age now being 15 years young. Statistics around anxiety are increasing at a rapid rate amongst our young people. In this one-hour presentation, The Big Sister Experience will cover the science behind anxiety and how to explain this to your students. They will share their top tips for supporting your students with anxiety, and how to empower them with strategies to manage their anxieties on their own, both in and outside of the classroom.
10:00 AM - 10:30 AM
10:10 AM - 10:30 AM
10:10 AM - 10:40 AM Teaching for diversity requires diversity
The saying, often attributed to Albert Einstein, "If you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid," Diversity requires diversity, the challenge is, are we really acknowledging diverse needs and providing diversity in our teaching practice? This session will challenge the way we as a teacher conceive neurodiversity and our acceptance of the teaching practices that cater for various learning needs (beyond what is accepted as the norm). This session will explore what we can do to navigate and remove the obstacles in our teaching practice that become roadblocks to for our neurodiverse learners. Those obstacle's which so many of our creative geniuses have had to navigate.
10:30 AM - 11:00 AM
10:40 AM - 11:00 AM Q&A Panel for Presenters 2 and 3 to answer questions
10:45 AM - 11:15 AM
11:00 AM - 11:30 AM
Diverse - Day 1 Morning Tea
11:30 AM - 12:00 PM Narratives That Connect: One Approach, Many Outcomes
Oral narratives are more than just stories, they’re a powerful, multi-purpose tool that can unlock language, connection, and learning for students with Language Disorder, Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) and language difficulties, and can simultaneously support diverse learning needs, promote inclusion, and foster social and emotional wellbeing. Grounded in a strengths-based and culturally responsive lens, this session will explore how oral narratives can: · Support neurodivergent learners (including students with DLD, autism and other diverse language profiles) through flexible, scaffolded language intervention · Enhance social-emotional learning by using narrative to build skills, emotional vocabulary, and regulation through safe and structured storytelling and shared experiences · Promote inclusion and identity by creating space for diverse learners, to share their stories in affirming, meaningful ways
11:30 AM - 12:30 PM
11:45 AM - 12:15 PM
12:00 PM - 12:30 PM
12:00 PM - 12:40 PM Cultivating Belonging: Trauma-Informed Pathways to Connection and Growth
Belonging is not a soft ideal, it’s a biological and emotional necessity for learning. In this session, author and educator Jade Wong shares how trauma impacts a child’s sense of belonging and what educators can do to rebuild trust, safety, and identity within school communities. Blending storytelling, lived experience, and classroom strategies, Jade invites educators to see beyond behaviour and nurture the deep human need to belong that underpins all resilience and growth and is particularly necessary for students in Out of Home Care.
12:30 PM - 1:30 PM
12:40 PM - 1:00 PM Q&A Panel including Jade Wong to answer questions
12:45 PM - 1:15 PM
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Diverse - Day 1 Lunch
1:30 PM - 2:00 PM
1:30 PM - 2:30 PM
1:45 PM - 2:15 PM
2:00 PM - 2:30 PM Leaning into Difference - Neuroaffirming practice in the classroom
Creativity and imagination are unleashed when we know ourselves and we know how to appreciate and celebrate different perspectives. Developing a classroom culture that actively celebrates difference and promotes student capacity to advocate for their needs and those of others is critical. This presentation will explore how educators can build neuro-affirming classrooms through our social emotional learning frameworks and the impacts this has on student agency and creativity.
2:30 PM - 3:00 PM
2:30 PM - 3:10 PM Neuroinclusivity in Action: What It Feels Like to Learn with a Different Brain
Every classroom includes students whose brains process, learn, and behave differently, yet many teachers still feel unsure how to recognise and respond to neurodiverse needs. In this powerful and practical session, Scott B Harris draws on 17 years of lived experience with a traumatic brain injury to give teachers a firsthand understanding of what neurodiversity feels like, and how to create classrooms where every learner can thrive. Combining evidence-based research (developed in collaboration with Professor John Hattie) and practical classroom strategies, this session takes participants through interactive simulations that mirror real neurodiverse experiences such as cognitive dysfunction, disorganisation, and sensory overwhelm. Teachers will walk away with a deeper understanding of executive functioning, simple adjustments that de-escalate behaviour, and classroom tools that make learning more inclusive, not just for neurodivergent students, but for all.
2:30 PM - 3:45 PM
3:10 PM - 3:30 PM Q&A Panel with Rebecca Ball & Scott B Harris to answer questions
3:15 PM - 3:45 PM
3:30 PM - 3:45 PM
Ask the Audience – Delegates share the one idea that they will work on next week - Diverse Day 1
3:45 PM - 4:00 PM

Wellbeing for Future Focused Schools
9:00 AM - 9:10 AM
Welcome by our MC - Day 1
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM Wellbeing for Future Focused Schools
9:10 AM - 9:40 AM Culture as the Compass: Guiding Wellbeing, Behaviour, Relationships and School Success
School culture shapes every aspect of life within a school community, influencing how individuals think, feel, and interact. A strong and positive culture is built on relationships, guided by vision and values, and expressed through daily behaviours and expectations. Everyone has a role to play in creating and sustaining this culture. This workshop explores how schools can intentionally shape culture to foster wellbeing, strengthen relationships, and drive collective success. Participants will: • Examine the role of positive relationships at the heart of school culture. • Explore how vision and values guide everyday actions and interactions. • Learn strategies to strengthen connection, collaboration, and belonging. • Consider practical approaches to embed wellbeing into school life. • Identify the factors that can damage or undermine a positive school environment. • Discover how culture can be a powerful driver of learning and success.
9:15 AM - 9:45 AM
9:40 AM - 10:10 AM Resilience & Adaptability: Preparing Schools for an Uncertain Future
Education is being reshaped by global challenges — pandemics, climate events, rapid technological change, and shifting social dynamics. This session equips school leaders and educators to design resilient, adaptable systems that keep students at the center, no matter what the future holds. This session provides a roadmap for creating agile, resilient schools that prioritise learning, safety, and wellbeing — no matter the external environment. It offers practical, tested strategies that support educators in building robust systems ready for disruption. Key Takeaways for Participants: • Rethink classroom models to respond to global crises and changing community needs. • Learn how to design hybrid and remote learning systems that maintain continuity and equity. • Explore leadership strategies for building organisational adaptability and future preparedness. • Walk away with crisis-readiness planning templates for curriculum, staff development, and student engagement.
10:00 AM - 10:30 AM
10:10 AM - 10:30 AM Q&A Panel with Dr Michael Stewart & Dr Sonia Cheema to answer questions
10:10 AM - 10:40 AM
10:30 AM - 11:00 AM
Wellbeing - Day 1 Morning Tea
10:40 AM - 11:00 AM
10:45 AM - 11:15 AM
11:00 AM - 11:30 AM The Ripple Effect: Why Wellbeing Begins With Us
Participants will leave with three immediately implementable strategies — practical, realistic tools that can be applied the very next day to elevate personal wellbeing and create ripple effects that strengthen school communities. This session is for educators at every level who want practical ways to care for themselves and create ripple effects that elevate wellbeing across their school communities — becoming the change the world quietly hopes for, one small meaningful moment at a time.
11:30 AM - 12:00 PM
11:30 AM - 12:30 PM Avoiding Educator Burnout - Practical Strategies for Educators
In the dynamic landscape of education, the demands on educators can often lead to feelings of stress and burnout. This session aims to empower educators with practical tools and insights to recognise the signs of burnout, understand its underlying causes, and implement proactive measures to maintain their wellbeing. Instead of adding to your workload, what can we take away? We’ll work through effective strategies to prevent burnout and cultivate a sustainable and fulfilling teaching career.
11:45 AM - 12:15 PM
12:00 PM - 12:30 PM
12:00 PM - 12:40 PM
12:30 PM - 1:30 PM
Wellbeing - Day 1 Lunch
12:40 PM - 1:00 PM
12:45 PM - 1:15 PM
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
1:30 PM - 2:00 PM
1:30 PM - 2:30 PM The Global Joy Mission: Empowering Educators and Students to Thrive, Not Just Survive
What if joy wasn’t a reward at the end of a busy school term, but a daily strategy for wellbeing and performance? In this inspiring and science-backed session, Organisational Psychologist and author of Productivity Joy, Simi Rayat, shares the Global Joy Mission, a movement to equip 5 million people including Educators and students with the tools to thrive by 2030. Discover the 5Qs Formula, a simple, evidence-based, science-backed daily practice to build emotional regulation, focus and resilience in just five minutes a day. Learn how schools across Australia are embedding these tools into classrooms and how your school can join the national pilot programme to make wellbeing a daily mental fitness habit, not an occasional lesson. You’ll walk away inspired, equipped and ready to create a culture of calm, confidence and connection in your school community.
1:45 PM - 2:15 PM
2:00 PM - 2:30 PM
2:30 PM - 3:00 PM
2:30 PM - 3:10 PM The Anti 5am Club
The Anti 5am Club challenges the myths that tie success to early starts, perfect mornings, and relentless output. Instead, it equips teachers with practical tools they can use to protect their energy, design days that work for them, and model sustainable wellbeing. The workshop is grounded in lived experience and research, offering realistic strategies to help educators and school leaders flourish across the whole day. We will also explore "Moral Trauma", something that many teachers have but do not know they have.
2:30 PM - 3:45 PM
3:10 PM - 3:30 PM Q&A Panel with Simi Rayat & Andrew Murray to answer questions
3:15 PM - 3:45 PM
3:30 PM - 3:45 PM
Ask the Audience – Delegates share the one idea that they will work on next week - Wellbeing Day 1
3:45 PM - 4:00 PM

Early Stages Theatre
9:00 AM - 9:10 AM
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
9:10 AM - 9:40 AM
9:15 AM - 9:45 AM Authentic teaching. Finding your voice, to deliver what works
In my early years of teaching, my mentor looked over everything I was doing and asked, "Can you manage all this?" Knowing there were only four weeks left until the holidays, I confidently replied, "Yes." He paused, then clarified: "Can you manage all this for the next four decades?" I realised I could not. Wanting to be a teacher who changes the trajectory of young lives is a truly noble—and achievable—goal. This session cuts through the noise to explore what really matters in teaching. We’ll explore how to teach in a way which is both effective and enjoyable, for you and your students, while helping you gain clarity and confidence in your impact. We'll balance core pedagogical principles with strategies to help you find your unique voice and authentic teaching style, making your practice not only sustainable for the long-haul, but deeply fulfilling.
9:40 AM - 10:10 AM
10:00 AM - 10:30 AM
TIANE520 Pty Ltd
10:10 AM - 10:30 AM
10:10 AM - 10:40 AM
10:30 AM - 11:00 AM
10:40 AM - 11:00 AM
10:45 AM - 11:15 AM Why screening is different: early numeracy, early flags, and what makes a good screener
Early numeracy difficulties can be surprisingly hard to detect in everyday classroom practice. Young learners often develop unevenly, compensate with surface strategies, or appear to be coping until foundational gaps begin to constrain later learning. This session explores why early identification matters, and why screening plays a fundamentally different role from formative or summative classroom assessment in the early years. Rather than functioning as teaching tools or detailed diagnostics, screeners are designed to flag potential risk early, enabling timely, well targeted teaching and support before difficulties become entrenched. Drawing on research into early mathematics development, the session examines why timing is critical in early numeracy, and how screening complements — but does not replace — high quality classroom assessment. The presentation concludes by unpacking the core principles that underpin effective early years screeners, including efficiency, a strong conceptual focus, developmental appropriateness for young learners, and the value of hybrid approaches for assessing key numeracy concepts. These ideas are illustrated through examples from the PAT Early Numeracy Screener, highlighting how well designed screening supports earlier action and stronger learning trajectories.
11:00 AM - 11:30 AM
11:30 AM - 12:00 PM
11:30 AM - 12:30 PM
11:45 AM - 12:15 PM Learning the ropes as an early career teacher
Sharing the key things I have learnt along the way that I wish I knew as an early career teacher from setting classroom routines to learning walls, learning environments to student agency and behaviour management.
12:00 PM - 12:30 PM
12:00 PM - 12:40 PM
12:30 PM - 1:30 PM
12:40 PM - 1:00 PM
12:45 PM - 1:15 PM Beating the statistics
The transition from university life to full-time teaching can feel overwhelming. Suddenly, you are not only responsible for your own wellbeing, but also entrusted with the growth, learning, and care of other families’ children, all while navigating new systems and expectations. Rebecca shares practical strategies and personal stories from her own journey as an early career teacher and now emerging leader. Topics will include managing workload, setting realistic expectations, and balancing the emotional demands of the profession. Drawing on experiences from working in three different schools, Rebecca will provide insights into navigating school cultures, building strong professional relationships, and seeking support before burnout strikes. Participants will leave this session with: Tools for effective planning and managing workload Strategies for seeking support and clarifying expectations Insights on protecting professional wellbeing and navigating tricky situations Approaches for responding to age-based assumptions and building credibility Advice on fostering mentor relationships and thriving in diverse school cultures Guidance on finding a school culture that aligns with your values and goals This session offers an honest and practical look at what it takes not just to survive the first years of teaching, but to lay the foundations for a long and fulfilling career, ultimately beating those statistics.
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
1:30 PM - 2:00 PM
1:30 PM - 2:30 PM
1:45 PM - 2:15 PM Exploring tips and tricks to help master the art of teaching
Starting out in your teaching career can be daunting, overwhelming and exciting all at the same time. In this presentation, Grant will present a range of tips and tricks that he explores with preservice and early career teachers in his role as an Associate Lecturer Work Integrated Learning. He will explore the idea of early career teachers as worker learners and how it is ok not to know everything in the classroom and that it is ok to seek help. Delegates will walk away with a range of practical tips and tricks that will make your life easier in the classroom.
2:00 PM - 2:30 PM
2:30 PM - 3:00 PM
2:30 PM - 3:10 PM
2:30 PM - 3:45 PM Beyond the Curriculum
This session is designed specifically for graduate and early-career teachers (0–3 years). This heart-led workshop goes beyond traditional curriculum training to equip new educators with the emotional intelligence, relational strategies, and trauma-informed mindset essential for thriving in today’s classrooms. Grounded in the lived experience approach of The Big Sister Experience, participants will explore topics such as student behaviour through a trauma lens, teacher and student wellbeing, inclusive and culturally responsive classrooms, and tools to prevent burnout. With an emphasis on authenticity over perfection, this powerful session supports participants to lead with confidence, connection, and care. Teachers leave with practical tools, a renewed sense of purpose, and a supportive graduate network, plus post-session resources to continue their growth beyond the day.
3:10 PM - 3:30 PM
3:15 PM - 3:45 PM
3:30 PM - 3:45 PM
3:45 PM - 4:00 PM

Classroom of the Future
9:00 AM - 9:10 AM
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
9:10 AM - 9:40 AM
9:15 AM - 9:45 AM Critical and Creative Thinking: still essential in the age of AI
This session will delve into the fundamental concepts of critical and creative thinking, illuminating how these cognitive processes differ yet complement each other in problem-solving and learning. Participants will examine the importance of nurturing these skills in educational settings, particularly as AI technologies become increasingly prevalent in society and the workforce. In an age where AI can efficiently process information and automate routine tasks, the uniquely human abilities to think critically—evaluating information, questioning assumptions, making judgements—and creatively—generating novel ideas, approaches, and solutions—remain vital. The session will explore how educators can intentionally foster these ‘soft skills’ within the curriculum, using practical strategies and classroom activities.
9:40 AM - 10:10 AM
10:00 AM - 10:30 AM
Strategenics COF Sponsor
10:10 AM - 10:30 AM
10:10 AM - 10:40 AM
10:30 AM - 11:00 AM
10:40 AM - 11:00 AM
10:45 AM - 11:15 AM Building Better Learners: Using Cognitive Science to Support Study Success
Learning isn’t just about effort—it’s about understanding how the brain works. Many students don’t realise that forgetting is a natural process. Cognitive science shows that new information fades quickly unless we revisit it at the right times, a phenomenon known as the Forgetting Curve. This session explores practical strategies to strengthen memory and learning, including Spaced Retrieval Practice, which helps students move knowledge into long-term memory without cramming. We’ll look at how these techniques can be embedded into everyday study routines to improve retention and confidence. Participants will also discover a structured approach to teaching study skills across the year. Each week introduces a simple, evidence-based strategy—such as Smart Notes, Blank Page Retrieval, Goal Setting, and Time Management—supported by short, accessible resources for classroom use. Beyond academics, we’ll discuss ways to help students manage stress, maintain motivation, and reflect on their progress to build resilience and balance. By the end of this session, educators will have practical tools and insights to help students learn more effectively, remember longer, and take ownership of their learning journey.
11:00 AM - 11:30 AM
11:30 AM - 12:00 PM
11:30 AM - 12:30 PM
11:45 AM - 12:15 PM Setting Our Students and Ourselves up for 2040
It is estimated that we have experienced 0.1% of the technological changes we will see by 2040. This means we will all essentially be newbies as we begin to understand the enormity of the changes facing our world. The world is poised at the point of one of the greatest changes in history and if our students are not able to capitalise on those opportunities, their ability to succeed will be lessened. This presentation outlines the major digital innovations and revolutions foreseeable and considers the skills that will be needed in 2040. Three of the basic skills that are outlined are- show up (ready to learn and perform), opt in (rather than avoid) and be curious.
12:00 PM - 12:30 PM
12:00 PM - 12:40 PM
12:30 PM - 1:30 PM
12:40 PM - 1:00 PM
12:45 PM - 1:15 PM Curiosity in Action: Why Hands-On Learning Matters More Than Ever
In a world where information is instantly accessible and technology continues to reshape education; the role of the classroom is evolving. When answers are everywhere, the real opportunity for teachers is to nurture curiosity, critical thinking and confident problem solving. In this interactive session we will explore how simple, curiosity-driven investigations can transform learning in the classroom. You will experience two hands-on activities, from a live science demonstration to a creative design challenge and reflect on how experimentation, questioning and iteration deepen student understanding. Through practical examples and real classroom insights, you will learn how you can bring powerful hands-on learning into your classroom using both structured experiments and everyday materials. Expect a fun and practical session designed to spark curiosity and leave with a simple framework for creating powerful hands-on learning moments.
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
1:30 PM - 2:00 PM
1:30 PM - 2:30 PM
1:45 PM - 2:15 PM
Campion Education
2:00 PM - 2:30 PM
2:30 PM - 3:00 PM Building a school playground to engage students that reduces behaviour incidents
We will showcase how the development of a Playground Masterplan to engage students reduced playground incidents. Instead of waiting for the problem to happen, we created a space where all students can connect or find a place where they belong. It is not just about more sporting equipment. Providing small, simple spaces can create more options for all students. St Mary's has a small playground space and like most schools, not a great deal of spare money. Come along and here the inspiration around this project.
2:30 PM - 3:10 PM
2:30 PM - 3:45 PM
3:10 PM - 3:30 PM
3:15 PM - 3:45 PM
Workshop Sponsor 4
3:30 PM - 3:45 PM
3:45 PM - 4:00 PM

Knowledge Centre
9:00 AM - 9:10 AM
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
9:10 AM - 9:40 AM
9:15 AM - 9:45 AM Settling the Storm: Distress Tolerance Skills for Moments of Emotional Overwhelm in the Classroom
Why can’t we just feel whelmed? Not flooded. Not shut down. Not about to explode. Just… whelmed. For many young people, even mild discomfort can feel intolerable, pushing them outside their Window of Tolerance and into reactive states like fight, flight, or freeze. In these moments, distress becomes the driver, and behaviour often turns impulsive, disruptive, or withdrawn, affecting both learning and safety. In this session, we’ll explore the distress paradox, how efforts to avoid discomfort can actually amplify it, and how patterns of up- or down-regulating behaviour become strategies to manage an internal world that feels overwhelming. That’s the function of distress tolerance. It doesn’t fix the feeling, but it gives students something to reach for in the feeling. A way to ground, distract, or steady themselves just enough to choose a better next move. This session equips educators with practical, psychologically informed tools to support students through moments of emotional intensity, responding in ways that reduce impulsive reactions and gently redirect emotional momentum, while preserving a sense of safety and flow in the classroom
9:40 AM - 10:10 AM
10:00 AM - 10:30 AM Balancing Empathy with Accountability in an educational context
In contemporary educational settings, the ability to balance genuine empathy with clear, values aligned accountability is emerging as a critical capability for teachers and leaders. This session explores how relational practices—such as active listening, perspective taking, and emotional validation—can strengthen staff collaboration and foster psychologically safe learning environments, while also preventing the risks of over accommodation, blurred boundaries, and “toxic empathy.” Grounded in current research on emotional intelligence and compassionate accountability, the presentation offers a practical framework for educators seeking to build trust, promote student responsibility, and navigate challenging conversations with clarity and confidence. Participants will leave with evidence informed strategies that support both professional collegiality and the development of resilient, connected, and high expectation classrooms.
10:10 AM - 10:30 AM
10:10 AM - 10:40 AM
10:30 AM - 11:00 AM
10:40 AM - 11:00 AM
10:45 AM - 11:15 AM Using data analytics tools to effectively manage evidence-based teaching
Learn how modern data analytics tools give teachers centralised access to assessment data across their entire school—covering every student, every assessment, and any time period. Clear, visual dashboards make it easy to track achievement and progress, identify students at risk or exceeding expectations, and support timely, targeted intervention. This session will also explore how features such as curriculum tracking, dynamically generated lesson plans, integrated individual learning plans and support for widely used assessments like DIBELS and PAT help streamline teaching and planning. See how a purpose-built data analytics platform can simplify data use and support better decision-making for both teachers and school leaders.
11:00 AM - 11:30 AM
11:30 AM - 12:00 PM
11:30 AM - 12:30 PM
11:45 AM - 12:15 PM
Camp Quality
12:00 PM - 12:30 PM
12:00 PM - 12:40 PM
12:30 PM - 1:30 PM
12:40 PM - 1:00 PM
12:45 PM - 1:15 PM
University of Newcastle
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
1:30 PM - 2:00 PM
1:30 PM - 2:30 PM
1:45 PM - 2:15 PM The 5 Chairs®: A Practical Tool for Whole School Well-being
What if well-being could become the operating system of your school? The 5 Chairs® by Louise Evans provides a practical behavioural framework that helps students and educators move from reactivity to responsibility, from conflict to connection, and from stress to self-regulation. Come and discover a simple but powerful tool for building emotionally intelligent classrooms and a thriving whole-school culture.
2:00 PM - 2:30 PM
2:30 PM - 3:00 PM
Spotlight 5
2:30 PM - 3:10 PM
2:30 PM - 3:45 PM
3:10 PM - 3:30 PM
3:15 PM - 3:45 PM
Presenter
3:30 PM - 3:45 PM
3:45 PM - 4:00 PM

Friday, September 4, 2026

AI in the Classroom
Capacity Building School Libraries
Diverse Learners Symposium
9:00 AM - 9:10 PM
Welcome by our MC - Day 2
9:10 AM - 9:40 AM Using AI to create digital interactives for your classroom
This workshop shows teachers how to harness AI tools to create custom HTML-based interactive activities that address their unique classroom requirements. Using hands-on examples, participants will discover an accessible process requiring zero programming knowledge - AI manages the HTML coding while educators concentrate on learning design. Discover how this method facilitates developing curriculum-specific, device-responsive materials that are simple to adapt and distribute, enabling teachers to construct precisely what benefits their learners most. 		Developing Critical Thinking Across the Curriculum
The development of critical thinking is an essential civic skill, particularly in a ‘post-truth’ information age shaped by the effects of AI, algorithmically shared content, fake news and other forms of mis- and disinformation. School libraries play a pivotal role in this work as educators are often uncertain about how to define, teach, and assess critical thinking in a consistent and practical way. The definition of a skill is essential in order for anyone to confidently teach, assess or develop resources related to that skill. In this session, ACER researchers, Claire Scoular and Jonathan Heard will introduce existing theory and research to articulate the core components of critical thinking, and address challenges associated with teaching and assessing critical thinking. They unpack how students construct knowledge, evaluate ideas, and make reasoned decisions - skills that school library staff will readily recognise as fundamental to inquiry, information literacy, and ethical participation in digital environments. Participants will leave with practical insights and strategies to strengthen critical thinking capabilities in their own school communities. 		Using ES for impact in schools
This session explores how schools can strengthen whole-school inclusion by aligning leadership, policy, and classroom practice. Drawing on Using Educational Support Staff for Impact in Schools (2025), participants will examine how Educational Support staff can be strategically deployed within co-teaching models, planning cycles, and multi-tiered systems of support. Practical case studies from K–12 settings will demonstrate how schools are embedding inclusive practices, supported by frameworks such as UDL and VTLM 2.0. Attendees will leave with actionable strategies to build capability, foster collaboration, and ensure consistent adjustments for diverse learners, enhancing outcomes for all students.
9:15 AM - 9:45 AM
9:40 AM - 10:10 AM The meaningful integration of GenAI in teaching and learning
Generative AI is transforming not just what students learn, but how the brain engages with knowledge itself. In this session, we’ll explore the Science of Successful Learning through the lens of GenAI—examining how tools like ChatGPT can both amplify and disrupt human cognition. Drawing on the simple model of memory, cognitive load theory, schema building, and cognitive offloading, we’ll consider how GenAI alters attention, working memory, and long-term understanding. Is AI helping students think more deeply—or think less? How can teachers ensure that cognitive effort remains productive, not outsourced? Through practical, classroom-based examples, participants will learn to design lessons and tasks that use GenAI intentionally reducing cognitive load where appropriate, strengthening schema formation, and enhancing critical and creative thinking. You’ll leave with a research-informed toolkit of pedagogical strategies to lead AI-integrated learning that keeps human intelligence at the centre. 		It Takes a Village: Building Student Capability Through Cross-Sector Library Partnerships
In an era where information literacy and community engagement are more vital than ever, collaboration between school, public, and state libraries offers a powerful catalyst for building student capability and confidence. This presentation explores the dynamic partnerships that can be developed between a school library, their public library and the state library, showcasing how cross-sector collaboration can transform teaching and learning. This session will share case studies, student feedback, and curriculum examples that demonstrate the impact of integrated library partnerships. Attendees will gain practical strategies for initiating and sustaining similar partnerships in their own local spheres, with a focus on aligning library programs with curriculum goals and building enduring community connections. Ultimately, It Takes a Village celebrates the collective power of school, public, and state libraries working together to empower the next generation of learners. 		How to Build Structures, Routines and Supports to Optimise Learning for ALL Students
Find out what has made the difference for the most vulnerable students in our school system from a high disadvantage, disability diagnosis criteria, and rural location with limited external resources. Lake Colac School has been on the journey of fidelity of evidence-based instructional practices over the past 5 years. One of the challenges of providing Teresa Deshon impressive successful learning outcomes, with tangible results, is school growth. Over this time, the word got out! Through and beyond the COVID years, both the staff and student population increased by almost 60%. As a (now not so) small, regional specialist school, where 92% of families fall in the bottom-two quartiles of socio-economic advantage, maintaining consistent, low-variance instruction and expectations has been an unexpected challenge. Join Cameron in discussing what this implementation journey has looked like over these years and why, during a staffing crisis, this ‘hard-to-staff’ school punches above its weight. Hear about the systems and structures in place, the impact that this had on both students in the English and Maths results, along with its impressive post-school transitions of students into the workforce.
10:00 AM - 10:30 AM
10:10 AM - 10:30 AM Q&A Panel Industry experts & Darlene Hill to answer questions
10:10 AM - 10:40 AM Interactive Notebooks for Future-Ready Classrooms: AI, Creativity, and Student Agency
Digital interactive notebooks reimagine classroom learning by blending creativity, collaboration, and AI-enhanced design. This session highlights how tools such as Google Slides, Canva, and generative AI can be used to create scaffolded, engaging, and highly adaptable learning experiences. Participants will explore classroom-tested strategies that foster student agency, experimentation, and critical thinking, while also building transferable digital and creative skills for AI-integrated futures. Through collaborative discussion and demonstration, the session showcases how interactive notebooks can promote inclusivity and innovation in diverse learning contexts. Attendees will leave with a toolkit of resources and design models to help them confidently implement AI-driven notebooks in their own classrooms and empower students to thrive in a future shaped by intelligent technologies. 		The YRTS Koorie Aspirations Program: Student Agency through a Cultural Lens
Join the team from the Yarra Ranges Tech School as they share the inspiring story of the Koorie Aspirations Program, a powerful initiative run in conjunction with the Lilydale Education Plan. This presentation explores a unique model where student agency and cultural identity are woven together to unlock incredible leadership potential. Discover how this approach culminated in a student-led Koorie Cultural Day, an event conceived, funded, and executed entirely by a committee of students who wanted to share their rich culture with their peers through cooking, dance, jewelry, and clapstick making. This session dives into the practical strategies used to empower these students, build their confidence, and foster the leadership skills that made it all possible.
10:30 AM - 11:00 AM
Libraries - Day 2 Morning Tea
10:40 AM - 11:00 AM Q&A Panel with James Jenkins, Miriam Tanti & Elijah Bajao to answer questions Q&A Panel with Teresa Deshon, Cameron Peverett & Travis Burroughs to answer questions
10:45 AM - 11:15 AM
11:00 AM - 11:30 AM
AI Morning Tea - Day 2
Level Up: Using Gamification to Engage Boys in Reading
Many boys demonstrate a decline in engagement with reading, especially during high school as reading comes to represent work rather than enjoyment. This presentation will share how gamification has transformed the Reading and Research program at St Bede's College from a teacher-led battle field to a dynamic, rewarding and socially connected experience. Integrating game design elements such as levels, challenges, leaderboards, and physical rewards, this session will illustrate how some basic principles of teenage motivation and the way research shows that boys approach reading can be harnessed to foster a culture where reading feel less like homework and more like a rewarding and enjoyable pursuit. Attendees will leave with a toolkit of adaptable gamification techniques and examples of how competition, collaboration and choice can improve reading frequency and enthusiasm among boys.
Diverse - Morning Tea Day 2
11:30 AM - 12:00 PM Smarter, Not Harder: Reducing Teacher Workload While Elevating Pedagogy
This session explores how schools can redesign assessment to embrace AI’s potential while safeguarding academic integrity. Participants will examine practical strategies such as authentic, real-world tasks, oral defences, process-based assessment, and adaptive feedback. The focus is on ensuring assessment remains rigorous, fair, and future-focused; measuring not just what students know, but how they think, create, and apply their learning in an AI-rich world. 		Hands-on Inclusive eMaking activities for children with disabilities
This hands-on workshop introduces inclusion through demonstrating how the redesign of activities can facilitate participation by children with a range of disabilities. The activities use curiosity to engage students with disabilities in active STEM focused lessons. Teachers will undertake activities that they can take back to the classroom including accessible circuit making.
11:30 AM - 12:30 PM Designing Future-Focused School Libraries: A Creative Approach to Spatial and Pedagogical Innovation
The convergence of rapid AI advancement, accelerating societal change, and robust evidence demonstrating school libraries' impact on student learning compels teacher librarians to reimagine library spaces and programs. As creativity and innovation become essential foundations for future-focused school libraries, the critical question emerges: How do we harness these capacities in practice? This session introduces a design thinking framework that empowers teacher librarians to creatively transform both physical environments and learning programs. Participants will explore strategies for designing spatial relationships that foster collaboration and discovery, while developing enrichment programs that respond to evolving student needs. Through this approach, attendees will gain tools to position their libraries as dynamic hubs of innovation within their school communities.
11:45 AM - 12:15 PM
12:00 PM - 12:40 PM A framework for integrating evolving technologies using multiple pedagogies in classroom context.
In an evolving world of multi-modal technologies and artificial intelligence teachers need a framework that embraces expansive learning to successfully integrate digital learning. Expansive learning framework has evolved over three generations (over 100 years) and provides several models on how to unpack 21st century technologies to be integrated into classroom practice to attain lesson goals. The session will unpack how a case study of best teacher practices in digital technologies in Melbourne schools adopted multiple pedagogies, such as, ubiquitous, mobile, collaborative, differentiated, context relevant and expansive learning to enable deep learning using these models. Participants will be able to apply these models in their own context to support curriculum and lesson planning using evolving technologies to enable implementation of multiple pedagogies, and opportunities for collaborative learning and professional development. 		Spotting Hidden Struggles and Creating Classrooms Where Students Don’t Have to Pretend
Masking (when students hide their needs, distress, or differences in order to “fit in” at school) is one of the most overlooked challenges in education. These students often appear quiet, compliant, or high achieving, yet crash at home or in safe spaces. In this interactive session, we will unpack the hidden cost of masking and how educators can learn to spot the subtle red flags. Participants will leave with a clear understanding of how masking affects learning, how to respond compassionately when unmasking looks “messy,” and how to build classrooms where every student feels safe enough to be themselves.
12:30 PM - 1:30 PM
Libraries Lunch - Day 2
12:40 PM - 1:00 PM Q&A Panel with Maria Mertzanakis & Dr Roy Rozario to answer questions Q&A Panel with Kirsten Ellis & Millie Carr to answer questions
12:45 PM - 1:15 PM
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
AI Lunch - Day 2
Diverse Lunch - Day 2
1:30 PM - 2:00 PM Q&A Panel with Roxanne Summer & June Wall to answer questions
1:45 PM - 2:15 PM
2:00 PM - 2:30 PM Creative Practices and AI for Teaching and Learning
Explore how creative storytelling and ethical AI integration can empower students to thrive—emotionally, socially, and intellectually—in today’s classrooms. Discover hands-on strategies that foster wellbeing, inclusion, and digital integrity through imaginative, student-centred learning. Experience how creative storytelling techniques—enhanced by ethical AI integration—can help students thrive emotionally, socially, and intellectually. This interactive workshop invites participants to engage in hands-on activities that promote wellbeing, inclusion, and technological integrity in the classroom. 		More than books: The impact of School Libraries on Wellbeing, Safety and Belonging
This session highlights the importance of embracing wellbeing as a core function of the library, while still nurturing a strong, positive reading culture. Participants will hear practical strategies for embedding student leadership and representation within the library, and explore why libraries are vital safe spaces for vulnerable students. 		Making Space for Hope
Leaning into developing a better understanding of self through the use of fairy tales with early adolescents to overcome the 'chronic loneliness pandemic'. Mental health concerns are driving schools to seek wellbeing strategies. Developing students' insights through reflective practice, sharing stories, and making art can build self-understanding and lead to self-efficacy. Fairy tales in particular are a vehicle to instill understanding of instinct and courage, ideas often lost in our modern world, and artistic expression can be less emotionally vulnerable than speaking.
2:30 PM - 3:00 PM
2:30 PM - 3:10 PM Teaching Fundamental AI literacy
The session will focus on what my team of technology teachers and I do to design and deliver a teaching unit on AI literacy for Year 10 students. It will include a comprehensive overview of the framework that underpins our teaching, a range of classroom activities, tools we use, pedagogical approaches we consider, and feedback from both students and teachers. It will be a complete teaching unit that others can take and implement directly in their classes. 		Developing students’ critical thinking using authentic texts
Hear from industry experts on how libraries support critical thinking. Using Australian research articles, primary sources, and multimedia content, see how students learn to evaluate evidence, assess credibility, recognise bias, and build informed perspectives through authentic, curriculum-aligned resources. Recognise the skills that school library staff bring to support their community to identify gaps in knowledge, discriminate amongst information, process and interpret information, apply logic, identify assumptions and motivations, justify arguments, construct new knowledge, and make decisions about the veracity of the information they are presented with. This session will be divided into two parts: Tools for teaching critical thinking Informit Explore in practice: Applying factchecking, lateral reading and critical thinking skills using Explore. School libraries as part of a winder library ecosystem The State Library’s role in supporting education libraries. Drawing on experience in university library sector – all accredited higher education institutions must have a library – why is that not so for the school sector 		Session 14
2:30 PM - 3:30 PM
3:10 PM - 3:30 PM Q&A Panel with Helen Velikans & Kistina Wu to answer questions Q&A Panel for Presenters 13 & 14 to answer questions Q&A Panel including Sarah Hillyer to answer questions
3:15 PM - 3:45 PM
3:30 PM - 3:45 PM
Ask the Audience – Delegates share the one idea that they will work on next week - AI Day 2
Ask the Audience – Delegates share the one idea that they will work on next week - Libraries Day 2
Ask the Audience – Delegates share the one idea that they will work on next week - Diverse Day 2
3:45 PM - 4:00 PM
Wrap up Conference
Wellbeing for Future Focused Schools
Early Stages Theatre
Classroom of the Future
9:00 AM - 9:10 PM
Welcome by our MC - Day 2
9:10 AM - 9:40 AM Holding Steady: Managing the Classroom When You’re Not at Your Shiny Best
Every teacher has days, or seasons, when energy runs low, emotions feel stretched, or confidence wavers. Yet classrooms still demand calm, clarity, and consistency. This session explores practical strategies for managing student behaviour when you’re feeling vulnerable, depleted, burnt out, or simply not yourself. Drawing on current research in emotional regulation, teacher wellbeing, and cognitive behaviour therapy, we’ll discuss how to maintain a steady presence in front of students while managing your own stress. Through real classroom examples, participants will learn how to set boundaries, communicate with empathy, and use small resets to regain balance and authority. Educators will leave with a toolkit for managing both student behaviour and their own wellbeing, ensuring that even on the toughest days, the classroom remains a place of stability, safety, and genuine connection.
9:15 AM - 9:45 AM
Early Years Sponsor 3
Workshop Sponsor 5
9:40 AM - 10:10 AM Bridging Wellbeing and Learning: Trauma-Informed, Research-Based Strategies for Educators
Educators across K–12 are increasingly confronted with the reality that students bring the weight of complex life experiences into the classroom. Trauma, substance use, mental health challenges, and disrupted attachments do not just shape behaviour — they profoundly impact learning readiness, engagement, and relationships with teachers. At The David Scott School, a Special Assistance School in Victoria, we support young people aged 15–20 navigating these very challenges. Over time, our Wellbeing Team has developed a trauma-informed, theory-driven and practice-grounded model that integrates education with wellbeing in ways that can be adapted across mainstream and specialist contexts. This workshop invites participants to step into that space: the intersection where theory, research and practice meet to create meaningful educational outcomes. It will be an engaging and interactive session designed to not only inspire, but to equip educators with practical tools that they can use immediately in their own classrooms and schools.
10:00 AM - 10:30 AM Thrive, Don’t Just Survive
Step into the classroom with confidence! Join behaviour and classroom management expert Phil Kamay for a dynamic session designed to empower early career teachers. Learn how to turn challenging behaviours into positive learning opportunities, manage stress before it manages you, and build a thriving classroom culture where both you and your students flourish. Leave equipped with strategies that empower you to feel calm, confident, and in control - today, tomorrow, and beyond. 		Good Prompting is Good Teaching: Collaborating for the Future Classroom
AI is reshaping what it means to teach and learn, but teachers already have many of the skills needed to make the most of this technology. This session explores how principles of good teaching such as clarity, structure, context, and reflection are also the foundations of using AI effectively. We’ll show how educators can apply their existing pedagogical expertise to collaborate productively with AI, enhance learning, and save time. Participants will leave with practical strategies for integrating AI into their practice and preparing for the classroom of the future. Suitable for beginners through to power users, there’s something for everyone.
10:10 AM - 10:30 AM Q&A Panel with Yvonne Harvey & Craig Wotherspoon to answer questions
10:10 AM - 10:40 AM
10:30 AM - 11:00 AM
Morning Tea - Wellbeing Day 2
10:40 AM - 11:00 AM
10:45 AM - 11:15 AM Little voices, big words
After this session, you will walk away with an understanding of the importance of building a solid oral language foundation and some practical, easy to implement activities to support children's vocabulary and overall literacy growth.
Torchway
11:00 AM - 11:30 AM The Heart of Education: Leading with Connection for Lasting Change
Education is facing a growing challenge: disconnection. Students disengage, teachers burn out, and school communities’ fracture, yet research shows that connection is the foundation of academic success, wellbeing and character. This session explores how to move beyond surface-level relationships to embed sustainable connection across classrooms and whole schools. Participants will unpack the “landmarks” of connection (relationships, belonging and meaning) and discover a practical framework for making them part of everyday practice. Designed for teachers, support staff and leaders, this session provides strategies to build cultures of trust, agency and inclusion where everyone can flourish.
11:30 AM - 12:00 PM
11:30 AM - 12:30 PM iBelong: Creating Cultures of Respect, Empathy, and Resilience in Every Classroom
Too many students walk into school feeling excluded, unsupported, or unsure if they belong. When respect, empathy, and resilience aren’t embedded in the culture, bullying and disengagement take their place. Eric shares practical strategies that help schools turn bullying into belonging and doubt into confidence. Drawing from his lived experience as the only African student in his Melbourne classroom and his award-winning programs (iBelong and Boys to Noble Men), Eric shows educators how to embed social-emotional learning (SEL) into daily practice—not as another add-on, but as the foundation for thriving classrooms. Attendees will walk away with a clear framework for embedding respect, empathy, and resilience in to everyday routines along with practical tools to build student confidence and self-regulation.
11:45 AM - 12:15 PM Supporting Early Career Teacher Practice
This session explores how regulation can actively support early career teachers as they build confidence and capability in their first years of practice. While regulation is often seen as a compliance requirement, we’ll reframe it as a positive tool that strengthens teaching, supports public trust and promotes consistency across all education settings. The session will focus on how the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers provide clear expectations and a shared language that helps teachers understand their strengths, reflect on their progress and plan meaningful professional learning. We’ll discuss practical ways the Standards can guide induction, mentoring and feedback conversations, and how employers and leaders can use them to create supportive learning environments. Designed for early career teachers from early childhood through to senior secondary - as well as employers and senior leaders – we hope to highlight how regulation can empower teachers, not limit them, and contribute to ongoing professional growth.
Workshop Sponsor 7
12:00 PM - 12:40 PM
12:30 PM - 1:30 PM
Lunch - Wellbeing Day 2
12:40 PM - 1:00 PM
12:45 PM - 1:15 PM From Surviving to Thriving: Building Pedagogical Confidence with Explicit Teaching and Daily Reviews
Starting out in teaching can feel overwhelming - juggling planning, behaviour, and assessment while still trying to find your own identity as an educator. This session introduces practical, research-informed strategies to help early career teachers thrive rather than just survive. Through real classroom examples and stories from leading change in the middle years, the session will show how embedding a low-variance, collaborative approach to curriculum and pedagogy supports both student outcomes and teacher wellbeing. Attendees will leave with: • Practical tools for structuring lessons that engage and support all learners • Daily review activities that strengthen recall, reduce cognitive load, and make checking for understanding simple and effective • Strategies for navigating the early years of teaching with confidence, balance, and resilience This session is designed to empower new teachers with a clear, sustainable approach to teaching that lays the foundation for a rewarding and lasting career.
Workshop Sponsor 8
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
1:30 PM - 2:00 PM Q&A Panel with Dr Matt Pitman & Eric Agyeman to answer questions
1:45 PM - 2:15 PM
Early Learning Presenter
Workshop Sponsor 9
2:00 PM - 2:30 PM Why A Smile Can Change The World
In this uplifting and science-backed keynote, Sally Pymer reveals how something as simple as a genuine smile can transform the culture of a classroom and strengthen wellbeing across an entire school community. Drawing on lived experience, decades of work in psychology, community development and AOD support, and powerful real-life stories, Sally shows how a smile rewires the brain, calms the nervous system, and creates the conditions where students feel safe, seen, and ready to learn.
2:30 PM - 3:00 PM
Early Learning Sponsor 4
Workshop Sponsor 10
2:30 PM - 3:10 PM
2:30 PM - 3:30 PM Play, Clay & Spray: Designing Safe Spaces for Creative Risk-Taking in Schools
This hands-on workshop invites educators to explore the power of creative risk taking through clay and aerosol based activities. Participants will engage in playful, low pressure creative challenges that embrace experimentation, mistakes, and collaboration, all essential to building student and teacher wellbeing. Through making, reflection, and discussion, we will explore how to create safe spaces where joy, failure, and growth can coexist. Educators will leave with practical tools and ideas to embed creative wellbeing practices into their classrooms and school culture.
3:10 PM - 3:30 PM
3:15 PM - 3:45 PM
Early Learning Presenter 2
From Risk to Resilience: Building Confident, Adaptive Learners in the Classroom of the Future
In an increasingly uncertain world, students are expected to navigate complexity, ambiguity and change—yet many experience risk as something to avoid rather than engage with. This session explores how cultivating a positive risk mindset in K–12 classrooms can strengthen student resilience, confidence and adaptability, preparing learners not just to cope with uncertainty, but to grow through it. Educators will leave with practical strategies they can apply immediately, including: • How to design learning experiences that make risk safe, visible and purposeful • Ways to shift student thinking from “getting it right” to learning through iteration and feedback • Wimple classroom practices that support resilience, agency and reflective decision-making This session invites educators to rethink how we prepare students for the unexpected—by equipping them with the mindset to engage with risk confidently, ethically and constructively.
3:30 PM - 3:45 PM
Ask the Audience – Delegates share the one idea that they will work on next week - Wellbeing Day 2
3:45 PM - 4:00 PM
Wrap up Conference
Knowledge Centre
9:00 AM - 9:10 PM
9:10 AM - 9:40 AM
9:15 AM - 9:45 AM The Human Advantage - how teaching & learning is changing in an AI-rich world
This session is for educators who are already using generative AI regularly, those who are experimenting with it now and then, and even those who are simply considering where it might fit. But more than that, it’s for people who want to pause and think deeply about what this all means. What does generative AI change about learning? How should it reshape the way we approach assessment & the role of a teacher? And, which uniquely human capabilities do we now need to double down on?
9:40 AM - 10:10 AM
10:00 AM - 10:30 AM Shaving the way for student leadership: Building confident changemakers through school-based social action and the World's Greatest Shave
What happens when students are trusted to lead something bigger than themselves? Across Australia, thousands of primary and secondary students step into authentic leadership each year through the World’s Greatest Shave, a school-based social impact campaign supporting Australians living with blood cancer. This session explores how participation in purpose-driven fundraising equips emerging student leaders with confidence, collaboration skills and agency to mobilise their peers and create meaningful change. Drawing on the Leukaemia Foundation’s work with schools nationwide, we will share practical approaches to student-led campaigning that build wellbeing, belonging and real-world capabilities across diverse learners and age groups. Educators will learn how the World’s Greatest Shave provides a supported, curriculum-connected framework for student voice, service learning and project-based leadership from primary through secondary years. We will map participation to key Summit priorities including wellbeing for future-focused schools, early leadership development, and classroom-to-community learning, while demonstrating how schools are scaffolded every step of the way with ready-to-use resources, planning tools, educator support and new interactive events that build community. Attendees will leave with tangible strategies to help students plan, lead and sustain school-wide movements that strengthen social responsibility, empathy and teamwork — empowering the next generation to move from inspiration to action, while also raising awareness and critical funds for Australians with blood cancer. And having a lot of fun along the way!
10:10 AM - 10:30 AM
10:10 AM - 10:40 AM
10:30 AM - 11:00 AM
10:40 AM - 11:00 AM
10:45 AM - 11:15 AM
Global Enrichment Programme
11:00 AM - 11:30 AM
11:30 AM - 12:00 PM
11:30 AM - 12:30 PM
11:45 AM - 12:15 PM How Strong Is Your School’s Wellbeing System? A Scorecard for School Leaders
Schools are increasingly expected to respond to complex student mental health and wellbeing needs. Yet many wellbeing efforts rely on classroom strategies and isolated programs to address challenges that require a coordinated system of support. This session introduces the School Wellbeing Systems Scorecard, a practical tool designed to help schools evaluate the strength of their approach to student mental health and wellbeing. Participants will be guided through a simple framework covering areas such as early identification, tiered supports, staff capability, student voice and integration with external services. Using an interactive format, attendees will have the opportunity to reflect on their own school context and assess how their current structures support student wellbeing. The session will also showcase examples of how schools have strengthened these domains in practice, highlighting strategies that move wellbeing from a collection of initiatives to a coherent system of support. School leaders will leave with a practical framework they can use to identify gaps, prioritise improvements and strengthen their school’s approach to supporting student mental health.
12:00 PM - 12:40 PM
12:30 PM - 1:30 PM
12:40 PM - 1:00 PM
12:45 PM - 1:15 PM Unlocking Learning: How Schools and Speech Pathologists collaboration holds the key to improving student outcomes
Communication and literacy are fundamental human rights, forming the foundation for participation, learning, and belonging in every educational community. Effective collaboration between speech pathologists and schools is a powerful key for improving student outcomes in literacy, oral language, and overall engagement. This presentation explores an integrated, data driven model of partnership that places collaboration at the centre of learning. By embedding speech pathology knowledge within school processes, educators are equipped to identify needs earlier, deliver targeted interventions using data driven informed practice that aligns with classroom practice, and include teaching adjustments in the classroom that support diverse communication profiles. Participants will gain insights into practical frameworks for integrating speech pathology expertise through a managed services model into whole school processes, from professional learning and collaborative planning to Response To Intervention systems of support. Come and learn about how sustained, purposeful partnerships between speech pathologists and educators contribute to equitable access, improved literacy and language outcomes, and thriving learners across all school communities.
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
1:30 PM - 2:00 PM
1:45 PM - 2:15 PM
Tomorrow man
2:00 PM - 2:30 PM
2:30 PM - 3:00 PM GROW - Great Resources on the Web
Be inspired by this interactive resource development presentation, highlighting great resources on the web. This session allows teachers to grow their teachers' toolbox and help student growth via dozens of great resources to enhance collaboration and engagement using new ideas and interesting activities. The content will allow you to build engagement via: Gamification Generative AI sites Improved slideshows Collaborative platforms Enmeshed theory + activities
2:30 PM - 3:10 PM
2:30 PM - 3:30 PM
3:10 PM - 3:30 PM
3:15 PM - 3:45 PM
Spotlight Sponsor 10
3:30 PM - 3:45 PM
3:45 PM - 4:00 PM
AI in the Classroom
Capacity Building School Libraries
9:00 AM - 9:10 PM
Welcome by our MC - Day 2
9:10 AM - 9:40 AM Using AI to create digital interactives for your classroom
This workshop shows teachers how to harness AI tools to create custom HTML-based interactive activities that address their unique classroom requirements. Using hands-on examples, participants will discover an accessible process requiring zero programming knowledge - AI manages the HTML coding while educators concentrate on learning design. Discover how this method facilitates developing curriculum-specific, device-responsive materials that are simple to adapt and distribute, enabling teachers to construct precisely what benefits their learners most. 		Developing Critical Thinking Across the Curriculum
The development of critical thinking is an essential civic skill, particularly in a ‘post-truth’ information age shaped by the effects of AI, algorithmically shared content, fake news and other forms of mis- and disinformation. School libraries play a pivotal role in this work as educators are often uncertain about how to define, teach, and assess critical thinking in a consistent and practical way. The definition of a skill is essential in order for anyone to confidently teach, assess or develop resources related to that skill. In this session, ACER researchers, Claire Scoular and Jonathan Heard will introduce existing theory and research to articulate the core components of critical thinking, and address challenges associated with teaching and assessing critical thinking. They unpack how students construct knowledge, evaluate ideas, and make reasoned decisions - skills that school library staff will readily recognise as fundamental to inquiry, information literacy, and ethical participation in digital environments. Participants will leave with practical insights and strategies to strengthen critical thinking capabilities in their own school communities.
9:15 AM - 9:45 AM
9:40 AM - 10:10 AM The meaningful integration of GenAI in teaching and learning
Generative AI is transforming not just what students learn, but how the brain engages with knowledge itself. In this session, we’ll explore the Science of Successful Learning through the lens of GenAI—examining how tools like ChatGPT can both amplify and disrupt human cognition. Drawing on the simple model of memory, cognitive load theory, schema building, and cognitive offloading, we’ll consider how GenAI alters attention, working memory, and long-term understanding. Is AI helping students think more deeply—or think less? How can teachers ensure that cognitive effort remains productive, not outsourced? Through practical, classroom-based examples, participants will learn to design lessons and tasks that use GenAI intentionally reducing cognitive load where appropriate, strengthening schema formation, and enhancing critical and creative thinking. You’ll leave with a research-informed toolkit of pedagogical strategies to lead AI-integrated learning that keeps human intelligence at the centre. 		It Takes a Village: Building Student Capability Through Cross-Sector Library Partnerships
In an era where information literacy and community engagement are more vital than ever, collaboration between school, public, and state libraries offers a powerful catalyst for building student capability and confidence. This presentation explores the dynamic partnerships that can be developed between a school library, their public library and the state library, showcasing how cross-sector collaboration can transform teaching and learning. This session will share case studies, student feedback, and curriculum examples that demonstrate the impact of integrated library partnerships. Attendees will gain practical strategies for initiating and sustaining similar partnerships in their own local spheres, with a focus on aligning library programs with curriculum goals and building enduring community connections. Ultimately, It Takes a Village celebrates the collective power of school, public, and state libraries working together to empower the next generation of learners.
10:00 AM - 10:30 AM
10:10 AM - 10:30 AM Q&A Panel Industry experts & Darlene Hill to answer questions
10:10 AM - 10:40 AM Interactive Notebooks for Future-Ready Classrooms: AI, Creativity, and Student Agency
Digital interactive notebooks reimagine classroom learning by blending creativity, collaboration, and AI-enhanced design. This session highlights how tools such as Google Slides, Canva, and generative AI can be used to create scaffolded, engaging, and highly adaptable learning experiences. Participants will explore classroom-tested strategies that foster student agency, experimentation, and critical thinking, while also building transferable digital and creative skills for AI-integrated futures. Through collaborative discussion and demonstration, the session showcases how interactive notebooks can promote inclusivity and innovation in diverse learning contexts. Attendees will leave with a toolkit of resources and design models to help them confidently implement AI-driven notebooks in their own classrooms and empower students to thrive in a future shaped by intelligent technologies.
10:30 AM - 11:00 AM
Libraries - Day 2 Morning Tea
10:40 AM - 11:00 AM Q&A Panel with James Jenkins, Miriam Tanti & Elijah Bajao to answer questions
10:45 AM - 11:15 AM
11:00 AM - 11:30 AM
AI Morning Tea - Day 2
Level Up: Using Gamification to Engage Boys in Reading
Many boys demonstrate a decline in engagement with reading, especially during high school as reading comes to represent work rather than enjoyment. This presentation will share how gamification has transformed the Reading and Research program at St Bede's College from a teacher-led battle field to a dynamic, rewarding and socially connected experience. Integrating game design elements such as levels, challenges, leaderboards, and physical rewards, this session will illustrate how some basic principles of teenage motivation and the way research shows that boys approach reading can be harnessed to foster a culture where reading feel less like homework and more like a rewarding and enjoyable pursuit. Attendees will leave with a toolkit of adaptable gamification techniques and examples of how competition, collaboration and choice can improve reading frequency and enthusiasm among boys.
11:30 AM - 12:00 PM Smarter, Not Harder: Reducing Teacher Workload While Elevating Pedagogy
This session explores how schools can redesign assessment to embrace AI’s potential while safeguarding academic integrity. Participants will examine practical strategies such as authentic, real-world tasks, oral defences, process-based assessment, and adaptive feedback. The focus is on ensuring assessment remains rigorous, fair, and future-focused; measuring not just what students know, but how they think, create, and apply their learning in an AI-rich world.
11:30 AM - 12:30 PM Designing Future-Focused School Libraries: A Creative Approach to Spatial and Pedagogical Innovation
The convergence of rapid AI advancement, accelerating societal change, and robust evidence demonstrating school libraries' impact on student learning compels teacher librarians to reimagine library spaces and programs. As creativity and innovation become essential foundations for future-focused school libraries, the critical question emerges: How do we harness these capacities in practice? This session introduces a design thinking framework that empowers teacher librarians to creatively transform both physical environments and learning programs. Participants will explore strategies for designing spatial relationships that foster collaboration and discovery, while developing enrichment programs that respond to evolving student needs. Through this approach, attendees will gain tools to position their libraries as dynamic hubs of innovation within their school communities.
11:45 AM - 12:15 PM
12:00 PM - 12:40 PM A framework for integrating evolving technologies using multiple pedagogies in classroom context.
In an evolving world of multi-modal technologies and artificial intelligence teachers need a framework that embraces expansive learning to successfully integrate digital learning. Expansive learning framework has evolved over three generations (over 100 years) and provides several models on how to unpack 21st century technologies to be integrated into classroom practice to attain lesson goals. The session will unpack how a case study of best teacher practices in digital technologies in Melbourne schools adopted multiple pedagogies, such as, ubiquitous, mobile, collaborative, differentiated, context relevant and expansive learning to enable deep learning using these models. Participants will be able to apply these models in their own context to support curriculum and lesson planning using evolving technologies to enable implementation of multiple pedagogies, and opportunities for collaborative learning and professional development.
12:30 PM - 1:30 PM
Libraries Lunch - Day 2
12:40 PM - 1:00 PM Q&A Panel with Maria Mertzanakis & Dr Roy Rozario to answer questions
12:45 PM - 1:15 PM
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
AI Lunch - Day 2
1:30 PM - 2:00 PM Q&A Panel with Roxanne Summer & June Wall to answer questions
1:45 PM - 2:15 PM
2:00 PM - 2:30 PM Creative Practices and AI for Teaching and Learning
Explore how creative storytelling and ethical AI integration can empower students to thrive—emotionally, socially, and intellectually—in today’s classrooms. Discover hands-on strategies that foster wellbeing, inclusion, and digital integrity through imaginative, student-centred learning. Experience how creative storytelling techniques—enhanced by ethical AI integration—can help students thrive emotionally, socially, and intellectually. This interactive workshop invites participants to engage in hands-on activities that promote wellbeing, inclusion, and technological integrity in the classroom. 		More than books: The impact of School Libraries on Wellbeing, Safety and Belonging
This session highlights the importance of embracing wellbeing as a core function of the library, while still nurturing a strong, positive reading culture. Participants will hear practical strategies for embedding student leadership and representation within the library, and explore why libraries are vital safe spaces for vulnerable students.
2:30 PM - 3:00 PM
2:30 PM - 3:10 PM Teaching Fundamental AI literacy
The session will focus on what my team of technology teachers and I do to design and deliver a teaching unit on AI literacy for Year 10 students. It will include a comprehensive overview of the framework that underpins our teaching, a range of classroom activities, tools we use, pedagogical approaches we consider, and feedback from both students and teachers. It will be a complete teaching unit that others can take and implement directly in their classes. 		Developing students’ critical thinking using authentic texts
Hear from industry experts on how libraries support critical thinking. Using Australian research articles, primary sources, and multimedia content, see how students learn to evaluate evidence, assess credibility, recognise bias, and build informed perspectives through authentic, curriculum-aligned resources. Recognise the skills that school library staff bring to support their community to identify gaps in knowledge, discriminate amongst information, process and interpret information, apply logic, identify assumptions and motivations, justify arguments, construct new knowledge, and make decisions about the veracity of the information they are presented with. This session will be divided into two parts: Tools for teaching critical thinking Informit Explore in practice: Applying factchecking, lateral reading and critical thinking skills using Explore. School libraries as part of a winder library ecosystem The State Library’s role in supporting education libraries. Drawing on experience in university library sector – all accredited higher education institutions must have a library – why is that not so for the school sector
2:30 PM - 3:30 PM
3:10 PM - 3:30 PM Q&A Panel with Helen Velikans & Kistina Wu to answer questions Q&A Panel for Presenters 13 & 14 to answer questions
3:15 PM - 3:45 PM
3:30 PM - 3:45 PM
Ask the Audience – Delegates share the one idea that they will work on next week - AI Day 2
Ask the Audience – Delegates share the one idea that they will work on next week - Libraries Day 2
3:45 PM - 4:00 PM
Wrap up Conference

Diverse Learners Symposium
Wellbeing for Future Focused Schools
9:00 AM - 9:10 PM
Welcome by our MC - Day 2
9:10 AM - 9:40 AM Using ES for impact in schools
This session explores how schools can strengthen whole-school inclusion by aligning leadership, policy, and classroom practice. Drawing on Using Educational Support Staff for Impact in Schools (2025), participants will examine how Educational Support staff can be strategically deployed within co-teaching models, planning cycles, and multi-tiered systems of support. Practical case studies from K–12 settings will demonstrate how schools are embedding inclusive practices, supported by frameworks such as UDL and VTLM 2.0. Attendees will leave with actionable strategies to build capability, foster collaboration, and ensure consistent adjustments for diverse learners, enhancing outcomes for all students. 		Holding Steady: Managing the Classroom When You’re Not at Your Shiny Best
Every teacher has days, or seasons, when energy runs low, emotions feel stretched, or confidence wavers. Yet classrooms still demand calm, clarity, and consistency. This session explores practical strategies for managing student behaviour when you’re feeling vulnerable, depleted, burnt out, or simply not yourself. Drawing on current research in emotional regulation, teacher wellbeing, and cognitive behaviour therapy, we’ll discuss how to maintain a steady presence in front of students while managing your own stress. Through real classroom examples, participants will learn how to set boundaries, communicate with empathy, and use small resets to regain balance and authority. Educators will leave with a toolkit for managing both student behaviour and their own wellbeing, ensuring that even on the toughest days, the classroom remains a place of stability, safety, and genuine connection.
9:15 AM - 9:45 AM
9:40 AM - 10:10 AM How to Build Structures, Routines and Supports to Optimise Learning for ALL Students
Find out what has made the difference for the most vulnerable students in our school system from a high disadvantage, disability diagnosis criteria, and rural location with limited external resources. Lake Colac School has been on the journey of fidelity of evidence-based instructional practices over the past 5 years. One of the challenges of providing Teresa Deshon impressive successful learning outcomes, with tangible results, is school growth. Over this time, the word got out! Through and beyond the COVID years, both the staff and student population increased by almost 60%. As a (now not so) small, regional specialist school, where 92% of families fall in the bottom-two quartiles of socio-economic advantage, maintaining consistent, low-variance instruction and expectations has been an unexpected challenge. Join Cameron in discussing what this implementation journey has looked like over these years and why, during a staffing crisis, this ‘hard-to-staff’ school punches above its weight. Hear about the systems and structures in place, the impact that this had on both students in the English and Maths results, along with its impressive post-school transitions of students into the workforce. 		Bridging Wellbeing and Learning: Trauma-Informed, Research-Based Strategies for Educators
Educators across K–12 are increasingly confronted with the reality that students bring the weight of complex life experiences into the classroom. Trauma, substance use, mental health challenges, and disrupted attachments do not just shape behaviour — they profoundly impact learning readiness, engagement, and relationships with teachers. At The David Scott School, a Special Assistance School in Victoria, we support young people aged 15–20 navigating these very challenges. Over time, our Wellbeing Team has developed a trauma-informed, theory-driven and practice-grounded model that integrates education with wellbeing in ways that can be adapted across mainstream and specialist contexts. This workshop invites participants to step into that space: the intersection where theory, research and practice meet to create meaningful educational outcomes. It will be an engaging and interactive session designed to not only inspire, but to equip educators with practical tools that they can use immediately in their own classrooms and schools.
10:00 AM - 10:30 AM
10:10 AM - 10:30 AM Q&A Panel with Yvonne Harvey & Craig Wotherspoon to answer questions
10:10 AM - 10:40 AM The YRTS Koorie Aspirations Program: Student Agency through a Cultural Lens
Join the team from the Yarra Ranges Tech School as they share the inspiring story of the Koorie Aspirations Program, a powerful initiative run in conjunction with the Lilydale Education Plan. This presentation explores a unique model where student agency and cultural identity are woven together to unlock incredible leadership potential. Discover how this approach culminated in a student-led Koorie Cultural Day, an event conceived, funded, and executed entirely by a committee of students who wanted to share their rich culture with their peers through cooking, dance, jewelry, and clapstick making. This session dives into the practical strategies used to empower these students, build their confidence, and foster the leadership skills that made it all possible.
10:30 AM - 11:00 AM
Morning Tea - Wellbeing Day 2
10:40 AM - 11:00 AM Q&A Panel with Teresa Deshon, Cameron Peverett & Travis Burroughs to answer questions
10:45 AM - 11:15 AM
11:00 AM - 11:30 AM
Diverse - Morning Tea Day 2
The Heart of Education: Leading with Connection for Lasting Change
Education is facing a growing challenge: disconnection. Students disengage, teachers burn out, and school communities’ fracture, yet research shows that connection is the foundation of academic success, wellbeing and character. This session explores how to move beyond surface-level relationships to embed sustainable connection across classrooms and whole schools. Participants will unpack the “landmarks” of connection (relationships, belonging and meaning) and discover a practical framework for making them part of everyday practice. Designed for teachers, support staff and leaders, this session provides strategies to build cultures of trust, agency and inclusion where everyone can flourish.
11:30 AM - 12:00 PM Hands-on Inclusive eMaking activities for children with disabilities
This hands-on workshop introduces inclusion through demonstrating how the redesign of activities can facilitate participation by children with a range of disabilities. The activities use curiosity to engage students with disabilities in active STEM focused lessons. Teachers will undertake activities that they can take back to the classroom including accessible circuit making.
11:30 AM - 12:30 PM iBelong: Creating Cultures of Respect, Empathy, and Resilience in Every Classroom
Too many students walk into school feeling excluded, unsupported, or unsure if they belong. When respect, empathy, and resilience aren’t embedded in the culture, bullying and disengagement take their place. Eric shares practical strategies that help schools turn bullying into belonging and doubt into confidence. Drawing from his lived experience as the only African student in his Melbourne classroom and his award-winning programs (iBelong and Boys to Noble Men), Eric shows educators how to embed social-emotional learning (SEL) into daily practice—not as another add-on, but as the foundation for thriving classrooms. Attendees will walk away with a clear framework for embedding respect, empathy, and resilience in to everyday routines along with practical tools to build student confidence and self-regulation.
11:45 AM - 12:15 PM
12:00 PM - 12:40 PM Spotting Hidden Struggles and Creating Classrooms Where Students Don’t Have to Pretend
Masking (when students hide their needs, distress, or differences in order to “fit in” at school) is one of the most overlooked challenges in education. These students often appear quiet, compliant, or high achieving, yet crash at home or in safe spaces. In this interactive session, we will unpack the hidden cost of masking and how educators can learn to spot the subtle red flags. Participants will leave with a clear understanding of how masking affects learning, how to respond compassionately when unmasking looks “messy,” and how to build classrooms where every student feels safe enough to be themselves.
12:30 PM - 1:30 PM
Lunch - Wellbeing Day 2
12:40 PM - 1:00 PM Q&A Panel with Kirsten Ellis & Millie Carr to answer questions
12:45 PM - 1:15 PM
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Diverse Lunch - Day 2
1:30 PM - 2:00 PM Q&A Panel with Dr Matt Pitman & Eric Agyeman to answer questions
1:45 PM - 2:15 PM
2:00 PM - 2:30 PM Making Space for Hope
Leaning into developing a better understanding of self through the use of fairy tales with early adolescents to overcome the 'chronic loneliness pandemic'. Mental health concerns are driving schools to seek wellbeing strategies. Developing students' insights through reflective practice, sharing stories, and making art can build self-understanding and lead to self-efficacy. Fairy tales in particular are a vehicle to instill understanding of instinct and courage, ideas often lost in our modern world, and artistic expression can be less emotionally vulnerable than speaking. 		Why A Smile Can Change The World
In this uplifting and science-backed keynote, Sally Pymer reveals how something as simple as a genuine smile can transform the culture of a classroom and strengthen wellbeing across an entire school community. Drawing on lived experience, decades of work in psychology, community development and AOD support, and powerful real-life stories, Sally shows how a smile rewires the brain, calms the nervous system, and creates the conditions where students feel safe, seen, and ready to learn.
2:30 PM - 3:00 PM
2:30 PM - 3:10 PM Session 14
2:30 PM - 3:30 PM Play, Clay & Spray: Designing Safe Spaces for Creative Risk-Taking in Schools
This hands-on workshop invites educators to explore the power of creative risk taking through clay and aerosol based activities. Participants will engage in playful, low pressure creative challenges that embrace experimentation, mistakes, and collaboration, all essential to building student and teacher wellbeing. Through making, reflection, and discussion, we will explore how to create safe spaces where joy, failure, and growth can coexist. Educators will leave with practical tools and ideas to embed creative wellbeing practices into their classrooms and school culture.
3:10 PM - 3:30 PM Q&A Panel including Sarah Hillyer to answer questions
3:15 PM - 3:45 PM
3:30 PM - 3:45 PM
Ask the Audience – Delegates share the one idea that they will work on next week - Diverse Day 2
Ask the Audience – Delegates share the one idea that they will work on next week - Wellbeing Day 2
3:45 PM - 4:00 PM
Wrap up Conference

Early Stages Theatre
Classroom of the Future
9:00 AM - 9:10 PM
9:10 AM - 9:40 AM
9:15 AM - 9:45 AM
Early Years Sponsor 3
Workshop Sponsor 5
9:40 AM - 10:10 AM
10:00 AM - 10:30 AM Thrive, Don’t Just Survive
Step into the classroom with confidence! Join behaviour and classroom management expert Phil Kamay for a dynamic session designed to empower early career teachers. Learn how to turn challenging behaviours into positive learning opportunities, manage stress before it manages you, and build a thriving classroom culture where both you and your students flourish. Leave equipped with strategies that empower you to feel calm, confident, and in control - today, tomorrow, and beyond. 		Good Prompting is Good Teaching: Collaborating for the Future Classroom
AI is reshaping what it means to teach and learn, but teachers already have many of the skills needed to make the most of this technology. This session explores how principles of good teaching such as clarity, structure, context, and reflection are also the foundations of using AI effectively. We’ll show how educators can apply their existing pedagogical expertise to collaborate productively with AI, enhance learning, and save time. Participants will leave with practical strategies for integrating AI into their practice and preparing for the classroom of the future. Suitable for beginners through to power users, there’s something for everyone.
10:10 AM - 10:30 AM
10:10 AM - 10:40 AM
10:30 AM - 11:00 AM
10:40 AM - 11:00 AM
10:45 AM - 11:15 AM Little voices, big words
After this session, you will walk away with an understanding of the importance of building a solid oral language foundation and some practical, easy to implement activities to support children's vocabulary and overall literacy growth.
Torchway
11:00 AM - 11:30 AM
11:30 AM - 12:00 PM
11:30 AM - 12:30 PM
11:45 AM - 12:15 PM Supporting Early Career Teacher Practice
This session explores how regulation can actively support early career teachers as they build confidence and capability in their first years of practice. While regulation is often seen as a compliance requirement, we’ll reframe it as a positive tool that strengthens teaching, supports public trust and promotes consistency across all education settings. The session will focus on how the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers provide clear expectations and a shared language that helps teachers understand their strengths, reflect on their progress and plan meaningful professional learning. We’ll discuss practical ways the Standards can guide induction, mentoring and feedback conversations, and how employers and leaders can use them to create supportive learning environments. Designed for early career teachers from early childhood through to senior secondary - as well as employers and senior leaders – we hope to highlight how regulation can empower teachers, not limit them, and contribute to ongoing professional growth.
Workshop Sponsor 7
12:00 PM - 12:40 PM
12:30 PM - 1:30 PM
12:40 PM - 1:00 PM
12:45 PM - 1:15 PM From Surviving to Thriving: Building Pedagogical Confidence with Explicit Teaching and Daily Reviews
Starting out in teaching can feel overwhelming - juggling planning, behaviour, and assessment while still trying to find your own identity as an educator. This session introduces practical, research-informed strategies to help early career teachers thrive rather than just survive. Through real classroom examples and stories from leading change in the middle years, the session will show how embedding a low-variance, collaborative approach to curriculum and pedagogy supports both student outcomes and teacher wellbeing. Attendees will leave with: • Practical tools for structuring lessons that engage and support all learners • Daily review activities that strengthen recall, reduce cognitive load, and make checking for understanding simple and effective • Strategies for navigating the early years of teaching with confidence, balance, and resilience This session is designed to empower new teachers with a clear, sustainable approach to teaching that lays the foundation for a rewarding and lasting career.
Workshop Sponsor 8
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
1:30 PM - 2:00 PM
1:45 PM - 2:15 PM
Early Learning Presenter
Workshop Sponsor 9
2:00 PM - 2:30 PM
2:30 PM - 3:00 PM
Early Learning Sponsor 4
Workshop Sponsor 10
2:30 PM - 3:10 PM
2:30 PM - 3:30 PM
3:10 PM - 3:30 PM
3:15 PM - 3:45 PM
Early Learning Presenter 2
From Risk to Resilience: Building Confident, Adaptive Learners in the Classroom of the Future
In an increasingly uncertain world, students are expected to navigate complexity, ambiguity and change—yet many experience risk as something to avoid rather than engage with. This session explores how cultivating a positive risk mindset in K–12 classrooms can strengthen student resilience, confidence and adaptability, preparing learners not just to cope with uncertainty, but to grow through it. Educators will leave with practical strategies they can apply immediately, including: • How to design learning experiences that make risk safe, visible and purposeful • Ways to shift student thinking from “getting it right” to learning through iteration and feedback • Wimple classroom practices that support resilience, agency and reflective decision-making This session invites educators to rethink how we prepare students for the unexpected—by equipping them with the mindset to engage with risk confidently, ethically and constructively.
3:30 PM - 3:45 PM
3:45 PM - 4:00 PM

Knowledge Centre
9:00 AM - 9:10 PM
9:10 AM - 9:40 AM
9:15 AM - 9:45 AM The Human Advantage - how teaching & learning is changing in an AI-rich world
This session is for educators who are already using generative AI regularly, those who are experimenting with it now and then, and even those who are simply considering where it might fit. But more than that, it’s for people who want to pause and think deeply about what this all means. What does generative AI change about learning? How should it reshape the way we approach assessment & the role of a teacher? And, which uniquely human capabilities do we now need to double down on?
9:40 AM - 10:10 AM
10:00 AM - 10:30 AM Shaving the way for student leadership: Building confident changemakers through school-based social action and the World's Greatest Shave
What happens when students are trusted to lead something bigger than themselves? Across Australia, thousands of primary and secondary students step into authentic leadership each year through the World’s Greatest Shave, a school-based social impact campaign supporting Australians living with blood cancer. This session explores how participation in purpose-driven fundraising equips emerging student leaders with confidence, collaboration skills and agency to mobilise their peers and create meaningful change. Drawing on the Leukaemia Foundation’s work with schools nationwide, we will share practical approaches to student-led campaigning that build wellbeing, belonging and real-world capabilities across diverse learners and age groups. Educators will learn how the World’s Greatest Shave provides a supported, curriculum-connected framework for student voice, service learning and project-based leadership from primary through secondary years. We will map participation to key Summit priorities including wellbeing for future-focused schools, early leadership development, and classroom-to-community learning, while demonstrating how schools are scaffolded every step of the way with ready-to-use resources, planning tools, educator support and new interactive events that build community. Attendees will leave with tangible strategies to help students plan, lead and sustain school-wide movements that strengthen social responsibility, empathy and teamwork — empowering the next generation to move from inspiration to action, while also raising awareness and critical funds for Australians with blood cancer. And having a lot of fun along the way!
10:10 AM - 10:30 AM
10:10 AM - 10:40 AM
10:30 AM - 11:00 AM
10:40 AM - 11:00 AM
10:45 AM - 11:15 AM
Global Enrichment Programme
11:00 AM - 11:30 AM
11:30 AM - 12:00 PM
11:30 AM - 12:30 PM
11:45 AM - 12:15 PM How Strong Is Your School’s Wellbeing System? A Scorecard for School Leaders
Schools are increasingly expected to respond to complex student mental health and wellbeing needs. Yet many wellbeing efforts rely on classroom strategies and isolated programs to address challenges that require a coordinated system of support. This session introduces the School Wellbeing Systems Scorecard, a practical tool designed to help schools evaluate the strength of their approach to student mental health and wellbeing. Participants will be guided through a simple framework covering areas such as early identification, tiered supports, staff capability, student voice and integration with external services. Using an interactive format, attendees will have the opportunity to reflect on their own school context and assess how their current structures support student wellbeing. The session will also showcase examples of how schools have strengthened these domains in practice, highlighting strategies that move wellbeing from a collection of initiatives to a coherent system of support. School leaders will leave with a practical framework they can use to identify gaps, prioritise improvements and strengthen their school’s approach to supporting student mental health.
12:00 PM - 12:40 PM
12:30 PM - 1:30 PM
12:40 PM - 1:00 PM
12:45 PM - 1:15 PM Unlocking Learning: How Schools and Speech Pathologists collaboration holds the key to improving student outcomes
Communication and literacy are fundamental human rights, forming the foundation for participation, learning, and belonging in every educational community. Effective collaboration between speech pathologists and schools is a powerful key for improving student outcomes in literacy, oral language, and overall engagement. This presentation explores an integrated, data driven model of partnership that places collaboration at the centre of learning. By embedding speech pathology knowledge within school processes, educators are equipped to identify needs earlier, deliver targeted interventions using data driven informed practice that aligns with classroom practice, and include teaching adjustments in the classroom that support diverse communication profiles. Participants will gain insights into practical frameworks for integrating speech pathology expertise through a managed services model into whole school processes, from professional learning and collaborative planning to Response To Intervention systems of support. Come and learn about how sustained, purposeful partnerships between speech pathologists and educators contribute to equitable access, improved literacy and language outcomes, and thriving learners across all school communities.
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
1:30 PM - 2:00 PM
1:45 PM - 2:15 PM
Tomorrow man
2:00 PM - 2:30 PM
2:30 PM - 3:00 PM GROW - Great Resources on the Web
Be inspired by this interactive resource development presentation, highlighting great resources on the web. This session allows teachers to grow their teachers' toolbox and help student growth via dozens of great resources to enhance collaboration and engagement using new ideas and interesting activities. The content will allow you to build engagement via: Gamification Generative AI sites Improved slideshows Collaborative platforms Enmeshed theory + activities
2:30 PM - 3:10 PM
2:30 PM - 3:30 PM
3:10 PM - 3:30 PM
3:15 PM - 3:45 PM
Spotlight Sponsor 10
3:30 PM - 3:45 PM
3:45 PM - 4:00 PM

AI in the Classroom
9:00 AM - 9:10 PM
Welcome by our MC - Day 2
9:10 AM - 9:40 AM Using AI to create digital interactives for your classroom
This workshop shows teachers how to harness AI tools to create custom HTML-based interactive activities that address their unique classroom requirements. Using hands-on examples, participants will discover an accessible process requiring zero programming knowledge - AI manages the HTML coding while educators concentrate on learning design. Discover how this method facilitates developing curriculum-specific, device-responsive materials that are simple to adapt and distribute, enabling teachers to construct precisely what benefits their learners most.
9:15 AM - 9:45 AM
9:40 AM - 10:10 AM The meaningful integration of GenAI in teaching and learning
Generative AI is transforming not just what students learn, but how the brain engages with knowledge itself. In this session, we’ll explore the Science of Successful Learning through the lens of GenAI—examining how tools like ChatGPT can both amplify and disrupt human cognition. Drawing on the simple model of memory, cognitive load theory, schema building, and cognitive offloading, we’ll consider how GenAI alters attention, working memory, and long-term understanding. Is AI helping students think more deeply—or think less? How can teachers ensure that cognitive effort remains productive, not outsourced? Through practical, classroom-based examples, participants will learn to design lessons and tasks that use GenAI intentionally reducing cognitive load where appropriate, strengthening schema formation, and enhancing critical and creative thinking. You’ll leave with a research-informed toolkit of pedagogical strategies to lead AI-integrated learning that keeps human intelligence at the centre.
10:00 AM - 10:30 AM
10:10 AM - 10:30 AM
10:10 AM - 10:40 AM Interactive Notebooks for Future-Ready Classrooms: AI, Creativity, and Student Agency
Digital interactive notebooks reimagine classroom learning by blending creativity, collaboration, and AI-enhanced design. This session highlights how tools such as Google Slides, Canva, and generative AI can be used to create scaffolded, engaging, and highly adaptable learning experiences. Participants will explore classroom-tested strategies that foster student agency, experimentation, and critical thinking, while also building transferable digital and creative skills for AI-integrated futures. Through collaborative discussion and demonstration, the session showcases how interactive notebooks can promote inclusivity and innovation in diverse learning contexts. Attendees will leave with a toolkit of resources and design models to help them confidently implement AI-driven notebooks in their own classrooms and empower students to thrive in a future shaped by intelligent technologies.
10:30 AM - 11:00 AM
10:40 AM - 11:00 AM Q&A Panel with James Jenkins, Miriam Tanti & Elijah Bajao to answer questions
10:45 AM - 11:15 AM
11:00 AM - 11:30 AM
AI Morning Tea - Day 2
11:30 AM - 12:00 PM Smarter, Not Harder: Reducing Teacher Workload While Elevating Pedagogy
This session explores how schools can redesign assessment to embrace AI’s potential while safeguarding academic integrity. Participants will examine practical strategies such as authentic, real-world tasks, oral defences, process-based assessment, and adaptive feedback. The focus is on ensuring assessment remains rigorous, fair, and future-focused; measuring not just what students know, but how they think, create, and apply their learning in an AI-rich world.
11:30 AM - 12:30 PM
11:45 AM - 12:15 PM
12:00 PM - 12:40 PM A framework for integrating evolving technologies using multiple pedagogies in classroom context.
In an evolving world of multi-modal technologies and artificial intelligence teachers need a framework that embraces expansive learning to successfully integrate digital learning. Expansive learning framework has evolved over three generations (over 100 years) and provides several models on how to unpack 21st century technologies to be integrated into classroom practice to attain lesson goals. The session will unpack how a case study of best teacher practices in digital technologies in Melbourne schools adopted multiple pedagogies, such as, ubiquitous, mobile, collaborative, differentiated, context relevant and expansive learning to enable deep learning using these models. Participants will be able to apply these models in their own context to support curriculum and lesson planning using evolving technologies to enable implementation of multiple pedagogies, and opportunities for collaborative learning and professional development.
12:30 PM - 1:30 PM
12:40 PM - 1:00 PM Q&A Panel with Maria Mertzanakis & Dr Roy Rozario to answer questions
12:45 PM - 1:15 PM
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
AI Lunch - Day 2
1:30 PM - 2:00 PM
1:45 PM - 2:15 PM
2:00 PM - 2:30 PM Creative Practices and AI for Teaching and Learning
Explore how creative storytelling and ethical AI integration can empower students to thrive—emotionally, socially, and intellectually—in today’s classrooms. Discover hands-on strategies that foster wellbeing, inclusion, and digital integrity through imaginative, student-centred learning. Experience how creative storytelling techniques—enhanced by ethical AI integration—can help students thrive emotionally, socially, and intellectually. This interactive workshop invites participants to engage in hands-on activities that promote wellbeing, inclusion, and technological integrity in the classroom.
2:30 PM - 3:00 PM
2:30 PM - 3:10 PM Teaching Fundamental AI literacy
The session will focus on what my team of technology teachers and I do to design and deliver a teaching unit on AI literacy for Year 10 students. It will include a comprehensive overview of the framework that underpins our teaching, a range of classroom activities, tools we use, pedagogical approaches we consider, and feedback from both students and teachers. It will be a complete teaching unit that others can take and implement directly in their classes.
2:30 PM - 3:30 PM
3:10 PM - 3:30 PM Q&A Panel with Helen Velikans & Kistina Wu to answer questions
3:15 PM - 3:45 PM
3:30 PM - 3:45 PM
Ask the Audience – Delegates share the one idea that they will work on next week - AI Day 2
3:45 PM - 4:00 PM
Wrap up Conference

Capacity Building School Libraries
9:00 AM - 9:10 PM
Welcome by our MC - Day 2
9:10 AM - 9:40 AM Developing Critical Thinking Across the Curriculum
The development of critical thinking is an essential civic skill, particularly in a ‘post-truth’ information age shaped by the effects of AI, algorithmically shared content, fake news and other forms of mis- and disinformation. School libraries play a pivotal role in this work as educators are often uncertain about how to define, teach, and assess critical thinking in a consistent and practical way. The definition of a skill is essential in order for anyone to confidently teach, assess or develop resources related to that skill. In this session, ACER researchers, Claire Scoular and Jonathan Heard will introduce existing theory and research to articulate the core components of critical thinking, and address challenges associated with teaching and assessing critical thinking. They unpack how students construct knowledge, evaluate ideas, and make reasoned decisions - skills that school library staff will readily recognise as fundamental to inquiry, information literacy, and ethical participation in digital environments. Participants will leave with practical insights and strategies to strengthen critical thinking capabilities in their own school communities.
9:15 AM - 9:45 AM
9:40 AM - 10:10 AM It Takes a Village: Building Student Capability Through Cross-Sector Library Partnerships
In an era where information literacy and community engagement are more vital than ever, collaboration between school, public, and state libraries offers a powerful catalyst for building student capability and confidence. This presentation explores the dynamic partnerships that can be developed between a school library, their public library and the state library, showcasing how cross-sector collaboration can transform teaching and learning. This session will share case studies, student feedback, and curriculum examples that demonstrate the impact of integrated library partnerships. Attendees will gain practical strategies for initiating and sustaining similar partnerships in their own local spheres, with a focus on aligning library programs with curriculum goals and building enduring community connections. Ultimately, It Takes a Village celebrates the collective power of school, public, and state libraries working together to empower the next generation of learners.
10:00 AM - 10:30 AM
10:10 AM - 10:30 AM Q&A Panel Industry experts & Darlene Hill to answer questions
10:10 AM - 10:40 AM
10:30 AM - 11:00 AM
Libraries - Day 2 Morning Tea
10:40 AM - 11:00 AM
10:45 AM - 11:15 AM
11:00 AM - 11:30 AM Level Up: Using Gamification to Engage Boys in Reading
Many boys demonstrate a decline in engagement with reading, especially during high school as reading comes to represent work rather than enjoyment. This presentation will share how gamification has transformed the Reading and Research program at St Bede's College from a teacher-led battle field to a dynamic, rewarding and socially connected experience. Integrating game design elements such as levels, challenges, leaderboards, and physical rewards, this session will illustrate how some basic principles of teenage motivation and the way research shows that boys approach reading can be harnessed to foster a culture where reading feel less like homework and more like a rewarding and enjoyable pursuit. Attendees will leave with a toolkit of adaptable gamification techniques and examples of how competition, collaboration and choice can improve reading frequency and enthusiasm among boys.
11:30 AM - 12:00 PM
11:30 AM - 12:30 PM Designing Future-Focused School Libraries: A Creative Approach to Spatial and Pedagogical Innovation
The convergence of rapid AI advancement, accelerating societal change, and robust evidence demonstrating school libraries' impact on student learning compels teacher librarians to reimagine library spaces and programs. As creativity and innovation become essential foundations for future-focused school libraries, the critical question emerges: How do we harness these capacities in practice? This session introduces a design thinking framework that empowers teacher librarians to creatively transform both physical environments and learning programs. Participants will explore strategies for designing spatial relationships that foster collaboration and discovery, while developing enrichment programs that respond to evolving student needs. Through this approach, attendees will gain tools to position their libraries as dynamic hubs of innovation within their school communities.
11:45 AM - 12:15 PM
12:00 PM - 12:40 PM
12:30 PM - 1:30 PM
Libraries Lunch - Day 2
12:40 PM - 1:00 PM
12:45 PM - 1:15 PM
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
1:30 PM - 2:00 PM Q&A Panel with Roxanne Summer & June Wall to answer questions
1:45 PM - 2:15 PM
2:00 PM - 2:30 PM More than books: The impact of School Libraries on Wellbeing, Safety and Belonging
This session highlights the importance of embracing wellbeing as a core function of the library, while still nurturing a strong, positive reading culture. Participants will hear practical strategies for embedding student leadership and representation within the library, and explore why libraries are vital safe spaces for vulnerable students.
2:30 PM - 3:00 PM
2:30 PM - 3:10 PM Developing students’ critical thinking using authentic texts
Hear from industry experts on how libraries support critical thinking. Using Australian research articles, primary sources, and multimedia content, see how students learn to evaluate evidence, assess credibility, recognise bias, and build informed perspectives through authentic, curriculum-aligned resources. Recognise the skills that school library staff bring to support their community to identify gaps in knowledge, discriminate amongst information, process and interpret information, apply logic, identify assumptions and motivations, justify arguments, construct new knowledge, and make decisions about the veracity of the information they are presented with. This session will be divided into two parts: Tools for teaching critical thinking Informit Explore in practice: Applying factchecking, lateral reading and critical thinking skills using Explore. School libraries as part of a winder library ecosystem The State Library’s role in supporting education libraries. Drawing on experience in university library sector – all accredited higher education institutions must have a library – why is that not so for the school sector
2:30 PM - 3:30 PM
3:10 PM - 3:30 PM Q&A Panel for Presenters 13 & 14 to answer questions
3:15 PM - 3:45 PM
3:30 PM - 3:45 PM
Ask the Audience – Delegates share the one idea that they will work on next week - Libraries Day 2
3:45 PM - 4:00 PM
Wrap up Conference

Diverse Learners Symposium
9:00 AM - 9:10 PM
Welcome by our MC - Day 2
9:10 AM - 9:40 AM Using ES for impact in schools
This session explores how schools can strengthen whole-school inclusion by aligning leadership, policy, and classroom practice. Drawing on Using Educational Support Staff for Impact in Schools (2025), participants will examine how Educational Support staff can be strategically deployed within co-teaching models, planning cycles, and multi-tiered systems of support. Practical case studies from K–12 settings will demonstrate how schools are embedding inclusive practices, supported by frameworks such as UDL and VTLM 2.0. Attendees will leave with actionable strategies to build capability, foster collaboration, and ensure consistent adjustments for diverse learners, enhancing outcomes for all students.
9:15 AM - 9:45 AM
9:40 AM - 10:10 AM How to Build Structures, Routines and Supports to Optimise Learning for ALL Students
Find out what has made the difference for the most vulnerable students in our school system from a high disadvantage, disability diagnosis criteria, and rural location with limited external resources. Lake Colac School has been on the journey of fidelity of evidence-based instructional practices over the past 5 years. One of the challenges of providing Teresa Deshon impressive successful learning outcomes, with tangible results, is school growth. Over this time, the word got out! Through and beyond the COVID years, both the staff and student population increased by almost 60%. As a (now not so) small, regional specialist school, where 92% of families fall in the bottom-two quartiles of socio-economic advantage, maintaining consistent, low-variance instruction and expectations has been an unexpected challenge. Join Cameron in discussing what this implementation journey has looked like over these years and why, during a staffing crisis, this ‘hard-to-staff’ school punches above its weight. Hear about the systems and structures in place, the impact that this had on both students in the English and Maths results, along with its impressive post-school transitions of students into the workforce.
10:00 AM - 10:30 AM
10:10 AM - 10:30 AM
10:10 AM - 10:40 AM The YRTS Koorie Aspirations Program: Student Agency through a Cultural Lens
Join the team from the Yarra Ranges Tech School as they share the inspiring story of the Koorie Aspirations Program, a powerful initiative run in conjunction with the Lilydale Education Plan. This presentation explores a unique model where student agency and cultural identity are woven together to unlock incredible leadership potential. Discover how this approach culminated in a student-led Koorie Cultural Day, an event conceived, funded, and executed entirely by a committee of students who wanted to share their rich culture with their peers through cooking, dance, jewelry, and clapstick making. This session dives into the practical strategies used to empower these students, build their confidence, and foster the leadership skills that made it all possible.
10:30 AM - 11:00 AM
10:40 AM - 11:00 AM Q&A Panel with Teresa Deshon, Cameron Peverett & Travis Burroughs to answer questions
10:45 AM - 11:15 AM
11:00 AM - 11:30 AM
Diverse - Morning Tea Day 2
11:30 AM - 12:00 PM Hands-on Inclusive eMaking activities for children with disabilities
This hands-on workshop introduces inclusion through demonstrating how the redesign of activities can facilitate participation by children with a range of disabilities. The activities use curiosity to engage students with disabilities in active STEM focused lessons. Teachers will undertake activities that they can take back to the classroom including accessible circuit making.
11:30 AM - 12:30 PM
11:45 AM - 12:15 PM
12:00 PM - 12:40 PM Spotting Hidden Struggles and Creating Classrooms Where Students Don’t Have to Pretend
Masking (when students hide their needs, distress, or differences in order to “fit in” at school) is one of the most overlooked challenges in education. These students often appear quiet, compliant, or high achieving, yet crash at home or in safe spaces. In this interactive session, we will unpack the hidden cost of masking and how educators can learn to spot the subtle red flags. Participants will leave with a clear understanding of how masking affects learning, how to respond compassionately when unmasking looks “messy,” and how to build classrooms where every student feels safe enough to be themselves.
12:30 PM - 1:30 PM
12:40 PM - 1:00 PM Q&A Panel with Kirsten Ellis & Millie Carr to answer questions
12:45 PM - 1:15 PM
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
Diverse Lunch - Day 2
1:30 PM - 2:00 PM
1:45 PM - 2:15 PM
2:00 PM - 2:30 PM Making Space for Hope
Leaning into developing a better understanding of self through the use of fairy tales with early adolescents to overcome the 'chronic loneliness pandemic'. Mental health concerns are driving schools to seek wellbeing strategies. Developing students' insights through reflective practice, sharing stories, and making art can build self-understanding and lead to self-efficacy. Fairy tales in particular are a vehicle to instill understanding of instinct and courage, ideas often lost in our modern world, and artistic expression can be less emotionally vulnerable than speaking.
2:30 PM - 3:00 PM
2:30 PM - 3:10 PM Session 14
2:30 PM - 3:30 PM
3:10 PM - 3:30 PM Q&A Panel including Sarah Hillyer to answer questions
3:15 PM - 3:45 PM
3:30 PM - 3:45 PM
Ask the Audience – Delegates share the one idea that they will work on next week - Diverse Day 2
3:45 PM - 4:00 PM
Wrap up Conference

Wellbeing for Future Focused Schools
9:00 AM - 9:10 PM
Welcome by our MC - Day 2
9:10 AM - 9:40 AM Holding Steady: Managing the Classroom When You’re Not at Your Shiny Best
Every teacher has days, or seasons, when energy runs low, emotions feel stretched, or confidence wavers. Yet classrooms still demand calm, clarity, and consistency. This session explores practical strategies for managing student behaviour when you’re feeling vulnerable, depleted, burnt out, or simply not yourself. Drawing on current research in emotional regulation, teacher wellbeing, and cognitive behaviour therapy, we’ll discuss how to maintain a steady presence in front of students while managing your own stress. Through real classroom examples, participants will learn how to set boundaries, communicate with empathy, and use small resets to regain balance and authority. Educators will leave with a toolkit for managing both student behaviour and their own wellbeing, ensuring that even on the toughest days, the classroom remains a place of stability, safety, and genuine connection.
9:15 AM - 9:45 AM
9:40 AM - 10:10 AM Bridging Wellbeing and Learning: Trauma-Informed, Research-Based Strategies for Educators
Educators across K–12 are increasingly confronted with the reality that students bring the weight of complex life experiences into the classroom. Trauma, substance use, mental health challenges, and disrupted attachments do not just shape behaviour — they profoundly impact learning readiness, engagement, and relationships with teachers. At The David Scott School, a Special Assistance School in Victoria, we support young people aged 15–20 navigating these very challenges. Over time, our Wellbeing Team has developed a trauma-informed, theory-driven and practice-grounded model that integrates education with wellbeing in ways that can be adapted across mainstream and specialist contexts. This workshop invites participants to step into that space: the intersection where theory, research and practice meet to create meaningful educational outcomes. It will be an engaging and interactive session designed to not only inspire, but to equip educators with practical tools that they can use immediately in their own classrooms and schools.
10:00 AM - 10:30 AM
10:10 AM - 10:30 AM Q&A Panel with Yvonne Harvey & Craig Wotherspoon to answer questions
10:10 AM - 10:40 AM
10:30 AM - 11:00 AM
Morning Tea - Wellbeing Day 2
10:40 AM - 11:00 AM
10:45 AM - 11:15 AM
11:00 AM - 11:30 AM The Heart of Education: Leading with Connection for Lasting Change
Education is facing a growing challenge: disconnection. Students disengage, teachers burn out, and school communities’ fracture, yet research shows that connection is the foundation of academic success, wellbeing and character. This session explores how to move beyond surface-level relationships to embed sustainable connection across classrooms and whole schools. Participants will unpack the “landmarks” of connection (relationships, belonging and meaning) and discover a practical framework for making them part of everyday practice. Designed for teachers, support staff and leaders, this session provides strategies to build cultures of trust, agency and inclusion where everyone can flourish.
11:30 AM - 12:00 PM
11:30 AM - 12:30 PM iBelong: Creating Cultures of Respect, Empathy, and Resilience in Every Classroom
Too many students walk into school feeling excluded, unsupported, or unsure if they belong. When respect, empathy, and resilience aren’t embedded in the culture, bullying and disengagement take their place. Eric shares practical strategies that help schools turn bullying into belonging and doubt into confidence. Drawing from his lived experience as the only African student in his Melbourne classroom and his award-winning programs (iBelong and Boys to Noble Men), Eric shows educators how to embed social-emotional learning (SEL) into daily practice—not as another add-on, but as the foundation for thriving classrooms. Attendees will walk away with a clear framework for embedding respect, empathy, and resilience in to everyday routines along with practical tools to build student confidence and self-regulation.
11:45 AM - 12:15 PM
12:00 PM - 12:40 PM
12:30 PM - 1:30 PM
Lunch - Wellbeing Day 2
12:40 PM - 1:00 PM
12:45 PM - 1:15 PM
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
1:30 PM - 2:00 PM Q&A Panel with Dr Matt Pitman & Eric Agyeman to answer questions
1:45 PM - 2:15 PM
2:00 PM - 2:30 PM Why A Smile Can Change The World
In this uplifting and science-backed keynote, Sally Pymer reveals how something as simple as a genuine smile can transform the culture of a classroom and strengthen wellbeing across an entire school community. Drawing on lived experience, decades of work in psychology, community development and AOD support, and powerful real-life stories, Sally shows how a smile rewires the brain, calms the nervous system, and creates the conditions where students feel safe, seen, and ready to learn.
2:30 PM - 3:00 PM
2:30 PM - 3:10 PM
2:30 PM - 3:30 PM Play, Clay & Spray: Designing Safe Spaces for Creative Risk-Taking in Schools
This hands-on workshop invites educators to explore the power of creative risk taking through clay and aerosol based activities. Participants will engage in playful, low pressure creative challenges that embrace experimentation, mistakes, and collaboration, all essential to building student and teacher wellbeing. Through making, reflection, and discussion, we will explore how to create safe spaces where joy, failure, and growth can coexist. Educators will leave with practical tools and ideas to embed creative wellbeing practices into their classrooms and school culture.
3:10 PM - 3:30 PM
3:15 PM - 3:45 PM
3:30 PM - 3:45 PM
Ask the Audience – Delegates share the one idea that they will work on next week - Wellbeing Day 2
3:45 PM - 4:00 PM
Wrap up Conference

Early Stages Theatre
9:00 AM - 9:10 PM
9:10 AM - 9:40 AM
9:15 AM - 9:45 AM
Early Years Sponsor 3
9:40 AM - 10:10 AM
10:00 AM - 10:30 AM Thrive, Don’t Just Survive
Step into the classroom with confidence! Join behaviour and classroom management expert Phil Kamay for a dynamic session designed to empower early career teachers. Learn how to turn challenging behaviours into positive learning opportunities, manage stress before it manages you, and build a thriving classroom culture where both you and your students flourish. Leave equipped with strategies that empower you to feel calm, confident, and in control - today, tomorrow, and beyond.
10:10 AM - 10:30 AM
10:10 AM - 10:40 AM
10:30 AM - 11:00 AM
10:40 AM - 11:00 AM
10:45 AM - 11:15 AM Little voices, big words
After this session, you will walk away with an understanding of the importance of building a solid oral language foundation and some practical, easy to implement activities to support children's vocabulary and overall literacy growth.
11:00 AM - 11:30 AM
11:30 AM - 12:00 PM
11:30 AM - 12:30 PM
11:45 AM - 12:15 PM Supporting Early Career Teacher Practice
This session explores how regulation can actively support early career teachers as they build confidence and capability in their first years of practice. While regulation is often seen as a compliance requirement, we’ll reframe it as a positive tool that strengthens teaching, supports public trust and promotes consistency across all education settings. The session will focus on how the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers provide clear expectations and a shared language that helps teachers understand their strengths, reflect on their progress and plan meaningful professional learning. We’ll discuss practical ways the Standards can guide induction, mentoring and feedback conversations, and how employers and leaders can use them to create supportive learning environments. Designed for early career teachers from early childhood through to senior secondary - as well as employers and senior leaders – we hope to highlight how regulation can empower teachers, not limit them, and contribute to ongoing professional growth.
12:00 PM - 12:40 PM
12:30 PM - 1:30 PM
12:40 PM - 1:00 PM
12:45 PM - 1:15 PM From Surviving to Thriving: Building Pedagogical Confidence with Explicit Teaching and Daily Reviews
Starting out in teaching can feel overwhelming - juggling planning, behaviour, and assessment while still trying to find your own identity as an educator. This session introduces practical, research-informed strategies to help early career teachers thrive rather than just survive. Through real classroom examples and stories from leading change in the middle years, the session will show how embedding a low-variance, collaborative approach to curriculum and pedagogy supports both student outcomes and teacher wellbeing. Attendees will leave with: • Practical tools for structuring lessons that engage and support all learners • Daily review activities that strengthen recall, reduce cognitive load, and make checking for understanding simple and effective • Strategies for navigating the early years of teaching with confidence, balance, and resilience This session is designed to empower new teachers with a clear, sustainable approach to teaching that lays the foundation for a rewarding and lasting career.
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
1:30 PM - 2:00 PM
1:45 PM - 2:15 PM
Early Learning Presenter
2:00 PM - 2:30 PM
2:30 PM - 3:00 PM
Early Learning Sponsor 4
2:30 PM - 3:10 PM
2:30 PM - 3:30 PM
3:10 PM - 3:30 PM
3:15 PM - 3:45 PM
Early Learning Presenter 2
3:30 PM - 3:45 PM
3:45 PM - 4:00 PM

Classroom of the Future
9:00 AM - 9:10 PM
9:10 AM - 9:40 AM
9:15 AM - 9:45 AM
Workshop Sponsor 5
9:40 AM - 10:10 AM
10:00 AM - 10:30 AM Good Prompting is Good Teaching: Collaborating for the Future Classroom
AI is reshaping what it means to teach and learn, but teachers already have many of the skills needed to make the most of this technology. This session explores how principles of good teaching such as clarity, structure, context, and reflection are also the foundations of using AI effectively. We’ll show how educators can apply their existing pedagogical expertise to collaborate productively with AI, enhance learning, and save time. Participants will leave with practical strategies for integrating AI into their practice and preparing for the classroom of the future. Suitable for beginners through to power users, there’s something for everyone.
10:10 AM - 10:30 AM
10:10 AM - 10:40 AM
10:30 AM - 11:00 AM
10:40 AM - 11:00 AM
10:45 AM - 11:15 AM
Torchway
11:00 AM - 11:30 AM
11:30 AM - 12:00 PM
11:30 AM - 12:30 PM
11:45 AM - 12:15 PM
Workshop Sponsor 7
12:00 PM - 12:40 PM
12:30 PM - 1:30 PM
12:40 PM - 1:00 PM
12:45 PM - 1:15 PM
Workshop Sponsor 8
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
1:30 PM - 2:00 PM
1:45 PM - 2:15 PM
Workshop Sponsor 9
2:00 PM - 2:30 PM
2:30 PM - 3:00 PM
Workshop Sponsor 10
2:30 PM - 3:10 PM
2:30 PM - 3:30 PM
3:10 PM - 3:30 PM
3:15 PM - 3:45 PM From Risk to Resilience: Building Confident, Adaptive Learners in the Classroom of the Future
In an increasingly uncertain world, students are expected to navigate complexity, ambiguity and change—yet many experience risk as something to avoid rather than engage with. This session explores how cultivating a positive risk mindset in K–12 classrooms can strengthen student resilience, confidence and adaptability, preparing learners not just to cope with uncertainty, but to grow through it. Educators will leave with practical strategies they can apply immediately, including: • How to design learning experiences that make risk safe, visible and purposeful • Ways to shift student thinking from “getting it right” to learning through iteration and feedback • Wimple classroom practices that support resilience, agency and reflective decision-making This session invites educators to rethink how we prepare students for the unexpected—by equipping them with the mindset to engage with risk confidently, ethically and constructively.
3:30 PM - 3:45 PM
3:45 PM - 4:00 PM

Knowledge Centre
9:00 AM - 9:10 PM
9:10 AM - 9:40 AM
9:15 AM - 9:45 AM The Human Advantage - how teaching & learning is changing in an AI-rich world
This session is for educators who are already using generative AI regularly, those who are experimenting with it now and then, and even those who are simply considering where it might fit. But more than that, it’s for people who want to pause and think deeply about what this all means. What does generative AI change about learning? How should it reshape the way we approach assessment & the role of a teacher? And, which uniquely human capabilities do we now need to double down on?
9:40 AM - 10:10 AM
10:00 AM - 10:30 AM Shaving the way for student leadership: Building confident changemakers through school-based social action and the World's Greatest Shave
What happens when students are trusted to lead something bigger than themselves? Across Australia, thousands of primary and secondary students step into authentic leadership each year through the World’s Greatest Shave, a school-based social impact campaign supporting Australians living with blood cancer. This session explores how participation in purpose-driven fundraising equips emerging student leaders with confidence, collaboration skills and agency to mobilise their peers and create meaningful change. Drawing on the Leukaemia Foundation’s work with schools nationwide, we will share practical approaches to student-led campaigning that build wellbeing, belonging and real-world capabilities across diverse learners and age groups. Educators will learn how the World’s Greatest Shave provides a supported, curriculum-connected framework for student voice, service learning and project-based leadership from primary through secondary years. We will map participation to key Summit priorities including wellbeing for future-focused schools, early leadership development, and classroom-to-community learning, while demonstrating how schools are scaffolded every step of the way with ready-to-use resources, planning tools, educator support and new interactive events that build community. Attendees will leave with tangible strategies to help students plan, lead and sustain school-wide movements that strengthen social responsibility, empathy and teamwork — empowering the next generation to move from inspiration to action, while also raising awareness and critical funds for Australians with blood cancer. And having a lot of fun along the way!
10:10 AM - 10:30 AM
10:10 AM - 10:40 AM
10:30 AM - 11:00 AM
10:40 AM - 11:00 AM
10:45 AM - 11:15 AM
Global Enrichment Programme
11:00 AM - 11:30 AM
11:30 AM - 12:00 PM
11:30 AM - 12:30 PM
11:45 AM - 12:15 PM How Strong Is Your School’s Wellbeing System? A Scorecard for School Leaders
Schools are increasingly expected to respond to complex student mental health and wellbeing needs. Yet many wellbeing efforts rely on classroom strategies and isolated programs to address challenges that require a coordinated system of support. This session introduces the School Wellbeing Systems Scorecard, a practical tool designed to help schools evaluate the strength of their approach to student mental health and wellbeing. Participants will be guided through a simple framework covering areas such as early identification, tiered supports, staff capability, student voice and integration with external services. Using an interactive format, attendees will have the opportunity to reflect on their own school context and assess how their current structures support student wellbeing. The session will also showcase examples of how schools have strengthened these domains in practice, highlighting strategies that move wellbeing from a collection of initiatives to a coherent system of support. School leaders will leave with a practical framework they can use to identify gaps, prioritise improvements and strengthen their school’s approach to supporting student mental health.
12:00 PM - 12:40 PM
12:30 PM - 1:30 PM
12:40 PM - 1:00 PM
12:45 PM - 1:15 PM Unlocking Learning: How Schools and Speech Pathologists collaboration holds the key to improving student outcomes
Communication and literacy are fundamental human rights, forming the foundation for participation, learning, and belonging in every educational community. Effective collaboration between speech pathologists and schools is a powerful key for improving student outcomes in literacy, oral language, and overall engagement. This presentation explores an integrated, data driven model of partnership that places collaboration at the centre of learning. By embedding speech pathology knowledge within school processes, educators are equipped to identify needs earlier, deliver targeted interventions using data driven informed practice that aligns with classroom practice, and include teaching adjustments in the classroom that support diverse communication profiles. Participants will gain insights into practical frameworks for integrating speech pathology expertise through a managed services model into whole school processes, from professional learning and collaborative planning to Response To Intervention systems of support. Come and learn about how sustained, purposeful partnerships between speech pathologists and educators contribute to equitable access, improved literacy and language outcomes, and thriving learners across all school communities.
1:00 PM - 2:00 PM
1:30 PM - 2:00 PM
1:45 PM - 2:15 PM
Tomorrow man
2:00 PM - 2:30 PM
2:30 PM - 3:00 PM GROW - Great Resources on the Web
Be inspired by this interactive resource development presentation, highlighting great resources on the web. This session allows teachers to grow their teachers' toolbox and help student growth via dozens of great resources to enhance collaboration and engagement using new ideas and interesting activities. The content will allow you to build engagement via: Gamification Generative AI sites Improved slideshows Collaborative platforms Enmeshed theory + activities
2:30 PM - 3:10 PM
2:30 PM - 3:30 PM
3:10 PM - 3:30 PM
3:15 PM - 3:45 PM
Spotlight Sponsor 10
3:30 PM - 3:45 PM
3:45 PM - 4:00 PM

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