I believe education is about creating futures for each unique individual and transforming our communities. In the following reflection, I briefly share two recent examples that illustrate my hope that, in the midst of complex social and political environments, school systems can operate as inclusive learning communities in which teacher professionalism is nurtured and celebrated.

The Teacher Education Ministerial Advisory Group (TEMAG) 2014 report ‘Action Now: Classroom Ready Teachers’ identified the need for pre-service teachers to build a portfolio of evidence to demonstrate their development and achievements (see recommendations 26, 27, 28, and 33). This is consistent with my goal for pre-service and beginning teachers to be reflective educators who can draw on a strong evidence base to justify their practices and take ownership of their ongoing professional development. The School of Education had been attempting to respond to a need for the use of a portfolio of evidence for some years, with pockets of success but little consistency and less than ideal infrastructure. To improve this aspect of our Initial Teacher Education (ITE) courses, in 2017 I volunteered for a role on the panel for the University’s ePortfolio procurement process. As Program Director, I have led the Master of Teaching course into becoming an early adopter for PebblePad (our new supported portfolio platform) in the context of an institution-wide implementation. This is helping us, as teacher educators, realise new possibilities for workintegrated learning and authentic assessment. As of 2018, our pre-service teachers are supported in every unit and in every professional experience placement to develop and share their journey through the portfolio of evidence. In targeted professional learning sessions, they are also getting a glimpse of how these reflective practices might facilitate continual growth throughout their career.

Ongoing professional learning for practicing teachers is a key for flourishing learning communities. Through an expert practice and policy presentation for the Tasmanian Ministerial Taskforce on Students with Disability, I argued that partnerships, effective mentoring, and incentives for teachers to acquire further qualifications are needed to continue to improve the implementation of inclusive practices in Tasmania. These recommendations have influenced the decision by the Department of Education to sponsor and provide release time for 50 of their current staff to undertake a Graduate Certificate in Education (Inclusive Education) with the University of Tasmania, as part of tailored initiative which I developed and have overseen in 2016 and 2017. This represents an investment of over $1.25 million dollars from the Department of Education. The Peter Underwood Centre for Educational Attainment has been commissioned to undertake independent research to explore the impact on participating staff, their schools, and their students.

The nature of education will always involve change and it will always require innovative, responsive, and collegial leadership. I have been privileged to contribute to this complex and dynamic process. I look forward to learning and leading through the exciting times ahead.