I am an instructional leader who works collaboratively with colleagues to lead the enhancement of student outcomes as Associate Principal of Jolimont Primary School, 2017 Primary School of the Year. As a coordinator of the Teacher Development School (TDS): Early Years and Mathematics, I provide professional learning, coaching and mentoring on pedagogical practices and high impact teaching strategies. In 2017, over 300 teachers and school leaders attended Jolimont TDS events, acknowledging my place as a new voice in school leadership, state-wide. I also contribute to broader state-wide system directions as an Expert Review Group Reviewer and a National Quality Standards Verifier. I am currently in my final semester of a Master in School Leadership at the University of Western Australia and am applying this learning to support my school and system leadership roles.

As a leader I have a clear moral purpose to add value to our students schooling experience by working as a team, sharing expertise, using research based teaching practices and data analysis to enrich students’ education. As a school leader responsible for curriculum directions I researched, and then embedded six high impact teaching strategies: challenging our most able, guided reading, guided writing, teaching problem solving using a concrete, pictorial, abstract approach, STEM and guided inquiry. I achieved this through provision of professional learning and a coaching approach to ensure understanding and connected practice in every classroom, which leads to improved student outcomes.

I want students to experience joy in learning and to develop their curiosity as lifelong learners. I have been pivotal in leading innovation in STEM to challenge and extend students problem solving and computational thinking. To bridge the gap between research and application of 21st century learning in the fields of STEM, I led the introduction of a 'spiral of inquiry' model through learning sprints, using the '5E instructional model’. Collaboratively, we planned a STEM: Nature Play Project in response to school and community passion for playful learning. Partnerships between our school leadership team, staff, students, parents and the wider community, resulted in a program of learning which engaged students in purposeful, challenging and rich STEM tasks that brought learning to life.

I inspire students, staff and members of the community to continually enhance the learning of all. I share national methodology on teaching, learning and assessment, higher order thinking, formative assessment planning and raising the bar on staff and students’ engagement. I promote world-class, 21st century curriculum and assessment practices with a rationale to improve the excellence and equity of Australia’s education system. My responsiveness is demonstrated in my study tour of Singapore to identify best practice for Australian schools. I have shared my learning by presenting at the Maths Association of Western Australia Conference, a variety of schools and being published in the Australian Teacher Magazine: Singapore Schools Are a Class Act. As an aspiring new voice I would be grateful for the opportunity to develop a professional partnership with the Australian Council for Educational Leaders.