Shows
Heavy is the English HeadEpisode 10: Skye StaudeSkye Staude is a dedicated educator and leader, with over a decade of experience driving instructional improvement across independent, government, and Catholic school sectors. As Principal at MacKillop Education in Geelong - a specialist setting supporting young people impacted by complex trauma and disrupted schooling - Skye champions literacy as a foundation for equity, engagement, and lifelong learning.
Holding a Master of Instructional Leadership from the University of Melbourne and a Diploma of Community Services Work, Skye is Dare to Lead™ certified, having completed Brené Brown’s research-based program on courageous leadership. She recently completed the Women in Sch...
2025-12-011h 35Heavy is the English HeadEpisode 9: Dr Briony SchroorDr Briony Schroor is the Domain Leader for English at Nossal High School, Victoria’s first fully academically selective coeducational government high school, and one of only four academically selective high schools in the state. Briony has a PhD in Classical Greek Literature and she is an avid reader who enjoys engaging with all sorts of texts. Briony joined Nossal High School as a teacher of English and Literature in 2014. She has extensive teaching experience in Australia and England. Briony very much values the discussion of texts within her domain, and in the school community more broadly.
Sh...
2025-10-141h 22Heavy is the English HeadEpisode 8: Xanthi Rice & Terri HibbertXanthi Rice has been a teacher for more than 20 years, with extensive experience in classroom practice, leadership, and system-level support. She worked with the Wimmera South West School Improvement Team as a DSSI (Differentiated Support for School Improvement) Teaching Partner for three years, partnering closely with schools across the region to strengthen and transform their approaches to literacy instruction. In this role, she led professional learning, facilitated communities of practice, supported curriculum planning, developed documentation, and designed units of work that build teacher capacity and improve student outcomes. With the team she developed a F-2 community of practice that...
2025-10-071h 53Heavy is the English HeadEpisode 7: Stephanie Le LievreStephanie Le Lievre is Principal of Serpentine Primary School in Western Australia. She’s also a Commonwealth Bank Schools Plus Fellow and the co-director of Science of Teaching and Learning Australia (SOTLA). Steph has been a Deputy Principal, and Literacy Leader, and she’s worked in rural and remote communities. Steph has left her mark wherever she’s been. She’s done an enormous amount to close the research to practice gap and continues to advocate for curriculum, assessment, and teaching reforms, as well as teacher and leader workload reductions. You may know Steph from Reading Science in Schools (the form...
2025-09-231h 30Heavy is the English HeadEpisode 6: Michelle Winch & Ingrid SjolundMichelle Winch completed degrees in biomedical science and biotechnology before moving into education through the Teach for Australia program. While at Colac Secondary College, she earned a Master of Teaching and later a Master of Instructional Leadership at the University of Melbourne. She has held various teaching and leadership roles in mathematics, literacy, and science, and now leads teaching and learning across the school. Michelle is currently working with the Curriculum and Teaching Practice Division on the Victorian Lesson Plans project. She is committed to ensuring all students access high-quality instruction and sees curriculum design and implementation as the...
2025-09-091h 53Heavy is the English HeadEpisode 5: Emma CastelowEmma Castelow is an Assistant Principal at Lara Lake Primary School, in the northern suburbs of Geelong. As an experienced teacher and leader, Emma has worked across various primary school contexts as well as for the Victorian Curriculum and Assessment Authority, and in a regional role for the Department of Education as an Education Improvement Leader. In her role as Assistant Principal, Emma leads teaching and learning across the school and she is passionate about school improvement and ensuring every student has the opportunity to receive a high quality education.
Show notes
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2025-07-291h 53Heavy is the English HeadEpisode 4: Jen Ashton & Jodee WilsonJen Ashton and Jodee Wilson are central to the implementation of Tasmania's Lifting Literacy policy implementation. I’ve had the privilege of working with these two women over the last 3 years now. I’m constantly impressed with their dedication, motivation, passion, and optimism, and how seriously they take the responsibility of implementing these key literacy reforms.
Jen Ashton is Assistant Director – Lifting Literacy (Early Years and Schools). Jen’s remit is operationalising the Lifting Literacy policy, including resourcing, training, project management, and so much more.
Jodee Wilson is Deputy Secretary (Development and Support). Jodee’s remit is t...
2025-07-111h 36Heavy is the English HeadEpisode 3: Rachael BuckRachael Buck is an experienced school principal and classroom teacher, with a passion for leading system and practice improvement. In addition to her teacher training, Rachael has a Master of Educational Leadership. She has worked extensively within the literacy domain, with a particular focus on structured literacy. Rachael has worked with over 60 schools to align their teaching practice to evidence-based reading instruction. Rachael’s work history also includes working in regional positions within the Department of Education to influence policy. She is currently a Senior Policy and Project Officer with the Phonics Lesson Plans Unit (Phonics Plus).
Sho...
2025-07-011h 46
Heavy is the English HeadEpisode 2: Alice JuryAlice Jury is a Learning Specialist at Canadian Lead Primary school in Ballarat. Alice has been teaching for 12 years, all of this time spent at Canadian Lead. Alice began her leadership journey in 2016 through the Primary Maths and Science Specialist initiative. Alice moved into the Learning Specialist role in 2019. Alice has taught across many year levels and has spent time out of the classroom running a rigorous Tutoring program. This year Alice shares a Year 1/ 2 classroom. She teaches for fourteen hours a week. In the other time Alice coordinates the Tutoring program and takes some Tier 3 groups. Alice leads...
2025-05-211h 36
Heavy is the English HeadEpisode 1: Chloe PainterChloe Painter is an experienced educator, school leader, and literacy specialist passionate about transforming teaching and learning through evidence-informed practice. She is currently Acting Deputy Principal at St Robert’s in Newtown and leads Chloe Painter Edu Services.
Chloe Painter: https://au.linkedin.com/in/chloe-painter-46950b23a
Alison Clarke: https://www.spelfabet.com.au/
Bron Ryrie Jones: https://bronwynryriejones.com/
Middle Leadership Mastery: A Toolkit for Subject and Pastoral Leaders (Adam Robbins)
The researchED Guide to Leadership: An Evidenc...
2025-04-081h 29
Knowledge for TeachersS02E11 - Emina McLean on the challenges of research translation in literacyIn this episode, Brendan Lee speaks with Emina McLean. Emina works with systems, schools, leaders, and teachers to develop ambitious and rigorous assessment, curriculum and instruction practices in English and literacy. In this chat, Emina discusses her focus on implementing effective systems and practices for teaching reading and writing. She highlights the importance of aligning curriculum, assessment, and instruction, and the need for a well-sequenced and comprehensive curriculum. Emina also unpacks the challenges of implementing evidence-based practice in schools, including the overwhelming number of competing priorities.
Resources mentioned:
A Single Shard - Linda Sue Park
Ochre E...
2024-06-231h 18Knowledge for TeachersS02E11 - Emina McLean on the challenges of research translation in literacyIn this episode, Brendan Lee speaks with Emina McLean. Emina works with systems, schools, leaders, and teachers to develop ambitious and rigorous assessment, curriculum and instruction practices in English and literacy. In this chat, Emina discusses her focus on implementing effective systems and practices for teaching reading and writing. She highlights the importance of aligning curriculum, assessment, and instruction, and the need for a well-sequenced and comprehensive curriculum. Emina also unpacks the challenges of implementing evidence-based practice in schools, including the overwhelming number of competing priorities.
Resources mentioned:
A Single Shard - Linda Sue Park
Ochre E...
2024-06-231h 18
The Literacy View66-Is the term “SoR” overused? Special Guest Emina McLean SoR? SoL? Structured Literacy?✨ Work with us💜📩 Email: FaithandJudy@theliteracyview.comThe One About…Is the term “SoR” overused? Special Guest Emina McLeanSoR?SoL?Structured Literacy?Quote:“What does that mean? In concrete terms, what exactly would you observe in these schoolswith respect to documentation, assessment, or teaching and learning practices that wouldmean they were an “SoL” school, and who decides?” – Emina McLean“There is no such thing as an “SoR” curriculum, resource, or set of instructional techniques.”Article:https://www.eminamclean.com/post/has-the-sci...
2024-03-1552 minKnowledge for Teachers07 - Greg Clement on achieving school excellence through the science of readingIn this episode of the Knowledge for Teachers Podcast, Brendan Lee speaks to former principal, Greg Clement. In this conversation, we find out how he transformed Clayton South Primary School from the worst school in the network to the second best within 12 months. Greg also speaks about how a speech pathologist set him on the science of reading pathway, how he got buy-in from staff and the community and we go through his three year Action Plan.
Resources and people mentioned
Greg Clement’s book - Transform: Achieving excellence through the science of rea...
2023-03-1857 minKnowledge for Teachers07 - Greg Clement on achieving school excellence through the science of readingIn this episode of the Knowledge for Teachers Podcast, Brendan Lee speaks to former principal, Greg Clement. In this conversation, we find out how he transformed Clayton South Primary School from the worst school in the network to the second best within 12 months. Greg also speaks about how a speech pathologist set him on the science of reading pathway, how he got buy-in from staff and the community and we go through his three year Action Plan.
Resources and people mentioned
Greg Clement’s book - Transform: Achieving excellence through the science of rea...
2023-03-1857 min
Toddcast Teacher PodcastEpisode 9 – Molly GallagherEpisode 9 of the Toddcast the Teacher Podcast: (Molly Gallagher)
For the ninth episode of the Toddcast the Teacher Podcast, I interview speech pathologist Molly Gallagher. Molly has been a speech pathologist for three years in private practice and this year moving into education at my primary school.
Molly discusses the following:
- Her life, why she became a speech pathologist, reasons for working in schools and her role at our school
- What can teachers do to support her program.
- Hints for classroom teachers to identify students who...
2021-11-0233 min
Filling The PailEmina McLeanEmina McLean is an Australian language and literacy expert. In this episode, she talks to Greg Ashman about her training as a speech language pathologist, her imminent career move to a brand new primary school in Melbourne, the science of reading and teacher professional development. Along the way, Emina and Greg discuss the controversies that surround literacy teaching, such as the recent blog post by Diane Ravitch complaining about the term the 'science of reading' and New South Wales' decision to roll-out a phonics screening check in all public schools, as well as the best and worst ways of...
2020-12-021h 02