Flourishing Podcast

Danny Jaber sits down with Dr Matt Fyfield - former Deputy Principal turned Monash University lecturer - to explore what the science of learning really means for today’s classrooms. From cognitive load theory to explicit teaching and system-wide improvement, this episode bridges research and practice, offering practical insights for educators looking to better support flourishing learners.As always, our learning modules are listed below as they really deepen your understanding of some of the conversation pieces in the episode. If you have any questions or suggestions for future episodes, please let us know [email protected]

This episode explores the development and early implementation of the new Religious Education Curriculum across MACS. Bringing together the curriculum's writers and key contributors, the discussion examines the overarching philosophy, the distinctions between primary and secondary contexts, and the lessons emerging from the initial trial schools.Rather than focusing solely on curriculum content, the conversation highlights the broader question of what high-quality Religious Education looks like in contemporary Catholic schools and how educators can support students to engage deeply with faith, theology, scripture, and lived experience.🎯 Key Takeaways for School LeadersSchool leaders will gain insight into:The vision and rationale underpinning the new Religious Education Curriculum.How curriculum renewal aligns with broader system priorities and school improvement efforts.The leadership conditions required for successful implementation.Lessons learned from the initial pilot and trial schools.Strategies for supporting teacher confidence, capability, and consistency during curriculum change.Considerations for professional learning, planning structures, and implementation timelines.📚 Key Takeaways for TeachersTeachers will gain insight into:What is changing and what remains important within Religious Education.The intended student learning outcomes and experiences.How the curriculum has been designed to engage contemporary learners.Practical lessons emerging from early implementation in schools.Common questions and challenges raised by pilot teachers.Ways to begin preparing for curriculum implementation with confidence.

Having the courage to change with St Mary of the Cross MacKillop Catholic Parish Primary School, Epping North. In this episode, we are at one of our primary schools – Danny Jaber will be joined by Principal, Claire Pitcher, and Rafael Fernandez, who is the Teaching & Learning and Digital Technologies Leader at St Mary of the Cross MacKillop Catholic Parish Primary School, Epping North. Shifting ideology is never easy, let alone when it's your own principal! In this episode, we hear from the orchestrators of change at St Mary of the Cross MacKillop as they embarked on a science of learning journey. Knowledge is one thing, but implementation is always difficult, so if you are interested in learning about how a school navigates polarising opinions and encourages a move towards evidence-based practices, this is going to be an educational listen! If you are interested in sharing an implementation story of your own, whether you are a teacher or a leader, please get in contact: [email protected]

If you’re an Ed Sheeran fan, Carl Hendrick would argue you really should know Bob Dylan and in this episode, that idea of looking deeper runs well beyond music.Carl joins us to explore why learning isn’t as straightforward as it appears and how what feels like understanding can often be something much less secure. Drawing on his work on responsive teaching, he unpacks how teachers and leaders can use evidence of student thinking, misconceptions and feedback to adapt instruction over time. This conversation offers practical insights for building classrooms where learning is deeper, more durable and genuinely responsive.As always, our learning modules are listed below as they really deepen your understanding of some of the conversation pieces in the episode. If you have any questions or suggestions for future episodes, please let us know [email protected] Hogarth (2001) on ‘wicked learning environments’.MACS Modules:• (Cognitive Load Theory) Learning Module: How Students Learn | Rise 360• (Cognitive Load Theory) Learning Module: Effective Instructional Design | Rise 360• Learning Module: Foundations of Explicit Instruction | Rise 360• Learning Module: Checking for Understanding | Rise 360• Learning Module: Modelling | Rise 360

The School Spotlight Series complements the existing Flourishing Podcast by providing a practical, school-based perspective on the implementation of MACS priorities and initiatives.Through real examples from MACS schools, episodes highlight the experiences, reflections and insights of educators, offering examples of practice that other schools can learn from and adapt within their own contexts. From leadership structures and professional learning to shared language and classroom practice, the episodes also provide practical insights into creating the conditions for consistent, evidence-based improvement and translating system priorities into meaningful classroom impact.This episode features St Clement of Rome School, Bulleen. Here we gather insights on how system vision is translated into sustained whole-school practice. The conversations explore how MACS initiatives, including WalkThrus Coaching and Flourishing Learners Improvement Networks led by Simon Breakspear and Bron Ryrie Jones, are shaping a clear and coherent approach to high-quality teaching.References: Rosenshine's Principles in Action: Sherrington, Tom: Amazon.com.au: Bookshttps://www.amazon.com.au/Rosenshines-Principles-Action-Tom-Sherrington/dp/1912906201Simon Sinek (@simonsinek) • Instagram photos and videoshttps://www.instagram.com/simonsinek/?hl=enMACS Modules:(Cognitive Load Theory) Learning Module: How Students Learn | Rise 360 https://rise.articulate.com/share/wM5LUXFhRAvoFr0Yvq9eGal1KwQaH3Rq#/(Cognitive Load Theory) Learning Module: Effective Instructional Design | Rise 360https://rise.articulate.com/share/ic2IOOHU7-3MrZ0l3XYrhWcRCKVDyGG9Learning Module: Foundations of Explicit Instruction | Rise 360https://rise.articulate.com/share/PeA-RMvB_mWaoh8gtCmhYLkRGrrjFkYtLearning Module: Checking for Understanding | Rise 360https://rise.articulate.com/share/WMBSyUvIGpmh8xBiqwzYFiYif8zxcSbeLearning Module: Modelling | Rise 360https://rise.articulate.com/share/nXDonUzmgtanUijMc2hFBTDuT8j5GJGi

The School Spotlight Series complements the existing Flourishing Podcast by providing a practical, school-based perspective on the implementation of MACS priorities and initiatives. Through real examples from MACS schools, episodes highlight the experiences, reflections and insights of educators, offering examples of practice that other schools can learn from and adapt within their own contexts. From leadership structures and professional learning to shared language and classroom practice, the episodes also provide practical insights into creating the conditions for consistent, evidence-based improvement and translating system priorities into meaningful classroom impact.This episode features Loyola College, Watsonia. Here we gather insights on how system vision is translated into sustained whole-school practice. The conversations explore how MACS initiatives, including WalkThrus Coaching and Flourishing Learners Improvement Networks led by Simon Breakspear and the guidance of Bron Ryrie Jones, are shaping a clear and coherent approach to high-quality teaching.References: Kathryn’s book for inspiration: Doug Lemov (2021). Teach Like a Champion 3.0. Teach Like a Champion 3.0: 63 Techniques that Put Students on the Path to College: Lemov, Doug: Am…https://www.amazon.com.au/Teach-Like-Champion-Doug-Lemov/dp/1119712610/ref=asc_df_1119712610?mcid=e7a6405b82a630e38dd734a40fac9ace&tag=googleshopdsk-22&linkCode=df0&hvadid=712375883882&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=17563869176415344541&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9112820&hvtargid=pla-966525676529&psc=1&hvocijid=17563869176415344541-1119712610-&hvexpln=0&gad_source=1Jacob’s book for inspiration: Timothy O’Leary (2021). Classroom Vibe: Practical Strategies for a Better Classroom Culture. Classroom Vibe: Practical Strategies for a Better Classroom Culture - O'Leary PhD, Timothy M. | 978…https://www.amazon.com.au/Classroom-Vibe-Practical-Strategies-Culture/dp/192260710XMACS Modules:(Cognitive Load Theory) Learning Module: How Students Learn | Rise 360 https://rise.articulate.com/share/wM5LUXFhRAvoFr0Yvq9eGal1KwQaH3Rq#/(Cognitive Load Theory) Learning Module: Effective Instructional Design | Rise 360https://rise.articulate.com/share/ic2IOOHU7-3MrZ0l3XYrhWcRCKVDyGG9Learning Module: Foundations of Explicit Instruction | Rise 360https://rise.articulate.com/share/PeA-RMvB_mWaoh8gtCmhYLkRGrrjFkYtLearning Module: Checking for Understanding | Rise 360https://rise.articulate.com/share/WMBSyUvIGpmh8xBiqwzYFiYif8zxcSbeLearning Module: Modelling | Rise 360https://rise.articulate.com/share/nXDonUzmgtanUijMc2hFBTDuT8j5GJGi

In this episode, we sit down with Dr Simon Breakspear, one of the most influential voices in educational improvement, to explore how his thinking has evolved across his time working with MACS (several years!) and a span of time in which he has written three major works: Teaching Sprints, The Pruning Principle and his latest book, Elevated Conversations.We trace a powerful arc through Simon’s work - beginning with the challenge of helping teachers improve in the messy reality of everyday classrooms, moving into the leadership dilemmas of overload and competing priorities and culminating in the often-overlooked craft of professional conversation.Simon shares why so many well-intentioned improvement efforts fail, not because of lack of effort but because of too much effort in too many directions. He unpacks the idea of “strategic subtraction,” and what it really means for leaders to create the space where meaningful learning can actually take root.This conversation challenges some of the most common assumptions in education:That more initiatives lead to better outcomesThat collaboration naturally leads to improvementThat professional learning is mainly about input rather than disciplined practiceInstead, Simon offers a clearer, more demanding proposition: Improvement depends on focus, structure and the quality of thinking we create together.Whether you’re a classroom teacher, school leader or system leader, this episode offers practical insights and a compelling framework for rethinking how improvement really happens and how to make it sustainable.We want to announce that Simon did finally receive his mug from MACS!#SchoolImprovement #EducationalLeadership #SimonBreakspear #ProfessionalLearning#EducationPodcast #FlourishingLearners

What does it take to create lasting literacy improvement across an education system — and how can schools avoid the “pendulum swings” of educational change?In this episode of the Flourishing Podcast, Danny Jabber sits down with literacy and implementation expert Emina McLean for a rich conversation exploring literacy reform, explicit instruction, implementation science, leadership, assessment, oral language, reading stamina, and sustainable school improvement.Drawing on experience across education, speech pathology, adolescent mental health, public health, and system reform, Emina shares practical insights for teachers, leaders, and systems wanting to improve student outcomes through evidence-informed practice.⏱️ TIMESTAMPS00:00 – Why society is reading less and why literacy matters more than ever00:42 – Meet Emina McLean and her unique professional background01:25 – Curiosity, learning, and balancing large-scale system work02:19 – Sustainability and implementation science in education03:17 – Keeping up with evolving literacy research04:52 – Closing the gap between research and classroom practice05:40 – Emina’s work with Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools (MACS)06:27 – DIBELS, Year 1 Phonics Check, and assessment reform07:17 – Phonics Plus and supporting schools with literacy implementation07:34 – Vision for Reading and Vision for Writing explained08:05 – Why consistency across classrooms matters09:11 – Understanding the “pendulum swing” in education10:19 – Why schools must ask: What are we doing and why?11:04 – Lessons from working in schools and systems12:09 – Why implementation is hard and leadership matters12:46 – Advice for teachers overwhelmed by change14:47 – Why phonics is “the most important least important thing”15:48 – The critical role of oral language in literacy development18:16 – Supporting students learning English as an additional language20:03 – Non-negotiables for effective schools21:41 – Why reading and writing volume matters22:03 – How schools can build reading motivation and engagement24:21 – The impact of social media and short-form content on reading stamina25:18 – Why students need more time with complex texts26:46 – Why secondary schools must prioritise reading and writing28:47 – Disciplinary literacy across all subject areas29:32 – Why literacy is every teacher’s responsibility31:09 – Gradual release and building independent readers and writers33:02 – If teachers had 30 extra minutes a week — what should they do?34:17 – The power of classroom walkthroughs and peer observation35:43 – What inspires Emina’s work in education37:50 – Additional literacy resources and how to connect with the podcast teamIn this episode, you’ll learn:Why sustainable literacy reform mattersHow systems can implement change effectivelyWhy oral language underpins reading and writing successHow to improve reading stamina in a digital worldThe importance of explicit instruction and disciplinary literacyWhat high-performing schools consistently do wellHow leadership impacts implementation successWhy reading volume and text complexity matterPractical strategies for literacy improvement across primary and secondary schools📚 Explore more resources, professional learning, and teaching materials through the MACS teaching and learning platforms.👍 If you enjoyed this episode:Like • Subscribe • Share • Leave a comment#FlourishingPodcast #EminaMcLean #Literacy #ExplicitInstruction #ReadingScience #EducationLeadership #SchoolImprovement #Assessment #TeachingPractice #WritingInstruction #Phonics #Curriculum #TeacherDevelopment #VisionForInstruction