Game Changers

The Game Changers podcast celebrates those true pioneers in education who are building schools for tomorrow. In this fourth conversation of Series Fifteen, we talk with Drew Cortes.

Drew Cortese serves as the Director of Global Partnerships at The Avenues School. With a background in the Arts, Adriano, he’s taught Drama, designed learning experiences, worked in senior management positions in schools, all the while contemplating what's possible for lifelong learners the world over. He began his journey with The Avenues School as a founding faculty member at their New York City campus in 2012. Within the Avenues Research & Development team, Drew specializes in identifying and securing opportunities to expand the school's global community, now spanning three continents and 37 countries. Earlier, he helped launch their experience design practice, focusing on instilling pride among students, families, and staff affiliated with the school. Nevertheless, Drew's favorite role was and is teaching - whether in a physical classroom or online - and matching wits with Avenues students from around the world.

The Game Changers podcast is produced by Joshua Jeffries, supported by a School for tomorrow (aschoolfortomorrow.com), and powered by CIRCLE. The podcast is hosted on SoundCloud and distributed through Spotify, Google Podcasts, and Apple Podcasts. Please subscribe and tell your friends you like what you are hearing. You can contact us at [email protected], on Twitter and Instagram via @GameChangersPC, and you can also connect with Phil and Adriano via LinkedIn and Twitter. Let’s go!

The Game Changers podcast celebrates those true pioneers in education who are building schools for tomorrow. In this third conversation of Series Fifteen, we talk with Sandra Milligan.

Sandra is the Executive Director of the newly established Melbourne Assessment. This role grew out of her capacity as Director of the Assessment Research Centre at the University of Melbourne’s Faculty of Education. Her research focuses on development and construction of ‘next-generation’ approaches to assessment and recognition of learning. These new approaches are particularly suited to assessment of the complex competencies, such as the general capabilities that equip learners to flourish in a changing, uncertain, world. She’s renowned in particular for her leadership of the New Metrics Project. Originally a STEM teacher, Sandra is also a former Director of Curriculum in an Australian state education department and has held senior research, management and governance positions in a range of government authorities, not-for-profits, and domestic and international corporations.

The Game Changers podcast is produced by Joshua Jeffries, supported by a School for tomorrow (aschoolfortomorrow.com), and powered by CIRCLE. The podcast is hosted on SoundCloud and distributed through Spotify, Google Podcasts, and Apple Podcasts. Please subscribe and tell your friends you like what you are hearing. You can contact us at [email protected], on Twitter and Instagram via @GameChangersPC, and you can also connect with Phil and Adriano via LinkedIn and Twitter. Let’s go!

The Game Changers podcast celebrates those true pioneers in education who are building schools for tomorrow. In this second conversation of Series Fifteen, we talk with Rosemary Kariuki.

Rosemary Kariuki is the multicultural community liaison officer for the Parramatta Police. She specialises in helping migrants who are facing domestic violence, language barriers and financial distress.

Fleeing Kenya alone in 1999 to escape family abuse and tribal clashes, her early years in Australia were terribly lonely. Her experience helped Rosemary recognise that isolation is a huge issue for many migrant women. Many aren’t used to going out alone, have no transport and speak little or no English. So Rosemary devised ways to help women leave their house and meet women in similar circumstances.

In partnership with the African Women’s Group, she helped start the African Women’s Dinner Dance. Now in its 14th year, more than 400 women attend the annual event. She also started the African Village Market – a program to help migrants and refugees start their own businesses – which ran for four years.

The Game Changers podcast is produced by Joshua Jeffries, supported by a School for tomorrow (aschoolfortomorrow.com), and powered by CIRCLE. The podcast is hosted on SoundCloud and distributed through Spotify, Google Podcasts, and Apple Podcasts. Please subscribe and tell your friends you like what you are hearing. You can contact us at [email protected], on Twitter and Instagram via @GameChangersPC, and you can also connect with Phil and Adriano via LinkedIn and Twitter. Let’s go!

The Game Changers podcast celebrates those true pioneers in education who are building schools for tomorrow. In this first conversation of Series Fifteen, we talk with Glenn Savage.

Glenn Savage is an Associate Professor of Education Policy and the Future of Schooling at the University of Melbourne. Glenn is a leading researcher and public commentator on education policy and schooling reform. His recent book, ‘The Quest for Revolution in Australian Schooling Policy’, provides a detailed history of system change in the Australian federation and offers a strong critique of failed attempts to address declining outcomes. Glenn currently leads an Australian Research Council project that is examining ways to improve collaboration and co-design between governments in the development of national schooling reforms.

The Game Changers podcast is produced by Joshua Jeffries, supported by a School for tomorrow (aschoolfortomorrow.com), and powered by CIRCLE. The podcast is hosted on SoundCloud and distributed through Spotify, Google Podcasts, and Apple Podcasts. Please subscribe and tell your friends you like what you are hearing. You can contact us at [email protected], on Twitter and Instagram via @GameChangersPC, and you can also connect with Phil and Adriano via LinkedIn and Twitter. Let’s go!

The Game Changers podcast celebrates those true pioneers in education who are building schools for tomorrow. In this prologue episode of the fifteen series of the Game Changers podcast, your hosts, Associate Professor of Education and Enterprise Philip Cummins and prominent educational Thought Leader Adriano Di Prato, explore the series theme 'Make A Difference'.

The Game Changers podcast is produced by Joshua Jeffries, supported by a School for tomorrow (aschoolfortomorrow.com), and powered by CIRCLE. The podcast is hosted on SoundCloud and distributed through Spotify, Google Podcasts, and Apple Podcasts. Please subscribe and tell your friends you like what you are hearing. You can contact us at [email protected], on Twitter and Instagram via @GameChangersPC, and you can also connect with Phil and Adriano via LinkedIn and Twitter. Let’s go!

The Game Changers podcast celebrates those true pioneers in education who are building schools for tomorrow. In this final episode of the Fourteen series of the Game Changers podcast, your host, Associate Professor of Education and Enterprise Philip Cummins, explores the series theme 'Agency at the chalk face' and wraps up the series that's been.

The Game Changers podcast is produced by Joshua Jeffries for Orbital Productions, supported by a School for tomorrow (aschoolfortomorrow.com), and powered by CIRCLE. The podcast is hosted on SoundCloud and distributed through Spotify, Google Podcasts, and Apple Podcasts. Please subscribe and tell your friends you like what you are hearing. You can contact us at [email protected], on Twitter and Instagram via @GameChangersPC, and you can also connect with Phil and Adriano via LinkedIn and Twitter. Let’s go!

The Game Changers podcast celebrates those true pioneers in education who are building schools for tomorrow. In this Sixth conversation of Series Fourteen, we talk with Melanie O’Leary, the System Coach: Learning, Assessment and Pedagogy Years 7-10 at Catholic Education South Australia. She works alongside educators to empower them to design and facilitate learning opportunities which foster voice, agency and leadership. Melanie has been passionate about entrepreneurial education for 20 years and is currently leading the implementation of Limitless Possibilities: A Model of Social Entrepreneurial Learning for her system which has been co-designed with a school for Tomorrow.

The Game Changers podcast is produced by Joshua Jeffries for Orbital Productions, supported by a School for tomorrow (aschoolfortomorrow.com), and powered by CIRCLE. The podcast is hosted on SoundCloud and distributed through Spotify, Google Podcasts, and Apple Podcasts. Please subscribe and tell your friends you like what you are hearing. You can contact us at [email protected], on Twitter and Instagram via @GameChangersPC, and you can also connect with Phil via LinkedIn, Instagram and Twitter. Let’s go!

The Game Changers podcast celebrates those true pioneers in education who are building schools for tomorrow. In this Fifth conversation of Series Fourteen, we talk with Adelina Melia-Douvos, an educational leader, with over 35 years of experience, commitment and resolve to deliver excellent education to young people. Adelina embarks on her vocation, motivated by the fundamental belief that she absolutely does have the responsibility and the power to bring hope to young people, to create possibilities for them and to provide them with the opportunities and means to create purposeful and meaningful lives. Adelina's educational philosophy has always translated into a moral imperative, based on delivering a student-centred education with learning and teaching practices preparing students to be future-ready.

Adelina's own experience of education was transformative. Exemplary educators throughout her life championed and challenged her to pursue excellence; each of them evoked an enduring passion for learning and her education was one which was profoundly relational, engaging her heart and mind equally. Having majored in English and Classics, my early teaching career saw me impart a love of literature and writing.

Additionally, Adelina was appointed to middle leadership roles relatively early in her career, sparking a desire to lead beyond the classroom. Over the years, she has undertaken a wide range of middle and senior leadership roles in the areas of curriculum, well-being, faith development and senior organisational management. Her journey to principalship has been driven by a strong sense of purpose and an insatiable desire to pay it forward – courage and stoicism have guided her on the path, the result of which has been this most rewarding and fulfilling opportunity to be custodian, albeit for a mere chapter, in the rich narrative of Sacré Cœur.

The Game Changers podcast is produced by Joshua Jeffries for Orbital Productions, supported by a School for tomorrow (aschoolfortomorrow.com), and powered by CIRCLE. The podcast is hosted on SoundCloud and distributed through Spotify, Google Podcasts, and Apple Podcasts. Please subscribe and tell your friends you like what you are hearing. You can contact us at [email protected], on Twitter and Instagram via @GameChangersPC, and you can also connect with Phil via LinkedIn, Instagram and Twitter. Let’s go!

The Game Changers podcast celebrates those true pioneers in education who are building schools for tomorrow. In this fourth conversation of Series Fourteen, we talk with Dr Hugh Chilton & Dr Rob Loe

Dr Hugh Chilton is Head of ScotsX at The Scots College, Sydney, where he also teaches History and is a member of the Executive Leadership Team. His passion is for 'the vocation of formation'. ScotsX aims to better form students character and realise their potential through a reinvented educational experience centred on connection, choice and challenge. Hugh been involved in designing significant research at Scots and internationally, including as a member of the International Boys’ Schools Research Committee and a number of projects including an Australian Research Council Linkage Grant exploring Indigenous Education and wellbeing. He convenes and co-founded the Research-Invested Schools Network, which draws together over 40 Australian schools reinventing expertise in education through grass-roots and collaborative research. Hugh holds a PhD in intellectual and religious history from the University of Sydney, and has published and spoken widely. In 2018 he was named as one of the 'Rising Stars in Education' by The Educator magazine.

Dr Rob Loe is the former Group CEO of the Relationships Foundation in England. He joined the wider family of relational organisations back in 2013 to found Relational Schools, having worked as a teacher and senior school leader for over a decade. He studied Education at Cambridge University where he pursued areas of specialism such as schooling and exclusion, the family and community dimensions of social exclusion and school improvement and effectiveness. Having completed a doctorate in 2015, which focussed on the measurement of human relationships, Robert now researches, writes and speaks on the importance of fostering positive relationships between key stakeholders in schools. Having moved to Australia in mid-2020, he worked for a peak association as a leadership coach and specialist in organisational culture and community development. Rob took up the post of Director of Research and Learning Innovation at the Scots College in Sydney this year.

The Game Changers podcast is produced by Joshua Jeffries for Orbital Productions, supported by a School for tomorrow (aschoolfortomorrow.com), and powered by CIRCLE. The podcast is hosted on SoundCloud and distributed through Spotify, Google Podcasts, and Apple Podcasts. Please subscribe and tell your friends you like what you are hearing. You can contact us at [email protected], on Twitter and Instagram via @GameChangersPC, and you can also connect with Phil via LinkedIn, Instagram and Twitter. Let’s go!

The Game Changers podcast celebrates those true pioneers in education who are building schools for tomorrow. In this Third conversation of Series Fourteen, we talk with Dr David Thomas, BA (Hons), MA (Hons), PhD in Education and Psychology UNSW (Gifted Education). Author of numerous books including school history of Cranbrook. Articles in journals when they were popular (S Asian Studies and Economics). 4 children and 10 grandchildren. Dr Thomas has worked at Cranbrook School for 52+ years.

The Game Changers podcast is produced by Joshua Jeffries for Orbital Productions, supported by a School for tomorrow (aschoolfortomorrow.com), and powered by CIRCLE. The podcast is hosted on SoundCloud and distributed through Spotify, Google Podcasts, and Apple Podcasts. Please subscribe and tell your friends you like what you are hearing. You can contact us at [email protected], on Twitter and Instagram via @GameChangersPC, and you can also connect with Phil via LinkedIn, Instagram and Twitter. Let’s go!