The Art of Teaching

What if one of the most important things we give young people at school is the opportunity to struggle? My guest today, Nicole Dyson, believes classrooms should help young people build the confidence and agility to navigate uncertainty, challenge and change. This is the second time Nicole and I have spoken on The Art of Teaching, and I’m thrilled to welcome her back. Nicole is a multi-award-winning educator, entrepreneur and founder of Future Anything. Across two decades in education, she has worked with more than 130,000 students and teachers, helping schools design learning that builds agency, adaptability and confidence. Her recent TEDx talk explores why the classroom might be one of the safest places for students to struggle, stretch and learn how to respond when the answer is not obvious.

Alan Rogers is Director of Education for a multi-academy trust serving nine schools across the West Midlands and the founder of Kilter Leadership. Having worked as a teacher, headteacher, executive headteacher and trust leader, Alan has extensive experience of leading school improvement, developing people and creating the conditions in which teams can perform successfully. Through Kilter Leadership, Alan explores how leadership can be made teachable at every level. His work brings together people, performance and wellbeing, helping leaders balance high expectations with strong relationships, clear systems and a healthy organisational culture. Alan is particularly interested in responsibility, leadership behaviour and the daily deliberate actions that shape how people experience an organisation. His approach is grounded in a simple belief: high performance and positive culture are not competing priorities- effective leadership enables us to make them both sustainable. You can follow Alan on Instagram at @kilterlead. Readers in the UK can find his book, Kilter Leadership: A Balanced and Skilled Approach to Make Leadership Teachable at Every Level, at kilterleadership.com . Readers elsewhere in the world can order it through Amazon . You can also listen to his conversations about leadership on the Spotify podcast Creating Leadership Futures Together . His guests and conversations span a wide range of high-performance environments, from elite Olympic cycling to Michelin-starred kitchens.

Today, I’m joined by Janine Stratford , recipient of the 2024 Most Influential Educator Award. Janine’s work brings together evidence-informed practice, personalised coaching and a deep understanding of professional growth. Through her thoughtful approach, she has supported educators and leaders to strengthen their capabilities, navigate career development and achieve meaningful goals. Janine is committed to creating inclusive learning environments where people feel supported, challenged and equipped to grow. Her influence reaches beyond individual coaching. She continues to develop leadership capacity, strengthen professional communities and contribute to better outcomes for educators and students. It is a pleasure to welcome Janine Stratford to The Art of Teaching podcast

What if the answer to feeling stuck was not a bigger goal, a clearer plan or greater certainty, but a tiny experiment? My guest today is Anne-Laure Le Cunff , a neuroscientist, researcher and the author of Tiny Experiments. Her work explores how curiosity and an experimental mindset help us navigate uncertainty, reconsider inherited definitions of success and make choices that feel more aligned with who we are. In this conversation, Anne-Laure shares how a serious health scare prompted her to rethink her relationship with work and achievement. We discuss identity, ambiguity, people-pleasing, procrastination and the pressure to have everything figured out. She also explains why action often teaches us more than reflection alone, and how small, time-bound experiments give us useful information without tying our self-worth to the outcome. This conversation encouraged me to think differently about success, certainty and the small choices that shape our lives. Here is my conversation with Anne-Laure Le Cunff.

Have you ever wondered How Leaders Create High-Performing Team Cultures? Dr Vanessa Druskat returns to The Art of Teaching Podcast for round two, this time for a deeper conversation about her book and the conditions that help teams thrive. Vanessa is an award-winning researcher, teacher and leading expert in team leadership. Across three decades of field research, she has examined the cultures that support trust, collaboration and high performance. This work led to the development of the Team Emotional Intelligence model, which has been used by leaders and organisations around the world. In this conversation, we explore why leaders need to stop trying to fix individuals and start shaping emotionally intelligent team cultures. Vanessa shares practical insights into building trust, strengthening collaboration and creating the conditions where people work well together. Vanessa serves on the faculty of the University of New Hampshire’s Peter T. Paul College of Business and Economics. Her book should be required reading for every teacher and school leader seeking to build stronger, healthier and more effective teams.

Joel Birch is a creative facilitator, learning designer, educator, and self-described benevolent troublemaker who believes people do their best thinking through play. After years supporting creativity in classrooms and helping schools navigate digital transformation, Joel shifted his focus to helping teams across industries think more openly, communicate more honestly, and collaborate with greater courage. As a Certified Facilitator and Pro Trainer of LEGO® Serious Play® , Joel works with teams on strategy, innovation, vision, and change. Across education, enterprise, leadership, and youth programs, he helps people bring their ideas to the table and build something better together.

David is one of the world’s leading authorities on personal and organisational productivity. He is the creator of Getting Things Done , widely known as GTD, and the bestselling author of Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity, Ready for Anything and Making It All Work. His work has helped millions of people manage commitments, reduce mental overload and create greater clarity in their work and lives. David is the founder and chairman of the David Allen Company, which delivers GTD training and coaching around the world. More recently, he co-authored Team: Getting Things Done with Others, extending the principles of GTD into collaboration, leadership and shared work. This is the second time I have had the privilege of speaking with David. In our first conversation, we explored the foundations and practical application of GTD. This time, we look back at the origins and evolution of his work, consider how we sustain clarity in an increasingly complex world, and reflect on meaningful goals, attention, direction and what matters most now.

Amber Fuller is a substantive Deputy Principal, currently working as a HALT Talent Pipeline Advisor with the NSW Department of Education. She is a Highly Accomplished Teacher and serves as a committee member of the NSW HALT Association. Amber is committed to growing expert teacher capacity across the NSW public education system by supporting aspiring and accredited HALTs through innovative, practical approaches that embed the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers into everyday practice. She is passionate about teacher quality, professional learning, and developing teacher leaders who create lasting impact for students, colleagues, and schools.

Andy Brown is currently a Senior Education Officer in Education Scotland, with a specific interest in Mathematics. Andy was appointed as the first National Specialist Adviser for Mathematics to the Scottish Government in 2024. In that role he bridged policy and practice, working closely with ministers, policy officials, academics, schools and settings, and wider stakeholders. Much of Andy’s current work focuses on the Curriculum Improvement Cycle for Mathematics in Scotland. Andy has been involved in education for over 20 years. He has held roles as a Secondary Teacher of Mathematics, Faculty Head, Depute Head, and Interim Head Teacher of two schools in the Highlands of Scotland. Andy has worked for Education Scotland since 2019 as a Senior Education Officer of Numeracy and Mathematics, and Senior Education Officer of Curriculum Innovation. He was also appointed as Fellow of the Academy for Mathematical Sciences as part of their inaugural cohort. Here are a few links to the resources we talked about in the episode: Curriculum Improvement Cycle – Education Scotland Next steps in curriculum improvement - gov.scot Curriculum Improvement Cycle (CIC): Early Draft Sample materials June 2026 – Curriculum Improvement Cycle

Glenn Solomons helps educational consultants scale and school systems design professional learning that works. He started his career as a high school teacher and school leader before moving into educational consulting, working with organisations including Catholic Schools NSW, the University of Sydney, and the Tasmanian Department of Education. Today, Glenn runs Cheeky Learning , where he helps educational thought leaders design scalable online courses and learning systems that extend their impact well beyond the room. He's worked with more than 50 organisations to turn deep expertise into learning experiences that are practical, engaging, and built to last, because he's convinced that professional learning doesn't have to be dry to be rigorous, and that brilliant ideas shouldn't be gatekept by geography or budget

Today I am joined by Shane Leaning . Shane is a Shanghai-based organisational coach who works with international schools around the world. He supports school leaders and teams to strengthen culture, collaboration and meaningful change. He is the co-founder of Work Collaborative and co-author of the best-selling book Change Starts Here. Shane also hosts Education Leaders, a podcast featuring impactful interviews with renowned thought leaders and deep dives into school trends and strategies from around the world, all designed to support school leaders in their leadership journey. Through his work across Asia, the UK and beyond, Shane brings a rich international perspective and a deep understanding of the challenges and opportunities facing school leaders today. Shane’s book, Change Starts Here: https://workcollaborative.com/get-the-book/ Leadership Intensive Programme: https://educationleaders.co/intensive/ Education Leaders Podcast: https://educationleaders.co/podcast/

Lottie Dowling is the Director Of Education at Culture Agents , the Australasia Lead at Inspire Citizens and a life long learner specialising in Global Citizenship/Competence, Intercultural understanding and Student Leadership. She has worked in education 25 years+ as an educator and PD facilitator on a global, national and regional levels and run networks of schools working on pedagogical change and whole school improvement. She designs student programs and works with young people to build their global capabilities. She believes in the transformative power of education for all young people.

Today, I’m joined by Scott D. Anthony, Clinical Professor of Strategy at the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth College, whose work focuses on the adaptive challenges posed by disruptive change. Scott is the author of nine books, including his latest, E pic Disruptions: 11 Innovations That Shaped Our Modern World. The book was selected for JPMorgan’s Next List, which recognises cutting-edge ideas across technology, business, financial markets, the arts and culture. Before joining Dartmouth, Scott spent more than 20 years at Innosight, the growth strategy consultancy founded by Harvard Business School Professor Clayton Christensen. His influence on the field of innovation is widely recognised. Thinkers50 named Scott the world’s fifth most influential management thinker in 2025, after naming him the world’s leading innovation thinker in 2017. In this conversation, we explore the innovations that have shaped modern life, what history teaches us about disruptive change, and how leaders can respond thoughtfully when the future feels uncertain. It is a privilege to welcome Scott D. Anthony to The Art of Teaching.

Adriano Di Prato is an experienced educator, executive leader, author and podcast host whose work continues to shape conversations about learning, leadership and the future of education. With more than thirty years of experience across schools, higher education and global advisory practice, Adriano brings a rare depth of wisdom, clarity and purpose to his work. He has led significant improvement across student outcomes, governance, strategy and organisational culture, while continuing to champion the human side of education. He is the co-author of the bestselling book Game Changers: Leading Today’s Learning for Tomorrow’s World, co-host of the Game Changers podcast , and a respected voice in educational leadership across Australia and beyond. This is the second time I have had the privilege of speaking with Adriano, and I am truly in awe of the work he does. He leads with both vision and heart, and every conversation with him leaves me thinking more deeply about what it means to serve, lead and create meaningful change in education. I hope you enjoy this conversation with the brilliant Adriano Di Prato. Here his amazing TEDx talk .

A career spent at the sharp end of human services tends to clarify your priorities. After decades in executive roles across the sector, Andrew eventually served as NSW Public Guardian, leading an organisation safeguarding the rights and dignity of people who depend on others to make decisions in their best interest. Andrew then made a late career change by transitioning to the ‘best job in the world’ – being a teacher. Working in alternative education with young people who don’t always fit neatly into other settings, his approach is grounded in nervous system support —creating calm, predictable and empowering environments and taking every available opportunity to treat young people with dignity and respect.

Amy Berry PhD has worked in education for more than 20 years as a teacher, researcher, author, and professional learning facilitator. She is the creator of The Engagement Hub and is widely recognised for her work in learner engagement, agency, formative evaluation, and play-based learning. Her work has supported educators across Australia, the United States, Asia, and the Middle East.

Dr. Benjamin Freud is Head of School and Strategic Lead, Regenerative Education at Green School Bali. He founded the Biomimicry for Regenerative Design (BiRD) Lab, K-12 programme built on the recognition that life has been designing for 3.8 billion years longer than we have. Students learn to look closely at how the living world works and to bring what they find into the things and processes they design. He holds a PhD in History, along with an MSc in Education, an MBA, and an MA in International Relations. His background in sociology, philosophy, and history shapes how he thinks about schools, as places where students learn to contribute to the wider community, human and other-than-human. Reciprocity sits at the centre of his work: the idea that learning should gift back to the people, places, and forms of life it draws from, rather than take from them.

Andrew Gray is an experienced board member, CEO of not-for-profit organisations, consultant, leadership mentor, and entrepreneur who owns and runs multiple businesses. With a strong track record across governance, leadership, and organisational development, he brings both strategic insight and real-world execution to the spaces he serves. He spent 18 years on the board of a private Christian school, including 13 years as Chairman, where he played a key role in shaping vision, culture, and long-term sustainability. His depth of experience in education governance and leadership makes him a trusted voice in both school and organisational contexts. Andrew is also an in-demand keynote speaker and trainer, known for delivering practical, values-driven leadership frameworks that translate into real impact. As a podcaster, he engages in meaningful conversations around leadership, personal growth, and cultural challenges.

I’m joined by Dr Adam Fraser PhD , and Bob Willetts to explore The Flourish Movement . Their work focuses on the real experience of educators. Not the surface-level conversation, but what sits underneath. The emotional load. The cognitive demand. The quiet accumulation that builds over time. At the centre of this conversation is Secondary Traumatic Stress. It is present in schools more than we often think. It shapes how teachers think, feel, and respond. It also shapes whether people stay in the profession. Adam and Bob bring both research and lived experience. They speak with honesty about what they are seeing across schools, and what needs to change. This is not about adding more to a teacher’s plate. It is about understanding the conditions that allow people to do their best work and remain well while doing it. We talk about what Secondary Traumatic Stress looks like in practice. This is a grounded and important conversation. One that speaks to the reality of teaching, and the responsibility we all hold to care for the people at the heart of it.

Prue Car is the Deputy Premier of NSW, Minister for Education and Early Learning, and Minister for Western Sydney. Prue grew up in Western Sydney and has represented the Western Sydney seat of Londonderry in NSW Parliament since 2015. Following the 2023 NSW election, Prue was appointed Deputy Premier, Minister for Education and Early Learning and Minister for Western Sydney. In her role as Minister for Education and Early Learning, Prue has prioritised listening to teachers, principals, and parents and is working tirelessly to improve the NSW education system. Prue’s goal is to ensure every child in the state can access high-quality public education and achieve their potential. In September 2023, Prue made a historic agreement which saw the state’s 95,000 public school teachers receive the largest pay increase in a generation. Prue has also prioritised addressing the needs of growing communities, addressing the backlog of school infrastructure needs in the state. The NSW Labor Government’s first Budget invested $3.5 billion over four years for new schools and school upgrades in Western Sydney, and an additional $1.4 for new schools and upgrades in regional NSW. Prue is also delivering the largest ever expansion of public preschools in the state’s history, investing a record $769 million to deliver 100 new public preschools by 2027. Together with the Premier of NSW, Chris Minns, Prue is committed to working hard for the students, families and people of NSW. Her website is: https://www.pruecar.au/