Build your knowledge with 2 days of interactive Free Seminars held at the Knowledge Centre, for teachers delivered by experts in teaching and learning.

Attend as many of the free seminars in the Knowledge Centre as you like and collect valuable professional development hours as you go. Register to Visit the Free Expo and choose the Seminars you would like to attend. Get in early as places are limited. Discover more FREE PD Sessions as part of Classroom of the Future

9:00am

Welcome

9:05 - 9:35am

Speaker: Donna Wright, Principal, Bandiana Primary School

INCLUSIVE CLASSROOMS: High Potential Students in Primary Schools

This session explores the advantages of identifying high-potential students while they are in primary school, and extending them through the appropriate educational opportunities (including acceleration and subject compacting), with the aim of improving their academic performance.

Creating opportunities for their success is all part of inclusive education!

10:00 - 10:30am

Knowledge Centre Sponsor

10:45 – 11:15am

Speaker: Venesser Fernandes, Lecturer Educational Leadership Studies, Monash University

INCLUSIVE CLASSROOMS: Using Effective Inclusive Leadership Practices in Complex And Diverse School Contexts

Today, Australian schools operate in complex, dynamic environments with multiple internal and external needs that school leaders and teachers are expected to consider and address over the course of a school year. Inclusive school leadership is critical to leverage diverse thinking in a teaching workforce that needs to adapt to rapidly changing schools, teachers, students, parents, needs and talents.

In this workshop, participants will use a self-assessment tool (pre-test) to determine their inclination towards inclusive leadership. They’ll be introduced to evidence-based traits or behaviours that distinguish inclusive leaders from others using case-based analysis, and receive a toolkit of inclusive leadership practices that can be used in their schools and classrooms. They’ll also receive an individual self-assessment report (post-test) on their own level of inclusive leadership.

11:30am - 12:00pm

Speaker: Annie Khoury, Teacher, Matthew Flinders Anglican College

INCLUSIVE CLASSROOMS: Literacy Instruction for Struggling Readers

Reading doesn’t often come naturally in the way that speaking does. Learning to read requires explicit instruction and application.

In this session, we’ll delve into the wonderful world of reading and discuss an inclusive approach to reading, spelling and writing instruction that supports readers who may face challenges.

12:30 - 12:50pm

Speaker: Amelia Moseley, Journalist/Reporter/Presenter, Behind the News ABC

1:10 - 1:30pm

Speaker: Peta Simpson, eSmart Engagement Manager, The Alannah & Madeleine Foundation

What is positive digital citizenship and how can we build it in our classrooms?

Digital citizenship is so much more than online safety. Build your own understanding of digital citizenship, so that you can confidently support students to develop the knowledge and skills to harness the opportunities, as well as deal with the challenges of online environments.

1:50 - 2:10pm

Speaker: Gus White, National Sales Manager, Felton Industries

RESOURCES: Encouraging Diverse Learning: Sharing Indigenous History and Prioritising Outdoor Learning

Outdoor spaces form such an important part of the school environment – a place to play, enjoy, exercise, eat, talk, laugh, and learn.

Our presentation will focus on Felton’s most recent venture, partnering with indigenous artist and educator, Brett Parker (Billyara). We’ll share how Brett’s work explores sustainable land management practices that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples undertake. We’ll also examine the different educational resources available to schools that discuss the rich indigenous history, reconciliation, respect and recognition. Another key theme discussed looks at the benefits of outdoor learning in the school environment.

2:30 - 3:00pm

Speaker: Australian Education Union

Practical tips for starting out your career in education

Join the AEU for an interactive opportunity to hear directly from a panel of teachers, education support staff and principals about their top tips for beginning your career and maintaining your health and wellbeing.

3:10 - 3:40pm

Speaker: Jeremy Kalbstein, Teacher, and Dr Dvir Abramovich, The Anti-Defamation Commission

INCLUSIVE CLASSROOMS: Click Against Hate

1 in 5 kids have bullied others online. 1 in 7 adults has been targeted by online hate speech.

Designed for primary and secondary students alike, Click Against Hate (free to all schools) makes it simple to teach students about complex issues like online dangers, racism, anti-Semitism, Islamophobia, homophobia, freedom of speech, cyberbullying and more.

Delegates will get a tour of the program, funded by the Australian Federal Government, that comes with ready-to-teach lessons across a variety of topics including stereotypes and prejudices, media misrepresentation, discrimination and online hate.

We’ll demonstrate how you can make students a part of the story with interactive quizzes, videos and games that take lessons from a lecture to a live experience.

9:00am

Welcome

9:05 - 9:35am

Speaker: Debbie Green, Education Support Coordinator, Cystic Fibrosis Community Care

INCLUSIVE CLASSROOMS: Educational Support For Students (K-12) With A Chronic Illness, Using Cystic Fibrosis As A Case Study

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, an estimated 2 in 5 (44%) children aged 0–14 are living with one or more chronic conditions. Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a chronic illness and the most common genetic condition in Australia.

In this session, we’ll address teacher’s understanding of chronic illness, outline the supports available to teachers, and share examples of chronic illness you may come across. We’ll examine the impact of chronic illness on a student’s education, explain how to adapt the classroom for these students, share communication tips, and discuss the process of adapting a ‘whole school’ approach.

10:00 - 10:30am

Speaker: Justin Roberts, National Director, ReLATE, The MacKillop Institute

Teacher Wellbeing: Powering Student Success

In our jobs as educators and school staff, we know the importance of our students’ wellbeing and its impact on student outcomes. But sometimes, we forget to check if we, the staff, are well. When we're so busy taking care of our students, we might not take care of ourselves. Sometimes we can put so much emphasis on students’ wellbeing that it can even be to the detriment of our own. In this workshop we will share practical tips and strategies for teachers to understand their own feelings, identify their own triggers and responses and find better ways to handle tough situations. By learning about ourselves first, we can be better at helping our students to know themselves and supporting their wellbeing.

10:45 - 11:15am

Speaker: Lauren Munday, Teacher, Star of the Sea College

HEALTH: Think Set Go Mindset Education

Mindset and goal achievement education is not explicitly taught in school but are the underlying drivers of motivation, self-belief and learning. An adaptive mindset is crucial in developing resilience, handling pressure and increasing confidence, all of which can be obtained through effective systems of thought, planning and action.

This session guides participants on strategies that can be taught to students to encourage a positive and self-determinant learning environment.

11:45 - 12:15pm

Speaker: Shelly Michalke, STEM Leader, St Patrick’s Primary School

STEM: Lest We Forget an Authentic Collaboration With Our Local Veterans

This session shares an authentic school/community STEM project that can be easily applied to any context. We’ll take a closer look at the What, Why and How of creating this project, including voices from project participants; school leaders, teachers, students and the local community. We’ll touch on assessing curriculum content, celebrating and ensuring project longevity. Finally, we’ll brainstorm how this kind of project could be implemented in your school setting.

12:30 - 12:50pm

Speaker: Ganga Giri, Managing Director, Didgeridoo Australia

Helping your teachers implement Aboriginal perspectives in the classroom

Join us for an interactive discussion where we will provide practical advice, strategies and tools for an effective implementation of First Nations cultures content in the classroom.

1:10 - 1:30pm

Spotlight Sponsor

1:50 - 2:10pm

Spotlight Sponsor

2:30 - 2:50pm

Spotlight Sponsor

3:00 - 3:30pm

Speaker: Grant Jones, Program Advisor | Grow Your Own Teacher Training Program, Western Sydney University

DIGITECH: Creating vs Consuming - what is paramount in the classroom?

In this session, Grant will lead delegates through an exploration of innovative technologies such as Augmented Reality. He’ll demonstrate how to use a range of innovative applications to collaborate and create, and share some amazing ways you can get your students' creative juices flowing and, in turn, develop their ICT capabilities. Delegates will go back to school itching to try something new with their students.