The Flourish Movement

In this episode, we sit down with Wendy Fox, a teacher, school leader and guidance officer who has turned neuroscience into storytelling magic. Wendy shares how a simple story about an owl, a guard dog, and an elephant is helping students, teachers and even parents understand the brain and regulate emotions.  From the rise in dysregulation and schools' refusal post-COVID, to teaching young children to recognise and respond to their emotional states, this episode is packed with insights on how to support wellbeing, improve behaviour, and lastly create better conditions for learning. Be ready to walk away with a new, practical, and fun framework.  A big thank you to the NSWPPA, our learning partner in this podcast. 

As we close yet another Podcast season, as well as another year, we reflect on the evolving landscape of education and, in particular, school leadership. We explore how the key challenges they face have shifted in recent years. From addressing mental health, to staff shortages, we discuss the current realities of leadership in schools.  We also look back at all the incredible guests who've been on the Podcast and discuss what we believe are the common characteristics they share, which allowed them to achieve such amazing things both in their schools and their personal lives.     Join us for an insightful discussion filled with lessons, inspiration, and practical takeaways for anyone in education.    We kindly ask all of our listeners to subscribe to the Podcast and leave us a review on Spotify or Apple Podcasts. This will allow us to continue to bring you all these great stories and guests.  We would like to take this opportunity to thank the NSWPPA, our learning partner in this Podcast.  

In this episode, we sit down with Principal Greg Weeks, who designed the “timetable for the perfect day” for himself, staff and students. Faced with the constant demands of his role, as well as curriculum demands, and staff wellbeing, he reimagined the daily timetable to create an environment that supports academic focus, job effectiveness, and collaboration.     Join us as we explore the process he went through to achieve this. We'll discuss the implementation strategies and practical takeaways on how to rethink the structure of the school day for a healthier, more productive learning and work environment for staff and students alike.    We would like to take this opportunity to thank the NSWPPA, our learning partner in this Podcast.  

In this episode, we look at the characteristics of an innovative leader. Join us as we speak with Jennifer Parrett who is exploring innovative approaches to teaching and learning.    We'll explore traits such as a student focused vision, and a commitment to lifelong learning, discussing how these qualities empower leaders to foster a culture of innovation within their schools.     Whether you're an aspiring leader or an experienced educator, this episode will provide valuable perspectives on how to break the mould and drive innovation, ultimately transforming the educational experience for both students and teachers alike.    We would like to take this opportunity to thank the NSWPPA, our learning partner in this Podcast.  

Join us in this episode as we sit down with an exceptional school principal, Chris Whitten, who is transforming his school through a deep commitment to staff and student wellbeing. Discover the innovative strategies and leadership practices that have led to his school being rated as ‘excelling in the area of wellbeing'.    This episode is a must-listen for all educators, as Chris shares with us his school's wellbeing journey and some really practical tools. Through initiatives such as a strengths-based approach, Chris has had a very positive impact on students and staff alike.     We would like to take this opportunity to thank the NSWPPA, our learning partner in this Podcast.  

In this episode, we're privileged to be joined by two incredible principals, Jude Hayman and Scott Sanford, to shine a light on the often-overlooked area of Vicarious Trauma in education.   But this episode is not about sharing and dwelling on all the incredible tough things educators deal with when supporting their students, parents, their staff and the community. Instead, focus on solutions. We share with you the strategies and practices that Jude and Scott have implemented within their schools and in their personal lives to support themselves and effectively manage and minimise the impact of vicarious trauma on them and their staff. From fostering a culture of open communication and vulnerability, to ensuring the practice of self-care, they offer really practical insights and actionable advice for principals and educators alike.  We would like to take this opportunity to thank the NSW Primary Principals Association, our learning partner in this podcast. 

In this podcast episode, we have the privilege of sitting down with Principal Adam Downes. Join us as we unpack the concept of Kevin and how Adam used it to evolve his leadership. Through vulnerability and self-awareness, he has managed to take a new approach to the way he engages with his inner critic.    We explore how he uses self-awareness and acceptance to get perspective on his leadership style, as well as practical strategies he developed to improve his capability as a leader.     If you want to find out more about how you can re-imagine the relationship you have with your inner critic, make sure you tune in to this great episode, as we explore the fascinating relationship we all have with our thoughts and emotions.    We would like to take this opportunity to thank the NSW Primary Principals Association, our learning partner in this podcast. 

In this very special episode, we talk about the deep meaning and purpose that sits behind school leaders. Our guest, the incredible Melinda Smith, shares her inspiring story and the journey that led her to a leadership role at a special education school, revealing the profound meaning and purpose that drives her work each day.  She opens up about her personal connection to special education and how it shaped her career path. Drawing from her own experiences and insights, Melinda shares valuable lessons emphasising the importance of living in alignment to your meaning and values. She reminds us that school leaders, as well as educators in general, have the extraordinary opportunity to make a lasting impact on the lives of their students and communities, so long they don't lose sight of what's really important.  We would like to take this opportunity to thank the NSWPPA, our learning partner in this Podcast. 

In this episode, Principal Jane Grieger shares the proactive steps her and her staff took to address staff shortages in her regional school. Jane shares the challenges they faced, how waiting for external solutions wasn't enough and the innovative strategies they came up with to attract teachers to her region.     She also shares her leadership philosophy and the values embedded in her school's culture that allowed for this proactive approach and mindset. Through collaboration, open communication, transparency, and openness to feedback, not only from her staff, but parents as well, she has been able to improve her school's situation.    Jane's story shows the power of proactive leadership and collaborative action in overcoming challenges.  We would like to take this opportunity to thank the NSWPPA, our learning partner in this Podcast. 

In this episode, we have the pleasure of speaking with Principal Louise Challis. Louise shares her initial struggles with guilt and reluctance to prioritise herself due to the demanding responsibilities of her role. We talk about some of the detrimental mindsets and expectations surrounding the role of a school leader, which perpetuate the myth of self-neglect and sacrifice as a badge of honour for educators. Through reflection and support from her colleagues throughout The Flourish Movement program, Louise realised it had been a while since she had done something just for herself and for her own enjoyment. She shares key moments of realisation and the practical steps she took to practicing recovery and being able to prioritise the things that are most important to her.  Her story serves as a powerful reminder that by prioritising their own wellbeing, educators not only sustain themselves, but also create environments where students and staff can Flourish. A special thank you to the NSWPPA, our learning partner in this podcast.

In this episode, we talk to Simon Ellaby, the proud Principal of a Special Education School in Tasmania. Since joining the school, Simon has put a lot of time and effort into improving the culture of the school and the staff's wellbeing. As a result of this, he saw significant reductions in absenteeism (200 days last year), the number of critical incidents, teachers want to come and work at his school and his current staff is engaged in their work. In times where schools are struggling to find staff, we dive into how Simon created a space that, not only retains, but also attracts staff. A special thank you to the NSW Primary Principals' Association, our learning partner in this podcast.

We had to bring back Rebecca Challenor after we found out she won an incredible award for Best Remote Learning Program at the Australian Education Awards. During lockdown and remote learning, she had 100% attendance. In this episode, she will share the amazing things she and her school did during that time that led to the award. She also shares the lessons she has learned and the practices she used during lockdown and have now been put into place in face-to-face learning. A special thank you to the NSW Primary Principals' Association for sponsoring this project.

In this episode, we welcome Mark Peterson. Mark is a very experienced Principal with the amazing ability to stay calm even in the most complex situations. As a leader, the way you show up to difficult circumstances can dictate the outcome you are going to get and how people perceive you as a leader. Hear from Mark the strategies he uses to ensure that his staff and community see him as the consistent, calm and reliable leader he tries to be.  A special thank you to the NSW Primary Principals' Association for sponsoring this project.

This is a very special episode as we go back to the beginning of Flourish and welcome one of the people responsible for the creation of The Flourish Movement. Susan Hilliar has had a long career in education, though it hasn't always been an easy, joyful one. Back in 2016, Susan hit a really dark place in her career. Detrimental mindsets like ‘I need to be everything to everyone', ‘I can't show weakness or vulnerability', ‘I have to put on a strong face all the time', as well as a real sense of professional isolation and loneliness, really drove her down to the point of considering walking out on the role she had always been so passionate about. Fast forward to 2023 and Susan is still working in education and is living the best years of her career. In this episode, she tells us about her journey and how she managed to turn things around.   A special thank you to the NSW Primary Principals' Association for sponsoring this project.

Now, more than ever, it is critical that we look after the wellbeing and mental health of our school leaders. The Flourish Movement provides a space where leaders can take off their professional armour, sit with their colleagues, be supported and have real conversations to share their experiences and learn from each other. Dr Adam Fraser is a peak performance researcher with a PhD in Biomedical Science. Along with Principal Bob Willetts, he will be introducing you to some of the amazing school principals that are teaching our kids and leading our schools all over Australia. In this episode of our podcast, we delve into the remarkable story of Melissa Proctor, an incredible school leader who revolutionised the culture of her school by instilling clarity of purpose in every aspect of its operation.  We know no one has ever gotten into education for the money and fame, they got into education for the passion of teaching, working with children and playing a crucial role in preparing our future generations for the years ahead. But all too often, and this is normal across all professions, we get caught up in the stress that comes with the job, and we start moving away from what drove us in the first place.   Join us as we take an in-depth look at the 5 step strategy Melissa employed to ensure everyone in the school understood and embraced their roles in achieving a shared vision and how she keeps it at the very centre of everything the school does, and every decision made.  A special thank you to the NSW Primary Principals' Association for sponsoring this project.

In this captivating podcast episode, we have the privilege of sitting down with Principal Greg Wells. Throughout his extensive career, Greg has weathered seemingly impossible challenges, changes, and disruptions.  From critical incidents to sensitive conflicts, the role of a school leader is often tested in the most challenging moments. Join us as Greg shares with us the real-life stories, tools and strategies that allow him to navigate each storm he faces. Drawing from his wealth of experience, we talk about how he uses humour, the importance of self-care, the value of building a supportive network, and the separation between your personal and professional selves. As school leaders continue to be the anchors for their school community during challenging times, Greg offers listeners an abundance of wisdom and practical strategies that lead to effective leadership in the face of adversity.

Now, more than ever, it is critical that we look after the wellbeing and mental health of our school leaders. The Flourish Movement provides a space where leaders can take off their professional armour, sit with their colleagues, be supported and have real conversations to share their experiences and learn from each other. Dr Adam Fraser is a peak performance researcher with a PhD in Biomedical Science. Along with Principal Bob Willetts, he will be introducing you to some of the amazing school principals that are teaching our kids and leading our schools all over Australia. In this episode, we sit down with David O'Connor, a highly experienced school principal with a remarkable ability to keep a balance between his demanding job and his family life, while empowering his staff to do the same. Join us as David shares his insights, strategies, and personal experiences on how he managed to achieve a successful work-family balance while leading a school community. Whether you're an educator, a working professional, or someone seeking to balance various life commitments, this conversation will provide valuable lessons and practical tips to help you thrive in both your professional and personal worlds.

Now, more than ever, it is critical that we look after the wellbeing and mental health of our school leaders. The Flourish Movement provides a space where leaders can take off their professional armour, sit with their colleagues, be supported and have real conversations to share their experiences and learn from each other. Dr Adam Fraser is a peak performance researcher with a PhD in Biomedical Science. Along with Principal Bob Willetts, he will be introducing you to some of the amazing school principals that are teaching our kids and leading our schools all over Australia. In this double guest episode, we hear from Ben Walsh and Dona Casey. Ben leads a school with over 35 classes and 95 staff, while Donna is the Principal of a school with 10 classes and 26 staff. In The Flourish Movement we have often come across people who think the grass is greener on the other side and that the wellbeing of the school leader can be determined by the size of the school they lead. But is this the case?  In this episode, Ben and Donna will also share the strategies they use to maintain good wellbeing. We want to welcome more Principals to The Flourish Movement, so to find out more, go to The Flourish Movement.com. And you can help us spread the work about The Flourish Movement by sharing the podcast and giving us a 5 star review. The Flourish Movement podcast was created on First Nations land. We pay our respects to elders past, present and emerging. The Flourish Movement podcast was edited by Aimee Chan and is brought to you by the NSW Primary Principals' Association. Thanks for listening.

Now, more than ever, it is critical that we look after the wellbeing and mental health of our school leaders. The Flourish Movement provides a space where leaders can take off their professional armour, sit with their colleagues, be supported and have real conversations to share their experiences and learn from each other. Dr Adam Fraser is a peak performance researcher with a PhD in Biomedical Science. Along with Principal Bob Willetts, he will be introducing you to some of the amazing school principals that are teaching our kids and leading our schools all over Australia. In this episode, Principal Jeanette Black tells us about how she has successfully created a school community that practices empathy and inclusion on a daily basis. Under her leadership, teachers, students and parents learn to respect others, embrace differences and proactively work together to ensure that everyone feels that they belong. Jeanette opens with a moving story about how she welcomed a new child to her school who had a history of being bullied and undermined because of a physiological disfigurement. How did Jeanette ensure that this behaviour was not repeated by her own young cohort? She joins us on The Flourish Movement to tell us. We want to welcome more Principals to The Flourish Movement, so to find out more, go to The Flourish Movement.com. And you can help us spread the work about The Flourish Movement by sharing the podcast and giving us a 5 star review. The Flourish Movement podcast was created on First Nations land. We pay our respects to elders past, present and emerging. The Flourish Movement podcast was edited by Aimee Chan and is brought to you by the NSW Primary Principals' Association. Thanks for listening.

Now, more than ever, it is critical that we look after the wellbeing and mental health of our school Principals. The Flourish Movement provides a space where Principals can take off their professional armour, sit with their colleagues, be supported and have real conversations to share their experiences and learn from each other. Dr Adam Fraser is a peak performance researcher with a PhD in Biomedical Science. Along with Principal Bob Willetts, he will be introducing you to some of the amazing school principals that are teaching our kids and leading our schools all over Australia. In this episode we welcome Jen Charadia. Jen is a super organiser and has lots of brilliant tips on how to stay on top of the ever-growing amount of paper and other work that school leaders are required to do.  We want to welcome more Principals to The Flourish Movement, so to find out more, go to The Flourish Movement.com. And you can help us spread the work about The Flourish Movement by sharing the podcast and giving us a 5 star review. The Flourish Movement podcast was created on First Nations land. We pay our respects to elders past, present and emerging. The Flourish Movement podcast was edited by Aimee Chan, sound edited by Cassie Aldridge and is brought to you by the NSW Primary Principals' Association. Thanks for listening.

Now, more than ever, it is critical that we look after the wellbeing and mental health of our school Principals. The Flourish Movement provides a space where Principals can take off their professional armour, sit with their colleagues, be supported and have real conversations to share their experiences and learn from each other. Dr Adam Fraser is a peak performance researcher with a PhD in Biomedical Science. Along with Principal Bob Willetts, he will be introducing you to some of the amazing school principals that are teaching our kids and leading our schools all over Australia. For all leaders, effective communication is an incredibly important skill. However, most leaders really struggle with communication. In this episode, Principal Rebecca Challenor shares how she used better communication to engage the parents, improve the culture of the school and unite her leadership team. We want to welcome more Principals to The Flourish Movement, so to find out more, go to The Flourish Movement.com. And you can help us spread the work about The Flourish Movement by sharing the podcast and giving us a 5 star review. The Flourish Movement podcast was created on First Nations land. We pay our respects to elders past, present and emerging. The Flourish Movement podcast was edited by Aimee Chan and is brought to you by the NSW Primary Principals' Association. Thanks for listening.

Now, more than ever, it is critical that we look after the wellbeing and mental health of our school leaders. The Flourish Movement provides a space where they can take off their professional armour, sit with their colleagues, be supported and have real conversations to share their experiences and learn from each other. Dr Adam Fraser is a peak performance researcher with a PhD in Biomedical Science. Along with Principal Bob Willetts, they will be introducing you to some of the amazing school leaders that are teaching our kids and leading our schools all over Australia. In this episode, Principal Robyn Evans tells us how she has managed to schedule in two hours of dedicated quiet or learning time across her entire school every day. From 9am to 11am the phones don't ring, no announcements are made and everyone -- from students to teachers to administrative staff to principals -- is able to concentrate on prioritising learning outcomes uninterrupted by the outside world. Is this mission impossible? Absolutely not, says Robyn. She joins us on The Flourish Movement to tell us how it can be done. We want to welcome more school leaders to The Flourish Movement, so to find out more, go to TheFlourishMovement.com. And you can help us spread the work about The Flourish Movement by sharing the podcast and giving us a 5 star review. The Flourish Movement podcast was created on First Nations land. We pay our respects to elders past, present and emerging. The Flourish Movement podcast was edited by Aimee Chan, sound edited by Travis Cartwright and is brought to you by the NSW Primary Principals' Association. Thanks for listening.

Now, more than ever, it is critical that we look after the well being and mental health of our school Principals. The Flourish Movement provides a space where Principals can take off their professional armour, sit with their colleagues, be supported and have real conversations to share their experiences and learn from each other. Dr Adam Fraser is a peak performance researcher with a PhD in Biomedical Science. Along with Principal Bob Willetts, he will be introducing you to some of the amazing school principals that are teaching our kids and leading our schools all over Australia. We want to welcome more Principals to The Flourish Movement, so to find out more, go to The Flourish Movement.com. And you can help us spread the work about The Flourish Movement by sharing the podcast and giving us a 5 star review. The Flourish Movement podcast was created on First Nations land. We pay our respects to elders past, present and emerging. The Flourish Movement podcast was edited by Aimee Chan and is brought to you by the NSW Primary Principals' Association. Thanks for listening.