Heavy is the English Head
Heavy is the English Head
Podcast Description
I have had a diverse career across primary, secondary and tertiary education. While I have focused on English and literacy predominantly, I have also worked in roles focused on student wellbeing, disability funding and supports, and school engagement and attainment. I’ve also worked in child and adolescent psychiatry and as a lecturer and researcher. Working across roles and sectors has caused me to think critically, creatively and reflectively about how we design and deliver educational experiences in our schools, particularly the systems, structures and processes that may allow us to have the most impact.
I recently left my Head of English role at a public school. It was one of the most rewarding, stimulating, demanding and difficult roles I’ve had. I now work with systems, schools, leaders, and teachers to develop ambitious and rigorous practices in English and literacy. I’ve met so many incredible English and literacy leaders over the last couple of decades. I think it’s one of the toughest, most complex portfolios to hold, and I wanted to provide a platform for great leaders to share their work. This is a podcast about the nitty gritty of leadership in English and literacy. I will interview a range of guests with diverse perspectives, experiences and roles.
Podcast Insights
Content Themes
Concentrates on educational leadership, English literacy, and evidence-informed practices with episodes that explore topics such as effective teaching strategies, curriculum development, and the intersection of wellbeing and academic achievement. Specific episode highlights include guest insights on transforming literacy instruction and building strong educational cultures.
I have had a diverse career across primary, secondary and tertiary education. While I have focused on English and literacy predominantly, I have also worked in roles focused on student wellbeing, disability funding and supports, and school engagement and attainment. I’ve also worked in child and adolescent psychiatry and as a lecturer and researcher. Working across roles and sectors has caused me to think critically, creatively and reflectively about how we design and deliver educational experiences in our schools, particularly the systems, structures and processes that may allow us to have the most impact.
I recently left my Head of English role at a public school. It was one of the most rewarding, stimulating, demanding and difficult roles I’ve had. I now work with systems, schools, leaders, and teachers to develop ambitious and rigorous practices in English and literacy. I’ve met so many incredible English and literacy leaders over the last couple of decades. I think it’s one of the toughest, most complex portfolios to hold, and I wanted to provide a platform for great leaders to share their work. This is a podcast about the nitty gritty of leadership in English and literacy. I will interview a range of guests with diverse perspectives, experiences and roles.
Alice Jury is a Learning Specialist at Canadian Lead Primary school in Ballarat. Alice has been teaching for 12 years, all of this time spent at Canadian Lead. Alice began her leadership journey in 2016 through the Primary Maths and Science Specialist initiative. Alice moved into the Learning Specialist role in 2019. Alice has taught across many year levels and has spent time out of the classroom running a rigorous Tutoring program. This year Alice shares a Year 1/ 2 classroom. She teaches for fourteen hours a week. In the other time Alice coordinates the Tutoring program and takes some Tier 3 groups. Alice leads whole school curriculum development and supports teachers through a coaching model to improve their pedagogy, curriculum knowledge and teaching practice. Alice’s passion is teaching and learning, the nitty gritty of curriculum and making the most of every school minute.
Show Notes
Adam Robbins – Middle Leadership Mastery
Brene Brown – Dare to Lead
Simon Sinek – Leaders Eat Last
Simon Sinek – Start with Why
Stuart Lock (Ed) – The researchED Guide to Leadership
Simon Sinek’s The Golden Circle
Education Endowment Foundation – A School’s Guide to Implementation
AERO – Insights into Implementation
Confucius: “By three methods we may learn wisdom: First, by reflection, which is noblest; Second, by imitation, which is easiest; and third by experience, which is the bitterest.”
Phonics Plus scope and sequence and lesson plans
Doug Lemov – Teach Like a Champion
John Hollingsworth and Sylvia Ybarra – Explicit Direct Instruction: The Power of the Well-Crafted Well-Taught Lesson
Bronwyn Ryrie Jones – Responsive Teaching
Lyn Stone – Spelling for Life
Peggy Lego Handwriting Program
Sounds-Write phonics programme
This episode was produced by Jonathan Raz.
Disclaimer
This podcast’s information is provided for general reference and was obtained from publicly accessible sources. The Podcast Collaborative neither produces nor verifies the content, accuracy, or suitability of this podcast. Views and opinions belong solely to the podcast creators and guests.
For a complete disclaimer, please see our Full Disclaimer on the archive page. The Podcast Collaborative bears no responsibility for the podcast’s themes, language, or overall content. Listener discretion is advised. Read our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy for more details.