Engaging in professional dialogue

The teacher, who is the editor of the Australian Journal of Middle Schooling, describes its role in providing Australian and New Zealand schools with research and data about best practice in teaching and learning. She outlines how she uses the ideas within the journal to support professional learning at her school.  This includes using research and case studies from the journal to improve and develop teaching programs in her school. She also reflects on how her role as journal editor plays a key part in her own professional development.

Mount Alvernia College is an independent Catholic school catering for girls at years 8–12.  The college has an enrolment of 700 girls. The teacher is the coordinator for teaching and learning at years 8–10 at the college. The generic term ‘the middle years of schooling’ although used throughout the Australian states and territories will have a different meaning for teachers depending on its application to particular year levels within a particular state or territory.