During Staff Professional Learning Days, of course!
At The Knox School, professional learning is highly valued and our whole staff participate in a two-day program of workshops and collaborative planning sessions before the start of Term 1 as they prepare for the return of students to campus. 2025 was no different with a full schedule of learning and wellbeing opportunities.
Ultimately, these days have been an open invitation to adapt and grow in response to the evolving needs of students and our changing world. By embracing these insights and focusing on the long-term development of our students, we can ensure that the education we provide will matter not just today, but for years to come.
Keep reading to learn more about some of the topics and activities that our staff actively embraced…
Day 1 – Questions and Connections
Our first morning kicked off with a series of reports and updates from many leaders at The Knox School, beginning with our Principal and Chief Executive, Nikki Kirkup. Nikki not only celebrated the many achievements of 2024 but also highlighted how many of our achievements, including The Educator’s 5-Star Innovative School Award is a recognition of every staff member’s collective success (pictured above). She also posed some thought-provoking questions as we look ahead to 2025 – these questions sparked deep reflection among our educators and professional staff;
What is the future of learning? What is the future of work?
Teams were then inspired by operational insights from our Chief Financial Officer, Dwayne Wathen, followed by our Design Futurist of Technology and Digital Innovation, Isaac Rule. The morning continued with a valuable session led by our Associate Principal; Head of Learning, Teaching, and Innovation, Liana Gooch, where we unpacked our recent academic results and received updates on some of our key ongoing projects. All three of our journeys – knowledge, skills and character – were woven between these presentations.
In the afternoon, all staff participated in a Connections Workshop hosted by Corporate Challenge Events. What started as a fun, playful experience took on a heartwarming twist when brand-new LEGO sets were donated to a children’s charity of choice. This year, The Knox School was proud to partner with The Lighthouse Foundation, a charity dedicated to supporting children experiencing homelessness or trauma, helping them heal, grow and achieve a lasting sense of belonging.
Amongst the many team-building activities, featuring Lego building and puzzles, we had the chance to share some stories with one another from our lives and ask some provocative questions:
Have you ever won an ARIA? Have you ever performed with Hugh Jackman? Have you ever caught a piranha? Have you ever won an Australian title as a sprint cyclist? Have you ever broken the national weightlifting record?
These are real experiences from members of the TKS team – can you guess who owns each one? Through a range of wholesome activities, we created meaningful, organic connections that allowed us to learn more about each other. The key takeaway was this: next time you’re in a group activity—whether as a student or at work—take a moment to truly listen to everyone’s perspective and consider the power of asking questions! Next time you meet one of our staff members, ask them if they’re the one behind any of these incredible stories!
Day 2 – Learning Beyond Borders with Professor Yong Zhao
Day 2 was similarly inspiring as TKS staff had the privilege of hearing from Professor Yong Zhao in the morning, who challenged TKS to think about the future of education and how we prepare students for a changing world. Zhao challenged our educators to consider, “will what you teach students matter in 10 years when they enter the workforce?” He posed essential questions about the relevance of current educational practices, such as the importance of NAPLAN and whether the traditional “you should learn this because I know this” approach is still effective.
He emphasised the importance of focusing on long-term outcomes, noting that while direct instruction may yield short-term success, the research shows that it can limit creativity and essential skills for navigating the future. In a world dominated by AI, Zhao called for personalised learning that nurtures individuality and critical thinking.
As educators, we were encouraged to question the notion of a “one-size-fits-all” approach and embrace students’ unique strengths and challenges. The concept of self-actualisation and self-transcendence was discussed, with an emphasis on allowing students to develop a jagged profile of abilities, one that encourages creativity, deeper knowledge and resilience.
Zhao also urged us to rethink our role as teachers, positioning us not just as instructors but as inventors, noting that:
By fostering an environment where students and teachers collaborate to find and co-design solutions to real-world problems, you can lead the next educational revolution.
Thank you to all TKS staff who both warmly embraced and actively contributed to our industry-leading professional development experience. One can only wonder, what will our staff learning program look like in 2026?
