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This is David’s 51st year in education. He is passionate about teaching and learning and doesn’t want to retire!

David was with the Victorian Ministry of Education for 28 years and taught at every year level from Prep to Year 6. During that time, he also lectured at La Trobe University, the University of Melbourne and RMIT University. For 4 years, he was an education department consultant in both primary and secondary schools and then returned to the primary classroom. He was the principal of Ringwood Heights Primary School, a school he loved, for 5 years.

He is currently in demand as an education consultant in schools and in conference centres across Australia and in many parts of the world. He has completed many lecture tours of the USA and the UK, and has also worked with teachers in China, Costa Rica, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malta, New Zealand and Singapore.

Teachers often describe David as a gifted presenter – engaging, knowledgeable, extremely practical, inspirational. See some Testimonials.

David has written or co-authored many popular teacher reference books and two CD-ROM series. See his Publications here.

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Latest News Stories

7 things teachers agree on about teaching reading. Stop all the political haranguing over phonics.

7 things teachers agree on about teaching reading. Stop all the political haranguing over phonics.

26 February 2018

Robyn Ewing, EduResearch Matters, 26 Feb 2018.  There is widespread agreement among educators about the importance of teaching phonics, but why do some non-educators believe they have all the answers when it comes to teaching reading and why do they push a one-size-fits-all recipe?  Read the article here(read more)

Blueprint to ditch school reports and age as yardstick for teaching

Blueprint to ditch school reports and age as yardstick for teaching

24 February 2018

The Australian, 22 Feb 2018.  The ACER says students are failing to achieve their potential because of a one-size-fits-all approach.  Students could be taught according to their ability rather than their age and conventional performance tools such as A-to-E grades and school reports would be scrapped under a proposal to(read more)

Reading rewires your brain for more intelligence and empathy

Reading rewires your brain for more intelligence and empathy

24 February 2018

ideapod.com, 20 Feb 2018.   The sustained reading of something worth contemplation has shown to rewire the brain for more intelligence and empathy.  We're not talking about reading Tweets or headlines.  Read the article herehttps://ideapod.com/research-reveals-reading-rewires-brain-intelligence-empathy/(read more)

NSW Minister scraps controversial Year 9 NAPLAN policy

NSW Minister scraps controversial Year 9 NAPLAN policy

22 February 2018

Sydney Morning Herald, 22 Feb 2018.  Great news.  Another chink in the NAPLAN armour.  More and more people are coming to understand the problems with NAPLAN.  Read the article here(read more)