Partnerships

Encourage. Embrace. Explore.

At St John’s we actively encourage our educators to participate in world-leading research, embrace innovative theory in teaching and learning, and seek opportunities to be involved in a professional learning community led by world leading researchers.

To facilitate this culture of lifelong learning, St John’s has developed professional partnerships with academic and research institutions and educational experts to expand student and educator access to global best practice research.

ISQ (Independent Schools Queensland) Teacher Growth and Development Project

In 2021, St John’s confirmed its two year participation in the prestigious ISQ Teacher Growth and Development Project. The project is designed to assist schools in developing professional learning communities which are focussed on optimising teacher performance and expertise, both in and out of the classroom.
Learnings from this project will form the basis of St John’s teacher professional development program.

Primary goals:

  • To enhance teacher consistency
  • To promote the use of High Impact Teaching Strategies (HITS).

University of Queensland Science of Learning Research Centre (SLRC)

Facilitated by the University of Queensland, the SLRC was set up and administered in conjunction with Emeritus Professor John Hattie, who is widely regarded internationally as a thought leader in education.

SLRC is a special research initiative of the Australian Research Council that brings together neuroscientists, psychologists and education researchers across the country, collaborating on programs to better understand learning, using a range of innovative experimental techniques and programs.

St John’s has partnered with the SLRC on a research project focused specifically on student wellbeing.

Numerous studies have shown that students do not perform well academically if their wellbeing is at risk. During this research project, St John’s is exploring how to embed wellbeing practices in all aspects of College life as well as ensuring that a common language is employed at all year levels.

This research project is initially for a twelve-month period with the potential to develop into an ongoing partnership.

Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER)

St Johns has recently been advised that we have joined an elite group of 14 schools nationally who will participate in an Australian Council for Educational Research (ACER) project. Research from ACER is recognised and used internationally in numerous educational jurisdictions.

This project will investigate evaluating students’ critical and creative thinking skills. As part of being selected to be involved in this project, St Johns will now be invited to participate in ACER research on a regular basis as part of an ACER community of practice. The information gathered from this group of schools will play a significant role in shaping education policy now and in the future.

Dr Kerry Howells, Gratitude in Education

Dr Kerry Howells is a global gratitude expert. As a thought-leader, author, award-winning educator and experienced researcher Dr Howells has spent over 25 years researching, teaching and practicing gratitude. Working worldwide with school leaders and teachers she has embedded gratitude into all levels of education.

Dr Howells decades of research on the role of gratitude in education have shown that a student’s learning is influenced both by their own practices of gratitude and by the gratitude expressed and modelled by their teachers and school leaders. Dr Howells’ book, Gratitude in Education: A Radical View, is the first comprehensive text ever written on the ways in which gratitude can influence teaching and leadership. In October 2021, Dr Howell’s will be releasing her second book Untangling you: How can I be grateful when I feel so resentful?

In 2021 St John’s welcomed Dr Howells to present to staff on gratitude in education and commence a book club to guide our educational programs and pedagogy.