top of page

Hi, I'm Michaela.

I'm a maths educator with a commitment to sharing simple & effective teaching strategies for getting students thinking in maths.

​

Over the past 15 years, I've taught in rural and urban schools, and worked with primary and secondary teachers, school leaders, government, ed-tech start-ups and non-profits across Australia and internationally.

​

What I believe

​

  • Maths is fun, challenging and satisfying. Learning maths requires patience, persistence and careful thinking.
     

  • Success in learning mathematics means feeling competent about your own capabilities and curious to learn more.
     

  • Most students have the capacity to learn complex ideas - helping them to access and make sense of that complexity is our challenge as educators. 

20221118-michaela-finals-018.jpg
  • School is one part of a student's learning journey and should provide the starting point for a desire to learn more
     

  • When we care about education, we develop strong opinions about what it should look like.
     

  • Being skeptical of ideas we're presented with, including our own opinions, opens up conversation and helps us to see the world in different ways.

​

What I do

​

After searching for ways to make professional learning more meaningful, in 2020, I founded Maths Teacher Circles in Australia. MTCs bring primary and secondary teachers together to actively do maths and talk teaching on a regular basis. MTCs are designed to support teachers to get excited again about teaching maths. To date, over 1,000 teachers from across Australia and overseas have attended MTC sessions.

​

In addition, I work with schools, school systems and organisations on initiatives that support primary teachers, secondary teachers, graduate teachers, out-of-field teachers, maths leaders and specialist teachers to create meaningful and sustainable change in maths.

​

More broadly, I'm currently diving into and working with educators on these questions:
 

  • What's needed for students to leave school feeling curious and competent in maths?

  • How can we help students to better understand and remember what they learn?

  • How can we help students to become independent, strategic and reflective problem solvers?

  • How can teachers build their own content knowledge and confidence for teaching maths?

​

Outside of my work, I enjoy watching my young daughter learn and grow, playing competitive dominoes, learning about statistics and philosophy and going hiking.

​

This is what I've done

​

In recent years, I have focused on maths education from different perspectives. To this end, I have:
 

  • Designed and run professional development programs and worked closely with over 5,000 teachers globally

  • Served as President of the Mathematical Association of Victoria

  • Served on the boards of the Australian Association of Mathematics Teachers, the Mathematical Association of Victoria and the Australian committee of the International Mathematical Modelling Challenge

  • Had original problems and puzzles published in a range of publications and on commission for organisations, such as Felstead Education

  • Taught mathematics and led teaching teams at schools in rural and urban areas

  • Designed and implemented specialised mathematics programs to support and extend students

  • Led a team of learning and instructional designers, responsible for producing maths content for over 55,000 students

  • Spoken internationally at conferences, researched and written about curriculum, pedagogy, effective teaching practices and cognitive development

  • Reviewed papers for the Mathematics Education Research Group of Australasia and for the Australian Council for Educational Research's Excellence in Professional Practice Conference

  • I've also been featured on podcasts, including Maths Talk by AMSI Schools, the Fizzics Ed Podcast, Ignite EdTech Podcast and Toddcast Teacher Podcast.

 

Past clients and partners include:
 

  • Camberwell Girls' Grammar

  • Carey Baptist Grammar

  • Heathmont College

  • Hoppers Crossing Secondary College

  • Primary Maths & Science Specialist Program, Department of Education

  • Central Highlands Area Schools, Department of Education

  • BioLab, the Victorian BioScience Education Centre

  • EdPartnerships International

  • Math4Love
  • Monterey Secondary College

  • Pivot Professional Learning

  • Stile Education

  • The Department of Education and Training Victoria

  • The Mathematical Association of Victoria

  • The Meet Pi Maths Festival

  • The Pavilion School

  • The Tutor Network

  • Urbis Consulting

  • Wimmera South West Area Schools, Department of Education

bottom of page