TheEducator May 2026 by Naomi Nicholas
In November 2025, educators, funders, and sector leaders gathered in Sydney for The Reality of Teaching: Insights from Australia’s Educators, a conversation grounded in lived experience and honest reflection.
Hosted by Primary Ethics in partnership with Cool.org, and proudly supported by The Waratah Education Foundation, the event created space for teachers to speak candidly about the realities of teaching in Australia today.
At a time when schools are navigating rising workloads, growing youth wellbeing concerns, and constant change, the discussion centred the voices of educators working at the frontline.
The panel consisted of very experienced and passionate educators, including Alex Wharton (Rural NSW Government school), Samira Gashi (VIC FLO School), and Tanna Hardinge (proud Byelle and Kanaka woman, Cool.org First Nations Education Lead and experienced secondary educator). What they shared was confronting, moving, and deeply instructive.
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