Leading Professional Learning in Isolated School Sites

Evelyn Carter

Welcome back to Leading for Impact in Anangu Lands Schools. I'm Evelyn Carter, as always joined by Liam Warragul and Dan Harrison. Today we're diving into something that touches every teacher out bush—how do we actually make professional learning work in tiny, isolated school sites? Because, let's be honest, it's a world away from the city, isn't it?

Liam Warragul

Oh absolutely, Evelyn. Professional development can look pretty different out here. It's not like you can just pop next door for a peer observation, or wander down the corridor for a quick chat after a PD. And a lot of our staff—whether they're just starting out or have been here for ages—need something that's more than just a one-off, you know?

Dan Harrison

Yeah, that's spot on. I remember when I first came out to the Lands, I was keen as, but it felt a bit like being dropped on Mars when it came to upskilling. You can't rely on regular face-to-face or wait for a conference. We had to do things pretty differently. I like that we’re talking about a culture of shared learning here—because, really, everyone’s still learning, whether you’ve been at Ernabella or Kenmore Park or wherever for twenty plus years or you’re fresh off the plane.

Evelyn Carter

That actually leads beautifully into our first point: building a culture of shared learning. It’s not just about ticking a box on a PD calendar. It’s about making growth normal, right? That might mean starting each staff meeting with a quick five-minute practice share. It could be a teacher talking about a classroom win or even something that bombed spectacularly—but sharing what they learned! It takes a bit of vulnerability but makes learning everyone’s business.

Liam Warragul

And you know, in our Anangu Lands schools, folks watch what you do, not just what you say. So if leaders are open to learning, trying new things—even messing up a little in front of everyone—that sets a tone. It tells the whole team, including Anangu educators, that we’re all in this together. Modeling lifelong learning is just as important as actually running sessions on curriculum or anything else.

Dan Harrison

Yeah, and I reckon that approach cuts through resistance, too. If you’ve been at the same site for a long time, it can be easy to feel like, “I know how things work here.” But if everybody—leader, new grad, even the bus driver—gets involved in sharing a practice or giving feedback, it shifts the feeling. Suddenly, growth is the norm, not the exception.

Evelyn Carter

Exactly. And that brings us to career stages. You can’t run the same PD for someone who’s just figuring out their first term from an experienced mentor. Dan, you’ve mentored lots of early career teachers—how do you handle that?

Dan Harrison

I mean, it’s gotta be practical for them—classroom management, curriculum planning, and understanding the cultural context are always front and centre for new folks. So, regular check-ins are crucial. It doesn’t have to be super formal—sometimes it’s just yarning after school or in the ute on the way to the store. For more experienced staff, it’s about extending practice—maybe peer observations, leading SIP actions, or even co-facilitating staff learning. And giving them space to set personal goals is essential. We use individual development plans and try linking those to both the SIP and the person’s own aspirations, so it’s meaningful.

Liam Warragul

What I like about that is, it keeps professional learning relevant. Too many times, I've seen blanket PD rolled out—what was it, that PowerPoint marathon about generic reading improvement? Anyway, if it doesn’t fit the immediate needs—especially in remote sites—people just zone out. Tailoring learning makes it relevant and gives everyone a sense of progress.

Evelyn Carter

And don’t forget, leveraging local expertise is gold. We’ve talked before, in episodes around relational accountability and co-leadership, about how important Anangu voices are. That absolutely applies to professional learning too. When Anangu educators, community members, or evenP.Y.E.C. co-facilitate sessions, learning becomes way more anchored in the local context. It builds cultural capability along with your teaching skills.

Dan Harrison

Oh definitely. The best insights I’ve had have been from working alongside Anangu colleagues—just being open to seeing what works from their perspective in our local context. Who’s expertise are we actually overlooking in our learning spaces? That’s something leaders should keep asking themselves—because it’s too easy to default to whoever’s loudest or most qualified on paper.

Liam Warragul

And that links to flexibility, doesn’t it? Trying to run all your PD face-to-face just doesn't work when the weather, events, or family leave can scatter a team in all directions. A mix—bit of face-to-face, on-the-job coaching, then shorter online check-ins between visits—can keep things moving. Just a focused 15-minute session on Teams between that big SIP workshop keeps momentum alive, without everyone getting distracted or disengaged.

Dan Harrison

Death by PowerPoint just doesn't work. It's not culturally responsive and it just turns people off. Honestly, a PowerPoint presentation with more than 3 or 4 slides... what is it really going to achieve?

Evelyn Carter

Maintaining that momentum is hard, though, especially with staff turnover. And if you don’t have a follow-up, learning just evaporates. There’s real value in setting up a routine: two weeks after any professional learning, book in a peer observation or a coaching check-in. It doesn’t have to be a big thing—just showing up in someone’s classroom, having a quick chat about what you tried, what flopped, what stuck. That makes the learning real.

Dan Harrison

Yeah, we’ve all probably been to those “one and done” PD events where you head back to class, ponder it for a day, then never think about it again. Without visible follow-up, nothing changes. When coaching or reflection is embedded—say, in regular staff meetings, or just boards where people jot ideas or hurdles—it normalises getting feedback. It’s no big deal, it’s just what we do here.

Liam Warragul

One last thing for leaders—it’s always worth asking, who’s expertise are we missing? And what’s something simple we can do to keep things rolling between those official sessions? Sometimes the best ideas come out of a quick kitchen chat, not a scheduled workshop.

Dan Harrison

That's why it's essential that leaders are in classrooms every day! It's those informal observations and coaching conversations that make all the difference. And sometimes, it's just making an observation and then asking a coaching question!

Evelyn Carter

Such good reminders. Well, that just about wraps us for today, but this is one of those topics that's never really finished—there's always more to learn around building strong, relevant professional learning communities, especially in the unique world of Anangu Lands. Thanks, Liam, and Dan, for sharing your stories and wisdom as always.

Dan Harrison

Cheers, Evelyn. And big thanks to everyone listening—if you’ve got ideas that work for your team or questions you want us to cover, send them to Mat Charleston. Your input is really valuable.

Liam Warragul

Yeah, thanks for tuning in. Keep that growth mindset going, and we’ll catch you next time. Palya!

Evelyn Carter

Alright, Palya for now everyone—look forward to having you with us on the next episode of Leading for Impact in Anangu Lands Schools.