The Freire Project

I lecture in curriculum and pedagogy for both undergraduate and post graduate pre-service teachers at Monash University Australia.
I was formerly a high school teacher and school principal in government (public)schools.
My research focuses on teacher pedagogies that engage all students but in particular how can these improve outcomes for students? from communities of disadvantage.

The ruMAD Program which I developed with teachers in 2001 was awarded the Garth Boomer Prize for its excellence in collaborative teaching and learning.
http://www.monash.edu.au/news/monashmemo/assets/includes/content/2009101...

I am Co-director (with Paul Carr) of the Global Doing Democracy Research Project http://doingdemocracy.ning.com an international project examining perspectives & perceptions of democracy in education to develop a robust & critical democratic education with over 50 researchers in 15 countries.

I am also currently researching teacher beliefs about their own pedagogical efficacy and their beliefs about students from Culturally, Linguistically and Economically Diverse (CLED) Communities. This research has an international focus working together with academics both in Texas and Canada.

I am Director of E-LINCs (Enhanced Learning through Networked Communities). This innovative research commenced in July 2009 is a located in two state primary schools in the Southern Metropolitan Region with students from Cultural Linguistic and Economically Diverse (CLED) communities where many students are experiencing learning difficulties and school engagement problems as a result of their socio-economic and cultural diversity. Both schools have communities characterised by up to 40 nationalities in each school and up to 36 languages spoken by its children and families. Recent refugees from Africa and Asia as well as Cook Island migrants make up a significant proportion of the school population. The project was featured in a national paper on Monday August 24, 2009 http://www.theage.com.au/national/education/homework-horrors-20090821-et...
This pilot project researches new approaches and innovative solutions that rely on grass roots partnerships rather than top down government interventions. Our focus is on the well documented problem of CLED children’s disengagement from their academic learning which is evident in both the primary schools in this project. Student disengagement is a global phenomenon, in particular has been highlighted in recent Australian and Victorian research.