Our History   Since 2005, schools across the country have been implementing the Stronger Smarter Approach.  This began after the Institute’s founder, Dr Chris Sarra became the first Aboriginal principal of Cherbourg State School in the late 1990s.  Dr Sarra conceptualised the ‘strong and smart’ philosophy which challenged the whole school community to hold higher expectations for their children’s schooling and … Read More

Jardibirrijba group and facilitators at Redcliffe QLD First Nations Women have long been the strong backbone that provide support and structure to Indigenous communities across Australia. The Stronger Smarter Institute’s acknowledges this strength through a new initiative known as the Teachers of STEM Initiative (ToSI).     ToSI ‘s primary focus is to provide various supports and mentoring to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women to assist them in their journey to becoming qualified teachers specialising in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). The Institute … Read More

Delta Kay Nation: Arakwal Bundjalung Currently working as an Aboriginal Education Officer with NPWS in her traditional homelands in Byron Bay. Delta’s stories have been handed down from her mother and her aunties. Her passion is sharing her Arakwal Bundjalung culture through story, dance and sensory experiences aimed at all age groups from early childhood to adults. Come, walk with … Read More

Sam Saunders Teacher School of Special Educational Needs ‘Most of the schools up here are Stronger Smarter schools so we all come from a common place and we all endorse those practices and high expectation leadership.’ Sam Saunders, Teacher Engagement Sam Saunders is a consultant teacher for the School of Special Educational Needs: Behaviour and Engagement based in Broome and works with schools across the Kimberley region.  Sam … Read More

Renee Matheson Principal St Augustine’s Parish Primary School ‘Stronger Smarter – it’s really about common language. It affirmed a lot of my feelings about teaching and education and it’s really about our students. If you’ve always got the students in your forefront, then nothing can go wrong for those kids’ Renee Matheson Renee Matheson has been the Principal of St Augustine’s … Read More

Evelyn Allard Teacher Lockhart State School ‘When I did Stronger Smarter and read Chris Sarra’s book, I felt like it really changed my life. I suddenly said “no, I’m not going to dumb down the curriculum. These kids are so smart I need to change my approach.’ Evelyn Allard Evelyn Allard was a teacher at Lockhart State School in Queensland when … Read More

HISTORIC PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT SUPPORTS EDUCATION TO ENSURE BETTER FUTURES FOR THE TARIBELANG BUNDA COMMUNITY It is with great pleasure that today we announce the launch of Impact with Indigenous Education, a unique partnership program between the Taribelang Aboriginal Corporation, Gladstone Ports Corporation, the Port Curtis Coral Coast Trust, the Queensland Department of Education and the Stronger Smarter Institute. This partnership, … Read More

  This Reading Review is based on a national evaluation report of the targeted Indigenous STEM approach taken by CSIRO as part of their successful procurement of a $28 million grant from BHP Billiton Foundation. The Indigenous STEM Education Project report by Tynan and Noon (2017) expands more specifically into the Indigenous STEM space by providing a comprehensive Literature Review … Read More

This Reading Review explores the paper Postcolonial Computing: A Lens on Design and Development by Irani, Vertesi, Dourish, Philip & Grinter (2010). This paper was suggested by Associate Professor Chris Lawrence from the University of Technology, Sydney. The insights and research from Irani et al. is used by Associate Professor Lawrence as a foundational framework for projects he is currently undertaking to … Read More

An interview with Matt Thompson If a kid’s sitting at home watching daytime TV or kicking a can down the road rather than coming to school, then we have to ask ‘What’s happening at this school?”  Matt Thompson, Principal, Whitfield State School Matt Thompson, the Principal of Whitfield State School in Cairns, undertook one of the very first Stronger Smarter … Read More