From the Director of Innovative Pedagogies

Overwhelmingly Positive and Framed Around the Future

By the time you are reading this you may be well and truly sick of election coverage and keen to switch off from the idea more discussion and dissection of the result. However, it is not the result that I want to write about, but the lessons that we can learn from the approaches of the two major parties in what was a long campaign with a clear and decisive outcome. There are lessons that can be learned from the ways the major parties undertook their campaigns, to what we now know are very different results. Again, this is not about the outcome of the election but an observation on messaging, direction and posture.

As someone who follows politics reasonably closely, I consume a lot of content and a particular article written by the ABC’s Laura Tingle stood out to me this week. Tingle is the Chief Political Editor of 7:30 on the ABC and has been the political editor of the Australian Financial Review, so in a world where everyone has an opinion, I am inclined to listen to her insights.  

When writing about the ALP and LNP campaigns, Tingle noted one party had a major focus on grievances, discontent and fear where the election “was won by a campaign that was overwhelmingly positive and framed around the future.” She emphasised the need to promote a clear and decisive vision, rather than simplistically condemning and denouncing the policies and ideas of the government; dogged and relentless criticism is not a policy base.

In the world more broadly we are in a swirl of tariff talks, cost of living challenges and issues including trade, national security and healthcare. There is uncertainty about the future on a number of fronts. Education and schooling are no different to this. In education circles there are challenges with the integration of AI, curriculum content, high-stakes testing and the ever-present challenges with mobile phones.

As we look at the contrasting approaches to the election, I would like to apply this to our approach to education at Blue Mountains Grammar School and reiterate our purpose, that in the words of Laura Tingle is “overwhelmingly positive and framed around the future.”

As a school we have spent significant time returning to our purpose of Good Learning Doing Good. That is, our teaching and learning should be outstanding. We expect that our teachers and students give 100% to fulfil the potential they have. However, we do not just want students completing work for the sake of it. Good Learning Doing Good is about fostering meaningful connections and interactions that extend beyond the classroom into the real world. Good Learning Doing Good emphasises learning that is grounded in real-life contexts, making it relevant and impactful. This approach supports lifelong learning, encouraging individuals to continuously grow, adapt, and contribute positively to their communities. 

Next week we are beginning an exciting project as part of the Year 7 Odyssey program. Year 7 students, who are being mentored by a Year 11 student will be part of the initiative, Project Daffodil. In this, residents from 2 local aged care facilities will be coming to BMGS, to discuss their lives and exchange ideas around health initiatives and how technology can be used to improve quality of life. This ongoing partnership is linked to the PDHPE and Technology syllabuses and is an example of how with the correct conditions and initiatives we can deliver on our purpose of Good Learning Doing Good. 

We are confident that our approach to learning is, in the words of Laura Tingle, ‘overwhelmingly positive and framed around the future.’ I look forward to sharing with you how this comes to life.

Laura Tingle’s article can be found at: https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-05-04/election-result-labor-victory-positive-future/105247606

Christopher Sanders

Director of Innovative Pedagogies