This month’s article has been written by ACELQ Executive Ms Fiona Roush. Fiona is currently Dean of Teaching at Sunshine Coast Grammar School.
There was a genuine sense of community at the March ACEL Aspiring and Early Career Teacher Breakfast. A splendid gathering of early‑career educators and mentors sharing their experiences and thoughts of the joy of teaching. The event originated from the conceptual work of ACELQ Executive members Adam Kuss, Tania Leech and Bruce Addison. Head of St Hilda’s Learning Institute and ACELQ Executive member Majda Benzenati’s keynote address offered a compelling reflection on her teaching journey, affirming the privilege of being educators and the profound responsibility we hold in the lives of our students. The morning was further enriched by thoughtful and engaging table conversations, expertly facilitated by Director of Professional Practice at Brisbane Girls Grammar School and ACELQ Executive member Susan Garson. ACELQs Statement of Commitment to the Profession of Teaching provided the foundational intellectual thread to the discussions. The Statement of Commitment document discussion was led expertly by two of the original authors: Karen Fox (a past President of ACELQ) and Alex Mason (University of Queensland). The energy and openness of young educators was inspiring—and it prompted a deeper reflection: while we spend considerable time modelling effective strategies and systems, when do we explicitly model and support the courage required in education?
A good friend, who works in a hospital emergency department, often uses the term ‘courage fatigue’ [a term popularised on LinkedIn]. It captures professionals who navigate complex challenges each day with confidence and composure, carrying the quiet weight of sustained effort. In leadership we often undervalue the impact of time-responsive professional practice. We cheapen the importance of quickly responding to problems, supporting staff in life and endeavours, tending to parent concerns… Traditionally, this form of professional hustle left a defeatist taste of unfulfilled ambition; a sense further magnified by the cold, half cup of tea often left on desks. However, such dialogue has itself become tired and outdated. Instead, the dialogue has shifted to applaud the leadership required to extinguish the harm or hindrance. Time‑responsive professional practice, despite being routinely undervalued, warrants recognition. It requires dispositions of patience, vulnerability, and courage, particularly when undertaken under conditions of immediacy and uncertainty. Yet leaders with purpose know that it does not stop there, restoration and growth are the next steps.
I enjoy reading Canadian educator Michael Fullan’s work. He argues that real change in education depends on leaders who are willing to work through the mess, not just wait for the perfect moment. In Leading in a Culture of Change, he is clear: ‘courage in leadership shows up in persistence, building trust, and staying true to your values—not in trying to control everything or pretending you have all the answers’.
ACEL’s Bold Leader Toolkit reaffirms just that, providing a reminder of what it takes to empower others while encouraging a culture of change. As someone who at times takes a Marie Condo approach to leadership, I appreciate that the Toolkit reinforces acting with purposeful and manageable steps but also acknowledges that education does get messy. Collegial conversations and student meetings are always at the heart of what we often view as ‘big picture’ distractions. The toolkit is a reminder that the perceived interruptions to strategic intent are not to be cheapened but acknowledged as the important foundation of developing relationships and nurturing a culture of challenge and change.
One thing I have learned from the Toolkit is that it is essential to appreciate the bravery required to engage in meaningful—even challenging—conversations. If such conversations are side-stepped, progress and change are the casualty. To avoid ‘courage fatigue’, the focus must be on praising those who lead courageously, while also providing clear guidance on how to still pursue larger goals.
This raises a critical question for the profession: how do we intentionally prepare the next generation of teachers, or mentor those aspiring to leadership, to act with courage? A reliance on promoting those who ‘just have it’ is neither equitable nor sustainable. Courage must be cultivated through deliberate empowerment and the consistent modelling of professional, principled conversations—visible not as exception, but as norm. Providing early‑career teachers with opportunities to hear professional narratives and reflect on experience represents an important first step in fostering a supportive professional community that sustains joy and professional courage.