Holiday Read Part 2: Innovation, Culture & Trust in Education

As you move into the second week of the school holidays or back to school (depending on your state), you may be feeling ready to look outward toward the bigger picture of how we design schools, lead teams, and build a culture of trust.

This week’s list is for education leaders and change-makers who want to rethink school culture, elevate leadership, and reimagine what’s possible in the classroom and beyond.

What School Could Be by Ted Dintersmith

If you’ve ever felt disheartened by the way traditional schooling seems to miss the mark when it comes to preparing young people for the complexities of life beyond the classroom, this book offers both a critique and a counter-narrative.

In What School Could Be, Dintersmith (an innovation advocate and former venture capitalist) documents his year-long journey across all 50 US states, visiting hundreds of schools and talking with countless educators, students, and leaders.

What sets this book apart is its balance of realism and optimism. Dintersmith doesn’t shy away from the systemic challenges that plague education, particularly the stranglehold of standardised testing. But what shines through are the stories of educators who are breaking the mould, teachers and schools that are embracing curiosity, creativity, collaboration, and student-driven learning.

These are not elite, out-of-reach models, but practical, replicable approaches that any school could adapt.

For educators in Australia, the book raises a compelling question: How can we shift from a compliance-based culture to one that values innovation and trust? Dintersmith reminds us that the future of education doesn’t have to be top-down; it can (and should) start in the classroom.

In Teachers We Trust: The Finnish Way to World-Class Schools by Pasi Sahlberg & Timothy D. Walker

What does it really mean to trust teachers? In this thought-provoking book, Finnish education expert Pasi Sahlberg teams up with American educator Timothy Walker to explore what makes Finland’s education system so admired around the world, and what other countries might learn from it.

The authors break down seven key principles that underpin the Finnish model, from collective responsibility and collaboration to teacher professionalism and wellbeing.

Unlike many education books that feel abstract or overly policy-focused, In Teachers We Trust weaves together real classroom stories, cultural insights, and evidence-based practices in a way that’s both intellectually rich and deeply human.

One of the book’s most powerful takeaways is the idea that trust isn’t just a feel-good concept, it’s foundational to high-performing systems. When teachers are trusted, they’re more likely to innovate, collaborate, and invest in the long-term growth of their students.

For Australian educators navigating increasing accountability pressures, this book offers a refreshing and empowering perspective. It challenges us to rethink assumptions: What if we valued teacher autonomy as much as student outcomes? What if trust wasn’t earned through compliance, but granted through respect for professional expertise?

Leaders Eat Last by Simon Sinek

A modern classic on leadership and culture, Leaders Eat Last is essential reading for anyone trying to build stronger, more human-centred teams in schools. Sinek draws on biology, anthropology, and case studies from business and the military to make a simple case: leaders who put their people first build environments where trust, collaboration, and performance thrive.

In schools, we often talk about “culture” without always naming what it looks like or how to create it. This book gets practical about the biology of trust, why psychological safety matters, how stress impacts teams, and what it really takes to create a school culture where people thrive rather than just survive.

For principals, team leaders, aspiring leaders, and even classroom teachers who lead from the middle, Leaders Eat Last offers a lens to reframe leadership not as control, but as service. It reinforces the idea that strong teams are built when leaders invest in wellbeing, celebrate shared wins, and create space for vulnerability.

If you’re stepping into a leadership role next term or simply want to build deeper trust within your team, this is one to read with a highlighter in hand.

A final note for Part 2

We hope these reads inspire you to lead with courage, think differently, and continue shaping schools that serve the needs of today’s learners and tomorrow’s world.