The Next Word: ai and teachers

Matthew’s presentation was engaging, inspiring and informative and opened my eyes to a wide variety of opportunities to implement AI into not only my work but education as a whole. Absolutely fantastic!’

We had the pleasure of welcoming Matt Esterman to our school for a professional learning event this year on the use of AI in education, and the experience exceeded all expectations. Matt's presentation was not only engaging but also expertly tailored to the specific needs of our teaching staff. He skilfully blended evidence-based research with practical strategies that could be immediately implemented in the classroom, ensuring that our teachers left with a clear understanding of how to effectively harness AI to enhance their teaching practices. The session was dynamic and interactive, keeping our staff engaged from start to finish. We highly recommend Matt to any school looking to explore AI in education and equip their teachers with cutting-edge, practical tools.
 

Recently I was privileged to join around 25 experienced Principals to take part in the inaugural 6R Leadership Program from The Brown Collective. As part of this Program we had Matthew Esterman, Founder and Director of The Next Word, work with us regarding both big-picture and specific ideas around AI. Matthew's content and approach were both fantastic; he was detailed in his content, and careful in his approach. Matthew speaks from three lenses as teacher, technology leader/enthusiast and parent, and all of these are very helpful when navigating how AI may best work for us. His continuing language around 'doing what we can' and 'looking for a good first draft', with a simultaneous focus on the very sharpness of different features of AI, filled us with the confidence we needed to work with, and ideally lead, this work within our communities. He was outstanding to learn from and work with.

Your keynote and workshops generated a buzz of positive discussion about how we can enhance our teaching practices with the tactical use of AI. What a way to kick off our school’s Gen AI agenda! 

[This engagement involved an interactive keynote with the whole staff and follow up workshops with different teams within the school.]

Other comments from staff:

"The best PD I've had in a long time!"

"This will change how I do programming from now on."

"You've just helped me think about all my students and how I can help them!"

I am pleased to recommend Matthew for his services as an educational speaker and consultant. Matthew presented an engaging workshop for our staff entitled “AI 101” which was very well received. We asked that he explore this new technology in a way that included all our staff, including those who had not yet engaged at all with it. Matthew exceeded our expectations, providing a detailed

and entertaining talk which also had well-paced, hands-on activities so that we could apply our learning at once.

Matthew’s calm and warm demeanour, matched with his clear enthusiasm for education and student learning, meant that all staff felt they could ask

questions, discuss the issues, and explore opportunities at their own pace. We felt provoked to think differently but also supported to do so in our own context. 

Our staff room was abuzz with excitement thanks to his presentation! 

I recommend Matthew, without hesitation, for any schools who wish to further

their journey into this exciting future. 

Matt has been instrumental to the conversation around the future of school and learning design across several projects. He brings a unique perspective to the design process, always with an open mind and open ears. And always, always focused on the best outcomes for students.

Amongst many other initiatives, workshops and projects, we worked most closely together on the inspiring Lindfield Learning Village and Arthur Phillip High School projects. These visionary projects benefitted from Matt's take on education and how physical spaces can interact with our educational goals.

I have known Matt Esterman for six years and have had the pleasure of working alongside him in conferences, collaborations and bespoke projects.

Matt is quite simply an exceptional educator. 

Most impressive is his passion for developing the true potential of young adults with a view to enhancing opportunities for curiosity, creativity, communication and caring.

Well informed, outward looking and forward thinking Matt is driven to make a positive difference, connecting young people with their unique potential through opportunities such as the creative application of technology and human characteristics of empathy and positive connection with others.

His first book, The Next Word, written in collaboration with Dr Nicholas Jackson signal the first step in his journey to build capacity and capability in learners within Australia and across the international education community.

 Matt has long been an enthusiastic advocate for innovation in education. He has a relentless focus on improving both the student experience and student outcomes, and is quick to seize upon innovations in educational technology that might allow us to do this. He constantly challenges teachers to rethink their ‘common sense’ practices and question whether there is a better way of doing this. I’m sure his book will be a valuable tool for all teachers.  

What truly sets Matt apart is his practical approach to teaching, learning and technology. He doesn't rely on theoretical concepts alone; instead, he combines them with actionable strategies that yield tangible results and shares this with others. His commitment to long-term growth and improvement is evident in the positive changes he brings to both students, colleagues and industry across the entire education sector. 

Matt's dedication to education extends beyond the classroom. He actively seeks out and implements professional development opportunities, stays informed about the latest pedagogical trends, and shares his knowledge generously. His passion for transformative education is contagious, and it motivates everyone around him.
 

Go to About to find out more.