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"That's the thing about great leaders- they see something in us that we don't see in ourselves...yet!"
Amanda Sutera
Hi,
I'm Amanda
I’m an Instructional Literacy Coach and Consultant, Leadership Coach, Podcaster and Founder of Hands On Heads Literacy Consulting, and I’m passionate about leadership, literacy and learning. I believe in supporting leaders, teachers and students to achieve literacy success and their very best.
I established Hands on Heads Consulting to support and inspire educators in their literacy practice. During my 16 plus years in the teaching profession, I was a Primary Classroom Teacher, experiencing both lower and upper primary year levels. As my career progressed, I held positions of leadership, including Literacy Coach, International Baccalaureate Primary Years Programme Coordinator and Head of Curriculum (Junior School). I loved collaborating with my colleagues to research, inquire, plan, implement, reflect and evaluate effective and evidence-informed literacy practices while building the capacity of classroom teachers for them to see the success of their students' literacy progress.
Having completed courses, such as Instructional Coaching, Coaching Certification Program and Coaching in Leadership, I bring a ‘coaching way of being’ to my servant and transformative leadership, from the formal coaching cycles, to the way I facilitate workshops and planning sessions, to the incidental conversations.
As a Literacy Coach and Literacy Consultant, I’ve researched structured literacy approaches and explicit teaching practices for educators in Years 5-9. I’ve collaborated with leaders and teachers to implement the practical elements of the theoretical underpinnings to transform the depth and rigour they bring to their literacy practices. I pride myself on having high expectations of the schools I collaborate with and of the quality of expertise and experience I contribute to the partnership.
My multidimensional approach to literacy has been appreciated for the way it combines explicit teaching while harnessing student agency and collaboration when drawing on a range of evidence-informed resources, frameworks, models and strategies. This approach reflects my commitment to integrity, ensuring literacy instruction is both purposeful and practical.
When I’m not working with schools, you’ll find me up to my elbows in sticky notes sprawled across my desk (the pastel-colour kind), or deep diving into the latest evidence and inspiration behind innovative best practices both in literacy, education and leadership. Otherwise, you’ll find me baking at the beach (not in the kitchen), communicating with my Italian fiancé (in Italian) or in the gym, but never before an almond latte!
Connection
is about the way we relate to and interact with others. We exchange energy with others, be it the first time we meet, when we interact with familiar faces again and again, or when we reconnect after a long period of time. Our connections become meaningful as we form, build and sustain relationships through trust and common ground. In education, the important connections are the ones we form with our colleagues in the staffroom, educators at network events, with the parents in the car park, and of course, at the very core, the students in our classrooms.
Collaboration
enables us to learn from and with others, drawing on and bringing our individual expertise to work in partnership towards a desired collective outcome. Collaboration is crucial to evoke change and transformation- we can’t go it alone. When we collaborate with compassion, we create a sense of shared responsibility where we are all included in the process- staff, parents, educators and of course, the students.
Authenticity
means living wholeheartedly as yourself- showing up in the world exactly as you are. With sincerity comes vulnerability, and when we step into zones of discomfort we grow and change. This requires establishing trust and safety. From here we are able to take risks to accomplish and achieve- lessons we teach our students every day. In education, we take authentic actions to research, plan, implement and evaluate opportunities of progress. We make appropriate decisions to transform learning for the good of all involved - colleagues, parents, and fundamentally,
the students.
"Your students must be progressing extremely well....You are doing impressive work, Amanda! Keep on going!"
Lyn Sharratt
Practitioner, Researcher, Author, and Presenter
My Mission
My mission here at Hands on Heads is to make a lasting impact on the learning of both teachers and students through clear, confident and consistent literacy practice. I do this through professional learning to help teachers, educators and school leaders strengthen and build capacity and capability to deliver reading and writing instruction in a way that enhances learning and engagement. I align reading and writing, where possible, with other learning areas to ensure learning is purposeful, relevant and significant. Through meaningful connections, compassionate collaboration and authentic actions, I work with you in achieving desired literacy goals that focus around student-centred outcomes.
Grounded in evidence.
Inspired by research.
Informed by practice.
"Amanda is an outstanding educator with a wealth of experience and expertise in the classroom and as a teacher leader. She has a passion for literacy education and deep knowledge of engaging ways to inspire students to take ownership of their learning and stretch themselves. Amanda is a highly successful classroom teacher who is now sharing her practice with those who want to strengthen their use of evidence informed pedagogies. Working with Amanda will build confidence in your own teaching and your ability to be a reflective practitioner."
Mary Jones, Principal
St Francis Xavier Primary School, Melbourne