sponge

Absorb best practice in education.

I’m Sarah Durack, a STEM teacher from Sydney and founder of sponge.

I design and deliver practical, research-informed professional development that gets teachers thinking, not falling asleep. As a teacher, I always appreciate professional development that goes beyond long lectures, and I believe presenters should model their own best practices. I aim to walk the talk.

I have a Bachelor of Science (Adv.) with first class Honours from the University of Sydney, and a Bachelor of Education (Secondary) from Macquarie University. I have taught in both private and public sectors.

Before my teaching career, I worked as a science communicator. I also founded and managed a tutoring company with 60 employees.

sarah in a circle of children at CSIRO birthday party.jpg

Workshops

Managing Cognitive Load

Embrace the meta! In this workshop, we will look at strategies for managing student cognitive load in the classroom, whilst managing your cognitive load in the session itself.

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Feedback

We spend time and effort providing students with excellent feedback. How can we make sure it lands? In this workshop we will translate educational research into practice, focusing on both sending and receiving feedback.

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Improving Engagement

By the end of this workshop, teachers will have trialled a range of research-backed strategies to ensure students remain engaged in their learning throughout lessons.

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Questioning

An interactive workshop where we test out best-practice questioning techniques, with a focus on hinge questioning.

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Effective Professional Learning

A workshop for teachers charged with the (un)enviable task of planning professional development for their school. Informed by current research, experience the active ingredients of effective PD while learning about the topic itself.

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Universal Design and Accessibility

In this workshop teachers will learn how to improve the accessibility of resources and learning experience for students with a range of additional needs.

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Podcast

Diary of a Teacher is a mix of honest reflections from the classroom and insights from educational research that shape how I teach.

I record short eps about everything from report writing to reflective practice.

Listen Now

Testimonials

Ben Castelli
Director of Learning and Growth
Redlands School

Sarah has an exceptional ability to tailor professional learning to diverse contexts and audiences. She consistently asks insightful questions that get to the heart of the matter and designs professional learning experiences that truly engage, inspire, and transform a wide range of stakeholders. Her impact is deeply valued and appreciated.

My Articles

Teacher by day, researcher by night - Teacher Magazine, Aug 2022

A good teacher is as valuable as any other professional - SMH, Sept 2020

Those that can do, teach - Teachers Matter, Aug 2020

sponge

Absorb best practice in education.

Workshops

Embrace the meta! In this workshop, we will look at strategies for managing student cognitive load in the classroom, whilst managing your cognitive load in the session itself.

We spend time and effort providing students with excellent feedback. How can we make sure it lands? In this workshop we will translate educational research into practice, focusing on both sending and receiving feedback.

By the end of this workshop, teachers will have trialled a range of research-backed strategies to ensure students remain engaged in their learning throughout lessons.

An interactive workshop where we test out best-practice questioning techniques, with a focus on hinge questioning.

A workshop for teachers charged with the (un)enviable task of planning professional development for their school. Informed by current research, experience the active ingredients of effective PD while learning about the topic itself.

In this workshop teachers will learn how to improve the accessibility of resources and learning experience for students with a range of additional needs.

Podcast

Diary of a Teacher is a mix of honest reflections from the classroom and insights from educational research that shape how I teach.

I record short eps about everything from report writing to reflective practice.

Testimonials

Ben Castelli
Director of Learning and Growth
Redlands School

My Articles

Teacher by day, researcher by night - Teacher Magazine, Aug 2022

A good teacher is as valuable as any other professional - SMH, Sept 2020

Those that can do, teach - Teachers Matter, Aug 2020

Contact me to book a workshop.

sponge

ABN: 76310550429 © 2025

sponge

Absorb best practice in education.

Workshops

Embrace the meta! In this workshop, we will look at strategies for managing student cognitive load in the classroom, whilst managing your cognitive load in the session itself.

We spend time and effort providing students with excellent feedback. How can we make sure it lands? In this workshop we will translate educational research into practice, focusing on both sending and receiving feedback.

By the end of this workshop, teachers will have trialled a range of research-backed strategies to ensure students remain engaged in their learning throughout lessons.

An interactive workshop where we test out best-practice questioning techniques, with a focus on hinge questioning.

A workshop for teachers charged with the (un)enviable task of planning professional development for their school. Informed by current research, experience the active ingredients of effective PD while learning about the topic itself.

In this workshop teachers will learn how to improve the accessibility of resources and learning experience for students with a range of additional needs.

Podcast

Diary of a Teacher is a mix of honest reflections from the classroom and insights from educational research that shape how I teach.

​

I record short eps about everything from report writing to reflective practice.

Testimonials

Ben Castelli Director of Learning and Growth Redlands School

My Articles

Teacher by day, researcher by night - Teacher Magazine, Aug 2022 ​ A good teacher is as valuable as any other professional - SMH, Sept 2020 ​ Those that can do, teach - Teachers Matter, Aug 2020

Contact me to book a workshop.

sponge

ABN: 76310550429 © 2025

Ben Castelli
Director of Learning and Growth
Redlands School

Teacher by day, researcher by night - Teacher Magazine, Aug 2022

A good teacher is as valuable as any other professional - SMH, Sept 2020

Those that can do, teach - Teachers Matter, Aug 2020