We’re pleased to announce that Holistic Educator is now available as a standalone, self-paced microcredential. It’s designed for teachers who want to strengthen the human side of how they teach, and we believe it’s one of the most relevant ongoing professional development (PD) options currently available for senior secondary educators.
Why Professional Development Matters
A teaching degree gives you the foundations. But the profession doesn’t stand still — and neither do the students in front of you. Our Wellness Curriculum Designer, Cristina Rojas, puts it plainly: learners today are arriving with higher levels of anxiety, disconnection and emotional fatigue, while educators are under pressure to deliver outcomes quickly and manage increasingly complex classrooms. Many feel they’re expected to be everything at once — teacher, mentor, support person — often without the tools or frameworks to stay grounded themselves.
Anyone teaching VCE, HSC, QCE or equivalent senior secondary cohorts will recognise this immediately. The craft of teaching is well-covered in initial teacher education. The human dimensions — trauma-informed practice, psychological safety, sustainable self-regulation, authentic presence — are where most teachers tell us they want more support as their careers develop.
Holistic Educator is designed to meet that need.
What Teachers Learn in 8 Weeks
- Orientation & Educator Identity — who you are in the room shapes what learners receive.
- Start with WHY — reconnecting with the deeper purpose behind your teaching.
- Curiosity in Action — using inquiry to drive engagement and learner agency.
- Psychological Safety & The Learning Brain — the neuroscience and trauma-informed foundations of how students actually learn.
- Authentic Voice & Connection — moving from delivery to genuine presence.
- Reflective Practice & Resilience — sustainable habits that prevent burnout.
- Ethics, Boundaries & Self-Awareness — holding the line as a professional without losing your humanity.
- Consolidation & Legacy — what kind of educator do you want to be remembered as?
Participants also receive three 1:1 coaching sessions with Cristina Rojas — personalised conversations to work through real classroom challenges and build the kind of self-awareness no online module can deliver on its own. As Cristina puts it:
“The best educators don’t just deliver content — they create conditions where people feel safe enough to learn, grow and believe in themselves again.”
Who Finds It Valuable
- Senior secondary teachers in their first 1–5 years — building durable practice and resilience before burnout sets in
- Teachers working with Year 10–12 students navigating exam pressure, mental health challenges and pathway decisions
- Staff who want trauma-informed and neuroinclusive classroom strategies without committing to a full postgraduate qualification
- Mid-career teachers feeling the early signs of burnout who want to reconnect with their why and refresh their practice
The Practical Details
- Format: Fully online, self-paced, pre-recorded video content
- Duration: 8 weeks (work to your own rhythm)
- Support: 3 x 1:1 coaching sessions with Cristina Rojas (Mental Health Lecturer, Coach & Mentor)
- Outcome: Holistic Educator microcredential on completion
- Availability: On demand — start anytime, no intake dates
- Time commitment: Designed to fit around full-time teaching
The Investment
Total: $990 (inc. GST) — an $825 course fee plus a one-time $165 enrolment fee. PayPal Pay in 4 is available (subject to provider approval).
With EOFY approaching, self-education expenses directly connected to a teacher’s current role are tax-deductible for self-funded staff. For schools, it’s also a great PD spend before 30 June.
Alignment with Australian Professional Standards for Teachers
Holistic Educator maps directly to several of the seven Australian Professional Standards for Teachers (APST), making it straightforward for teachers and PD coordinators to log it as evidence toward maintaining Proficient accreditation.
The program speaks particularly to:
- Standard 1: Know students and how they learn — Week 4 builds knowledge of trauma-informed and neuroinclusive perspectives on how students learn.
- Standard 4: Create and maintain supportive and safe learning environments — psychological safety, authentic connection, and ethics and boundaries (Weeks 4, 5 and 7).
- Standard 6: Engage in professional learning — reflective practice (Week 6) and three 1:1 coaching sessions with Cristina.
- Standard 7: Engage professionally with colleagues, parents/carers and the community — Week 7 on Ethics, Boundaries and Self-Awareness.
We’re happy to provide a content outline mapped against the standards on request.
How to Enrol
The enrolment process is light — no LLN testing, no digital skills assessment, no USI required.
No waiting for an intake. No gatekeeping assessments. Teachers can start the week they enrol.
- Complete the TAE Plus Enrolment Form and nominate Holistic Educator.
- A TAE Plus team member will reach out to book a short 1:1 enrolment chat.
- Pay and then you are ready to go!
For School Leadership
If you’re a principal or PD coordinator considering this for staff, we’re happy to provide a tailored briefing document, discuss group rates, or speak directly with your leadership team about whole-of-school options. Just email us.
Because — to borrow the philosophy that anchors everything we do — healthy teachers create healthy students.
To learn more about Holistic Educator, group enquiries or a leadership briefing, please email TAEPlus@aflsportsready.com.au
Holistic Educator is facilitated by SportsReady Education (RTO 22394), the education arm of AFL SportsReady.