There are few things more familiar in schools than collaborative time that begins with good intentions but does not quite lead anywhere. Meetings happen, discussion takes place, yet it can feel as though the real work never quite gets done. Elevated Conversations by Dr. Simon Breakspear tackles this challenge in a practical and realistic way.
I first encountered Simon’s work through Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools, where his approach to professional learning stood out for its clarity and usefulness. This book reflects that same approach. It does not try to reinvent collaboration or add more to already busy schedules. Instead, it focuses on improving the quality of the conversations that are already happening in schools.
One of the strengths of the book is how clearly Breakspear describes what many educators experience but rarely name. He refers to “weary talk”, conversations that go around in circles, where some voices dominate, others disengage, and time runs out before anything meaningful shifts. This is not framed as a problem with people, but as a problem of structure. Bringing people together is not enough on its own. Good collaboration needs to be designed.
The book provides a set of conversational tools that help teams think more clearly and make better use of their time together. The strength of these tools is their practicality. They are time bound, easy to use, and designed for real school settings where collaboration often sits between competing priorities. By making thinking visible through shared prompts and templates, conversations move away from opinion and towards collective problem solving and clearer next steps.
A consistent message throughout the book is that most schools will not find more time for collaboration. The opportunity lies in using existing time better. Breakspear encourages leaders to start small, improve one meeting or one structure, and allow better habits to grow from there. This feels realistic in schools, where change is usually built through small, consistent improvements rather than large scale redesign.
Perhaps the most important idea in the book is that collaborative time shapes culture. When meetings feel unfocused, it sends a message that shared time does not matter. When conversations are purposeful and lead somewhere, trust and momentum grow. Teams begin to see collaboration as valuable rather than something to get through.
Elevated Conversations is a practical and highly usable book for school leaders and teachers looking to improve the way teams work together. It offers clear structures that can be applied immediately, without adding complexity. The message is simple but important. Better collaboration does not require more time. It requires better conversations.
