About Us - EMP

Wendy, Mork, Toni, Ollie and Michael (pictured below) have been working on the EMP tirelessly for the last few years. We’re so excited to be able to finally bring it to Australian schools in 2025. To find out a little more about each of the team members, please read on.

Wendy Taylor - Dr. Do Lots:

Dr Wendy Taylor obtained a PhD in pure mathematics in 2011 and has been teaching mathematics since 2012. Her experience ranges from primary school maths intervention to senior secondary mathematics, including many years in Leading Teacher and Learning Specialist roles. She is currently working as a maths intervention and maths extension teacher at a Victorian Primary School. Since beginning her teaching career Wendy has spent countless hours creating educational resources; implementing them with her students, and sharing them with colleagues through websites, conferences, journal articles and the less formal “maths, wine and cheese nights” that she hosts. Wendy has been the key architect of the Explicit Mathematics Program and has both designed and written all Daily Reviews and Assessments, as well as keeping the rest of the team in line and on track!

David Morkunas - The Lessonator:

David (Mork) Morkunas is a Learning Specialist at a primary school in Victoria. He is a teacher and consultant with many years of experience and is well known across Australia for his presentations on primary mathematics teaching and the power of daily reviews. When he isn’t teaching, David works with schools around Australia to improve mathematics instruction. Mork has been the primary lesson writer for the EMP, creating both the explicit lessons and preparing student workbooks to accompany these highly structured sessions.

Ollie Lovell - Mr. System:

Oliver (Ollie) Lovell has taught in the public and private sectors, as well as higher education, for over a decade. He is host of the popular Education Research Reading Room podcast, now in its 8th year and with over a million downloads. The writer of three Amazon bestselling books for teachers: Cognitive Load Theory in Action, Tools for Teachers, and The Classroom Management Handbook, Ollie is nationally renowned as an educator who is able to clarify, codify, and communicate the best that research and practical experience has to offer time-poor teachers. In his day job, Ollie is the Director of Steplab Australia, a professional learning platform that provides schools with everything needed to systematically improve teaching. Ollie has brought his deep knowledge of Cognitive Load Theory and education research to every facet of the EMP, adding system design expertise along the way too. Ollie also designs the professional development for the EMP.

Toni Hatten-Roberts - The Knowledge Vault:

Toni Hatten-Roberts is one of the most accomplished teachers Australia wide, having recently been awarded the Commonwealth Bank Teacher of the Year Award for 2022 Teaching Fellows. In 2016 she received the prestigious National Institute for Direct Instruction (USA) Educator of the Year award and is still the only Australian teacher to ever have won this award. She is the author of the Centre for Independent Studies publication “The Need for Speed: why fluency counts for maths learning”. Toni has a wide and diverse experience in education having served as a teacher in early childhood, primary school and secondary school; a regional advisor for mathematics, science, outdoor education and gifted education; a Head of Curriculum; a Deputy Principal; a Principal; and a Director of Education. Toni is currently a Director and Lead Consultant for COGlearn and is a co-founder and Executive Director of Education of Mastery Schools Australia, now with 5 campuses around the nation delivering high-quality instruction to students in need through the science of learning. Toni’s original research into the impact of verbal rehearsal to reduce cognitive load was recognised through her participation in the International Conference of Learning Sciences in London in 2018. Toni has consistently brought her practical knowledge and refined expertise regarding primary mathematics education to the EMP to support its development at every turn. COGlearn has also been the founding sponsor of EMP.

Michael Roberts - The Visionary:

Michael Roberts is a highly respected school principal in Australia, known for his exceptional leadership and dedication to student success. With over thirty years of experience in the education sector, he has worked tirelessly to create a positive learning environment that fosters academic excellence and personal growth. After completing his Bachelor’s Degree in education, Michael began his career as a teacher before quickly advancing to various leadership roles in schools across Australia and South East Asia. His passion for education and his commitment to empowering students led him to pursue an honours degree in Psychological Science, which he completed in 2016. Between 2011 and 2017, Michael led Broadbeach State School to amazing results in all areas. This was as a direct result of the adoption of science of learning principles, explicit instruction pedagogy and Direct Instruction programs. Michael has held national roles, firstly as Executive Director of Schools for Good to Great Schools Australia, then as a panellist for the National Review into Educational Achievement (Gonski 2) and finally as General Manager of Learning Difficulties Australia. In 2020, Michael decided to synthesise his experiences into the development of a new schooling system to support the many students left behind by mainstream education approaches. From this, Mastery Schools Australia was born. Michael is currently Managing Director of Mastery Schools Australia, Board Member of Science of Teaching and Learning Australia, and Board Member of Men of Business Academy. Michael is the visionary behind the EMP and has worked since the EMP’s inception to ensure that all organisational, legal, and financial requirements are in place to bring the program to life. He has constantly pushed the project with more and more ambitious targets to help the whole team to ensure that the program is both is of the highest quality, and in classrooms and helping students at the earliest possible date.