Dr Kate Halcrow
Position
Primary Program Director BEd/ MTeach
MTeach and Lecturer in Initial Teacher Education
Contact details
E: kate.halcrow@canberra.edu.au
T: +61 2 6201 2446
L: Building 6 Room D35
Biography
Dr Kate Halcrow gained a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in English Literature and History and a Master of Teaching (Primary) at the University of Sydney in 1997. Kate was elected to the 67th SRC at the University of Sydney. She returned to complete her doctoral studies in 2017, and explored the interdisciplinary links between music and writing (specifically, rhythm and grammar) especially drawing on neurocognitive and arts-based research and the process philosophy of Alfred North Whitehead. She has conducted empirical studies in NSW and ACT classrooms. Dr Halcrow has also presented and published internationally and in Australia, with a focus on literacy and music education, including in research forums in France and the UK. Kate is a co-convenor of Language and Literacy for AARE, and a member of PETAA, ALEA, PESA, FFLL and ASME.
Prior to academic life, Dr Halcrow was a Head of Primary, Curriculum Coordinator and classroom teacher in K-6 and K-12 Independent, Catholic and public schools in Sydney, 91直播, and rural NSW over more than 20 years. She has led numerous action research projects and is now a critical friend for Teachers as Researchers.
As a classroom teacher, Kate founded the Pens Against Poverty schools writing competition a collaboration with Anti Poverty Week and Anglicare Australia. Kate also directed large scale school theatre productions, including Just Macbeth, Midsummer Nights Dream and an original adaptation of The Arrival with the support of author Shaun Tan, which included a songwriting collaboration with an ARIA award winning classical composer and which was nominated for 3 ACTEWAGL (CAT) awards. Kate led school choirs, drama groups, creative writing clubs and programs for high potential students, including Brainwaves. Kate was trained in PYP, undertook training with Harvard Ground Zero and was a system level NAPLAN writing training observer. Kate has also had middle level women’s leadership training with NESLI.
Since 2021, Kate has lectured at UC (and the University of Sydney) in English literacy, the arts, HASS, Human Development and curriculum studies. In 2024, Kate was Deputy MEd studies. In 2025, Kate took up the role of Primary Program Director (BEd/ MTeach) within the School of Teacher Education.
Kate supervises doctoral students and has research interests in literacy and language, the creative arts (music and drama), philosophy, civics education and high potential/ gifted and talented education.