Who We Are
The CCTE is led by an expert critical thinking team of practitioners and thought purveyors.
Dr Britta Jensen
Director, Centre for Critical Thinking
Dr Britta Jensen’s areas of academic expertise are Philosophy, Linguistics, & cognitive science (DPhil, Oxon 2003). After a brief role at the University of Cambridge (UK) she took up a post-doctoral research role at Macquarie University’s Centre for Cognitive Science as part of the ARC-funded project Logic and language: Foundations of cognitive growth.
A passionate educator she relishes opportunities to engage thinkers of all ages in the study of philosophy, logic, and languages. Her experiences include teaching primary, secondary, and tertiary learners, developing curricula, and supporting teacher development through mentorship and professional learning.
She is a Federation of Asia-Pacific Philosophy in Schools Association (FAPSA) Teacher Educator, President of the Philosophy in Schools Association of NSW since 2018, and has served on the editorial board of FAPSA’s open-access Journal – Journal of Philosophy in Schools.
Dr Jensen is the lead author on a recent peer-reviewed paper, Newington College: Building Thinking Communities, which was published in 2024 in the Journal of Philosophy in Schools. For a condensed version, see Pre-College Philosophy in Sydney, Australia: A Whole School Approach.
The Centre’s commitment to engaging students in philosophical inquiry to build collaborative capacity in critical thinking is unique in NSW, but this aim resonates other institutions around the globe. Through presenting the work of the Centre at workshops and conferences around the world, Dr Jensen has forged national and international connections with educators and researchers who share these goals. The Centre is now a partner organisation with PLATO (USA) and the only Australian partner in a global network led by the UNESCO Chair on the Practice of Philosophy with Children, (Nantes, France).
Ms Kate Kennedy-White
Associate Director, Centre for Critical Thinking
Ms Kennedy White is an experienced FAPSA Teacher Educator and Critical Thinking specialist. Her degrees are in Education, History, Politics & Ethics and she has earned certification from SAPERE, the UK’s National Charity for Philosophical Inquiry, the Institute for the Advancement of Philosophy for Children (IPAC) in the USA, and the Institute of Philosophy Practice in France. Prior to her years in education, she worked in media as a film-maker and television producer.
In 2014, Ms Kennedy White was awarded the NSW Premier’s Early Childhood Scholarship to study collaborative thinking in early childhood (ages 3–6) after which she and Britta Jensen published “The case for K-12 Philosophical inquiry in classrooms“. She is also a lead author in Philosophical Inquiry with Children (2018), a contributor to the Edspresso and Fizzics podcasts series, ongoing creator of thinking resources for STEM, and together with Britta Jensen & Michael Parker, co-author of “Building Thinking Communities” published by the peer-reviewed Journal of Philosophy in Schools in 2024.
Ms Victoria Howe
Assistant Director, Centre for Critical Thinking
Ms Victoria Howe is the Assistant Director of the Centre for Critical Thinking and Ethics at Newington College, where she also teaches Philosophy and Religions Studies and English.
With extensive teaching experience, including a tenure as Head of English, she brings to the role a wealth of experience in embedding critical thinking in students’ learning. Her leadership experience extends to student wellbeing and also the co-curricular sphere, having served previously as Head of House and Head of Intellectual Competitions.
Ms Howe the awarded the Marion Macauley Bequest Scholarship while she studied her Master of Teaching from the University of Sydney. She is a board member of the NSW Philosophy in Schools Association of NSW and is working towards her FAPSA Teacher Educator qualification.
Mr Michael Parker
Headmaster
Mr Michael Parker began teaching Philosophy in 1994 and has done so most years since then. His Master of Education (1997) specialised in teaching Philosophy in Schools.
He is the author of several books in this area including, The Quest for the Stone of Wisdom (1995), Talk with Your Kids About Big Ideas (2014) and Talk With Your Kids About Things That Matter (2021).
As Headmaster at Newington College, he continues to teach Philosophy several times a week.
Ms Janine Timillero
Head of Professional Growth (7-12)
Ms Janine Timillero is the Head of Professional Growth (7-12) at Newington College.
She teaches in the Philosophy and Religious Studies Department and has a background in the Humanities. She holds a Master of Education, Certificate of Gifted Education and Graduate Certificate in Philosophy.
Ms Timillero has worked in Gifted Education for many years and is President of the Gifted and Talented Secondary Teachers Association. She is also a FAPSA qualified Teacher Educator.
Dr Amy Van Arkkels
Deputy, Academic (K-12)
Dr Amy Van Arkkels is the Deputy, Academic (K-12) at Newington College.
Her interests include the integration of critical thinking across the curriculum to ensure rigorous and engaging learning experiences for students of all ages.
Amy is also a researcher, holding a Master of Research from Macquarie University and a PhD, investigating the development of both teacher self-efficacy and resilience within beginning teachers.
Dr Michael Marokakis
Director of Teaching and Learning (7–12)
Dr Michael Marokakis is the Director of Teaching and Learning, and former Head of English at Newington College. In 2020, he received his PhD from The University of Sydney for his research on Shakespearean adaptations and subsequently published his book Shakespearean Spaces in Australian Literary Adaptations for Children and Young Adults.
During completion of his BA Dip Ed (Hons) at Macquarie University, he was awarded the HW Piper Memorial Prize and the Elizabeth M Liggins Prize, both for excellence in the English Honours program. Dr Marokakis is a New South Wales Higher School Certificate Senior Marker for English Extension 2 and has presented at conferences, including the Child and the Book Conference 2022, the British Shakespeare Association Conference in 2016 and the AULLA Conference in 2013 and numerous English Teacher Association conferences. He was also a sessional lecturer at the University of Sydney in the Masters of Education English Curriculum course in 2018 and 2023.
