Key insights from Dr Mark Williams at the Educating Girls Symposium Melbourne, 20 April 2026

At the 2026 ICGS Educating Girls Symposium in Melbourne, neuroscientist Dr Mark Williams challenged educators to think differently about one of the most basic—but most overlooked—drivers of learning: attention.

His message was clear: if students are not paying attention, they are not learning. But attention, he argued, is far more complex than simply asking girls to “focus.”

Drawing on neuroscience, classroom research and practical strategies, Dr Williams explored how connection, distraction, memory and psychological safety shape the learning experience for girls.

Connection comes before learning

One of the strongest themes of the session was that learning begins with trust.

Dr Williams described research using EEG headsets in classrooms, where both students and teachers wore brain-monitoring devices during lessons. What researchers found was striking: when a teacher began speaking, students’ brains literally began to synchronise with the teacher’s brain activity. And this happened most strongly when students had a positive relationship with that teacher.

Students who felt connected to their teacher were more likely to “sync up” and retain the information being taught. Students who did not feel that connection were far less likely to do so. 

For girls’ schools, this reinforces something educators already know instinctively: relationships matter. Connection is not a soft extra—it is pivotal to learning.

Attention is fragile

Dr Williams explained that every time attention is interrupted, working memory is disrupted.

Movement, noise, bright colours and even faces naturally capture attention. These are hardwired survival responses. In classrooms, however, they can become constant interruptions.

Something as simple as decorations hanging from the ceiling, repeated PA announcements, or students glancing at notifications on a device can cause a loss of concentration significant enough to interrupt learning.

A study in Australian primary schools found that PA announcements and interruptions at the classroom door alone resulted in the loss of several weeks of learning time each year—before even accounting for any other distractions.

His estimate was stark: every distraction can cost around 60–90 seconds of working memory. Multiply that across a school day, and students lose hours of productive learning time. 

This is particularly relevant in a BYOD (bring your own device) environment. A single notification can pull attention away from learning, and once attention shifts, it takes time to rebuild.

Laptops are not always helping

One of Dr Williams’ more provocative observations was around devices in classrooms.

“When you put a laptop in front of a student, they are attending to the laptop, not attending to you.”

His argument was not anti-technology, but rather pro-intentionality. If schools want stronger engagement and deeper concentration, they must be more deliberate about when and how devices are used.

The same applies beyond the classroom. Constant task-switching, notifications and social media are weakening students’ endogenous attention—the internal capacity to sustain focus.

The Pomodoro technique works—for students too

One practical strategy he strongly recommended was the Pomodoro Technique: focused work blocks followed by deliberate movement breaks.

For adults, the research suggests 25 minutes of focused concentration followed by five minutes of movement is the most productive pattern. For younger students, the timing can be adjusted.

Dr Williams shared examples of using this successfully with students with ADHD and autism but also stressed that it benefits all learners—including perfectionists who need help managing time and students who disengage quickly.

The goal is not simply productivity. It is training the brain’s attention systems to become stronger over time.

Girls need permission to get things wrong

Perhaps the strongest response from the room came during discussion about girls and mistakes.

Dr Williams noted that many girls are deeply uncomfortable with getting things wrong. Perfectionism, fear of failure and the pressure to be “right” can actively inhibit learning.

His response was simple but powerful: students only learn when they make mistakes.

“If students are getting better than 70 per cent, they’re doing too well—you need to make it harder.”

Innovation, creativity and resilience all come from error, reflection and trying again—not from effortless success. 

This requires classrooms to be psychologically safe places, where mistakes are normalised and teachers themselves model vulnerability and learning through failure.

For girls’ schools, this feels particularly important. Helping girls move beyond perfectionism is not just an academic issue—it is a leadership issue.

Why girls’ schools matter

In the final discussion, Dr Williams addressed a common misconception: that boys’ and girls’ brains are fundamentally different.

His view was clear—there is no meaningful difference in learning capacity between male and female brains. The difference lies in what society teaches girls and boys from a very young age.

This is why girls’ schools matter.

They create spaces where girls can step outside limiting expectations, take risks, lead visibly and learn without constantly negotiating gendered assumptions.

As Dr Williams put it, girls’ schools help girls “thrive in whatever they want to do.” 

A practical reminder for educators

Dr Williams’ message was not about adding more to already full workloads. It was a reminder that some of the most powerful shifts in learning come from returning to fundamentals:

• strong relationships
• fewer distractions
• intentional use of technology
• routines that protect focus
• classrooms where mistakes are safe

In a world competing relentlessly for attention, schools that understand how attention works will be better placed to help girls learn, lead and flourish.

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Many of the themes Dr Mark Williams explored in Melbourne, including attention, wellbeing, perfectionism, technology, and helping girls thrive under pressure, will continue at the Educating Girls Symposium in Auckland on 25 September 2026 at St Cuthbert’s College. Join educators from across Australia, New Zealand, and Asia for a day of practical learning and networking.