What makes a truly great teacher? These questions have sparked decades of debate, and their answers might vary from person to person, from school to school. They’re questions that continue question that continue to shape education research and underpin policy decisions, though the most meaningful answers aren’t found in theory but in practice. In classrooms every day, teachers make countless decisions, plan with care and creativity and adapt instinctively, all in the service of preparing their students for the brightest future possible.
Two new titles by John Tomsett offer a much-needed celebration of their work, providing in-depth qualitative research that explores what truly great teaching looks like in action. This Much I Know About Truly Great Primary Teachers (and what we can learn from them), and its accompanying title, This Much I Know About Truly Great Secondary Teachers (and what we can learn from them), bring to life how outstanding teachers cultivate great learning in their classrooms.
John calls on his wealth of experience as both a teacher and principal to analyse what these teachers have in common. While he advocates an evidence-based approach to teacher development, he argues that attempting to measure the qualities of a truly great teacher by pupil progress scores alone is an arguably flawed approach. Instead, his books offer first-hand, qualitative research by an experienced practitioner who knows what to look for when watching teachers teach and pupils learn.
Across both books, John writes profiles of twenty elementary, middle and high school teachers, which are based on in-depth lesson observations and conversations with teachers, their colleagues and their pupils. The conversations that form the heart of these books provide a picture of not just what these teachers do, but why they do it: the choices and adaptations they make, and the pedagogic and philosophical principles that guide them. These detailed vignettes cover a range of school types, social contexts, pupil ages and subjects, but the core focus remains the same: what do these teachers do that works, and how can we replicate it?
While each teacher is unique in the way they teach and in how they talk about teaching, they also have some common behaviours and attitudes, which John draws together, summarising what we can all learn from their utter dedication, enthusiasm and commitment to preparing the next generation for a bright future.
These are powerful and hopeful books that will help teachers reclaim their joy in teaching. And in a system facing a deepening recruitment and retention crisis, that sense of clarity and inspiration has never been more important.
John Tomsett spent 33 years teaching in state schools and served as a high school principal for 18 years, most recently at Huntington Research School in York. He runs a blog entitled “This Much I Know” and has written extensively on topics related to school leadership, as well as enhancing teaching and learning.
John advocates that the primary duty of all principals is to develop exceptional teaching. He is the author of thirteen books, including Love Over Fear: Creating a Culture for Truly Great Teaching and Mind Over Matter: Improving Mental Health in Our Schools. In the Huh: Curriculum series, he worked alongside curriculum specialist Mary Myatt. Additionally, he co-founded The Headteachers' Roundtable think tank and is a sought-after speaker in the field of education. Currently, he serves as the educational consultant for the AI teacher coach known as Aristotal.
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