Do you believe that continuous improvement in teaching is essential?Do you wish to enhance your understanding of how children learn?Are you eager to become a well-informed professional?From the author of the hugely respected Foundations of Primary Teaching, this advanced textbook explores the essential elements of teaching and learning and the process of becoming a caring and competent teacher. It introduces a wide range of education issues, challenges and requirements with the intention of promoting advanced classroom practice, both for individuals and within teams. The book offers insights, ideas, hints and thought-provoking education topics for individual reflection and team discussion.With a focus on understanding the teaching and learning processes and the factors that impact upon providing a high quality education for every pupil, this book discusses in detail key learning skills, dilemmas and challenges for primary teachers and themes in continuing professional development. It covers issues in teaching and learning including:The nature/nurture debateMotivationEmotional and moral developmentRaising boys' achievement levelsGender and teachersAccelerated learningReflective practice.Including action points, hints and challenges, this book will be of interest to trainee teachers, postgraduates, experienced qualified teachers, deputy head teachers and head teachers who wish to be more consistently effective and make a positive impact on the lives of children in their primary classroom.

Introduction Prelude Change in Education Excellence in teaching Effective communication Meaningful connection with pupils Closely monitoring pupil progress Skilful pedagogy SECTION ONE. Key Learning Skills... 1. Understanding key concepts 2. Learning across subject boundaries 3. Developing social skills 4. Working collaboratively 5. Criteria for sorting and classifying 6. Planning and sequencing 7. Recognising cause and effect 8. Adapting to different circumstances 9. Speaking confidently 10. Being imaginative and creative 11. Making valid judgements 12. Developing an enquiring mind SECTION TWO. Teaching and Learning Issues... Part A. Child Development and Education 1. The nature-nurture debate 2. The impact of pre-school education 3. Motivation and pupil background 4. Developing parental involvement 5. Adults as effective role models 6. Emotional development 7. Emotional intelligence, children and learning 8. Children's happiness 9. Children's moral development 10. Alternative forms of education Part B. Pupil learning 1. Learning and concept mapping 2. Cognition and Bloom's Taxonomy 3. Motivation and Maslow's Hierarchy 4. Pupil learning styles 5. Learning through auditory means 6. Questions and higher level thinking 7. Pupil ability and capability 8. Gifted and talented pupils and accelerated learning 9. Memory and learning difficulties 10. Television as a learning tool Part C. Classroom practice 21. Ability grouping 22. Alternative education and Steiner-Waldorf 23. Maintaining discipline 24. The use of rewards and incentives 25. Pupil time on task 26. Boys and girls in school 27. Raising boys' achievement 28. Use of formative assessment 29. The value of speaking and listening 30. Learning to read Part D. The teacher 31. Teachers as educational agents 32. Gender, teachers and teaching 33. The consequences of labelling children 34. Implementation of the ECM agenda 35. Attitudes towards computers 36. Reflective and self-reflexive practice 37. Shaping professional development 38. Persevering as a teacher 39. Being observed teaching 40. Coping with setbacks as a teacher SECTION THREE. Professional Themes Education purpose and policy 1. The purpose of education 2. Education policy decisions Children Understanding children 4. Pupil attendance in school 5. Developing a child's sense of belonging 6. Developing positive attitudes in children 7. Adult responses to children 8. Pupils' moral perspectives during primary school 9. Labelling children with special educational needs Child development 10. Child development and learning 11. Forms of intelligence 12. Forms of knowledge 13. Combining knowledge, skills and understanding 14. Working atmosphere and learning climate 15. The impact of an objectives-driven agenda 16. Personalised and individualised learning 17. Competitiveness between pupils 18. Benefits and disadvantages of homework 19. Parental involvement in learning Teachers and teaching 20. Attributes of good teachers 21. Teachers' beliefs about teaching and learning 22. Observing children at work 23. Questions asked by teachers 24. New teachers' rite of passage 25. Accountability and autonomy in teaching 26. Differentiating for learning 27. Effective public speaking 28. Fostering creativity in teaching and learning 29. Reflective practice and teaching 30. Teaching methods and cooperative learning 31. Teachers' duty of care 32. Professional learning communities 33. Achieving peace of mind as a teacher Discipline and behaviour 34. Pupil compliance 35. Dealing with indiscipline 36. Coping with restless pupils 37. Managing disruptive behaviour Curriculum Practice 38. Negotiated meaning for effective learning 39. Effective learning environments 40. Targets for learning 41. Encouraging children to write 42. The educational value of play and drama 43. Organising large space lessons 44. Transition from primary to secondary school SECTION FOUR. Challenges for Teachers... 1: Maintaining a calm working environment 2: Protecting your own wellbeing 3: Fitting it all in 4: Starting with a new class 5: Achieving a balanced teaching approach 6: Teaching mixed-ability, multi-age classes POSTSCRIPT. Letter to a newly qualified teacher