Preparing to Teach in Secondary Schools

This book is key reading for all trainee secondary school teachers. It covers the range of core professional skills that student teachers need to acquire irrespective of their subject specialism or their training route. It also considers recent developments in teaching, exploring the opportunities and challenges they present for those about to enter the profession. This book is also suitable for use by newly qualified teachers to support their early professional development. Topics covered include: (1) Relationships with paraprofessionals and other adults in the classroom; (2) New opportunities created by technological advances; (3) New thinking on teachers' professionalism and teacher leadership; (4) Data-rich approaches to managing school and pupil performance; (5) Assessment for learning; and (6) Government reforms and initiatives. The book encourages readers to engage with ideas presented in the book, and offers students: (1) An interactive approach: Chapters start with a set of objectives and contain a mix of tasks and activities, case studies and scenarios to which readers are invited to respond. Practical examples and illustrations make abstract or unfamiliar ideas easier to grasp; and (2) Self-contained tasks: Most tasks can be completed there and then. For instance, if a task requires readers to analyze pupil performance data, a suitable example is provided. After an introduction, this book is divided into four sections. Section 1, Becoming a Teacher, begins the book with the following chapters: (1) Learning to Teach and Learning about Teaching (Val Brooks); (2) The Professional Framework and Professional Values and Practice (Susan Orlik); and (3) Key Issues, Opportunities and Challenges for New Teachers (Emma Westcott and Alma Harris). Section 2, Core Professional Competences, continues with chapters: (4) Understanding How Pupils Learn (Daniel Muijs); (5) Planning for Learning (Paul Elliott); (6) Using Differentiation to Support Learning (Liz Bills and Val Brooks); (7) Working with Parents and Other Adults (Liz Bills); (8) Communicating in the Classroom (Paul Elliott); (9) Using Assessment for Formative Purposes (Val Brooks); (10) Using Assessment Data to Support Pupil Achievement (Chris Husbands); (11) Positive Approaches to Supporting Pupil Behaviour (Jo Crozier); and (12) Using ICT to Support Learning (Mick Hammond). Section 3, Secondary Schools and the Curriculum, presents the next chapters: (13) Models of the Curriculum (Chris Husbands); (14) Spiritual, Moral and Cultural Development (Judith Everington); (15) The National Strategy for Key Stage 3 (Alison Kitson); (16) The National Literacy Strategy (Kate Shilvock); (17) The National Numeracy Strategy (Chris Bills and Liz Bills); (18) Citizenship (Alison Kitson); and (19) The Curriculum: 14-19 (Ian Abbott and Prue Huddleston). Finally, Section 4, Making Schooling Work for All: Aspects of the Inclusion Agenda, offers the concluding chapters of the book: (20) Special Educational Needs and Inclusive Schooling (Dimitra Hartas); (21) Schooling, Ethnicity and English as an Additional Language (Sandra Howard); (22) Schooling and Gender (Kate Shilvock); (23) Pastoral Care and the Role of the Tutor (Peter Lang); (24) Personal, Social and Health Education (Peter Lang and Chris Husbands); and (25) Government Initiatives: Excellence in Cities and Gifted and Talented (Ian Abbott). A list of references and an index are also included.