Books
Books on Education
I am the author of four well-received books on education, with a fifth book co-authored with Dr Colin McGill coming out in the summer of 2024
Slow Teaching
Slow Teaching is a thoughtful exploration of how slowing down in all aspects of education can lead to improved student outcomes. It evaluates how this slow pedagogy will result in improved feedback, more nuanced and skilled classroom management and relationships, meaningful classroom dialogue, retention of knowledge and school leadership with attention to detail. It explores how to slowly deepen the craft of teaching to grow expert practitioners who are committed to mastering their practice. It also reflects on strategies that will enable teachers to feel calm, confident and organised in a profession that can often appear relentless.
A Quiet Education
‘A Quiet Education’ serves as an unashamed cheerleader for all that is quiet, challenging the myth that collaboration and noise should be at the heart of what happens in schools. It examines how we can ensure more introverted students and teachers can thrive and achieve their potential. It also explores why it is essential that all teachers begin to embrace quieter values: in their classrooms and management of behaviour; in sustaining their own wellbeing; in their desire to reflect meaningfully and improve as a teacher. The final section is an exploration of quieter skills: how we can strengthen our students’ metacognitive ability; their ability to listen, pay attention and focus; the quality of independent work we do in the classroom alongside how we can motivate all our students.
Teacher Resilience
Teaching is a wonderful profession, but it is one that requires huge amounts of physical, mental and psychological reserves. Inner resilience is a vital part of this, and the dialogue about how to develop it has been missing in conversations about teacher wellbeing. Resilience is ultimately the difference between being overwhelmed by stress and anxiety, to finding calm, purpose and joy in the work we do with young people. Teacher Resilience explores how we can build a more resilient mindset, and what practical actions we can take to be the best version of ourselves in the classroom. From self-talk to collaboration, conflict management to lesson planning and differentiation, no trigger of potential teacher stress and anxiety is left unexplored. With practical tools to implement immediately, this is the book that all teachers need to thrive in a demanding profession.
Talking to Teenagers
The success or failure of a teacher rests on one thing: the quality of their communication. Under the microscope of the modern secondary classroom, everything we say and everything we do is analysed by our teenage audience. Talking to Teenagers is a practical handbook that explores five essential communication strategies. It provides busy teachers with the scripts they need to improve learning and form effective relationships with teenagers.
This book looks at understanding teenagers and their brain development, mastering the art of non-verbal communication, teaching positive behaviour and scripting your responses, using the LEAP acronym in the classroom, and how to drive motivation and build habits in your students. If you feel your communication in the classroom is often on autopilot, this book will fuel you with the strategies, phrases and understanding that will help you to be the best version of yourself in the classroom.
The Essentials in Learning to Teach
This book will be out in August 2024 and is co-authored with Dr Colin McGill. Learning to teach is one of the most demanding things we can do. This book breaks down your teacher training year into sections. It explores what key skills you need to focus on at the start of your career, so you can build up your ability to teach effective and impactful lessons. It also looks at how you can thrive as a new teacher, exploring how you can support yourself through the challenging year of learning to teach.