How do expert primary classteachers really work?

This is an essential text for anyone interested in teaching primary school children, including teacher educators, classteachers and headteachers. What constitutes outstanding or good teaching of children in the primary years is rarely discussed other than in terms of measurable outcomes in literacy and numeracy. This book presents a different view of the distinctive learning needs of 5-11 year-olds and examines the knowledge, skills and attributes required to meet these, especially as a classteacher. Informed by research, but linking this with practical examples, it examines how teachers with a high level of expertise with young children actually think, act and interact. While highlighting the features of such expertise, the challenges of developing it are not overlooked, and the text provides practical pointers on how to do this in both initial teacher education and continuing professional development.

This title is part of the successful Critical Guides for Teacher Educators series edited by Ian Menter.

1. Introduction
2. The nature of expertise
3. Teacher expertise
4. What is distinctive about the primary classroom?
5. How primary classteachers with a high level of expertise actually work
6. Conclusions
7. References
8. Index

Dr Tony Eaude was previously a headteacher of a multi-cultural primary school in Oxford. After studying for a doctorate at the Department of Education, University of Oxford, he has worked independently, mainly in research, writing and teaching both adults and children. He is passionate about the need to change current approaches to teaching young children.