Luke Rolls – författare

This fascinating and vital book seeks to challenge the effectiveness of current practices in professional development by urging educators to rethink professional learning for teachers and teaching assistants. It importantly brings together ideas about teacher professionalism and how to build creative and trusting cultures in which high expectations are not compromised.Throughout, teachers describe significant professional learning and growth, often through dynamic partnerships with others, that allows them to inspire imaginative possibilities; different and creative ways to ignite hope and opportunity for children. Four key themes guide the reader through the collection of chapters: professional capital, learning communities, teachers as researchers and subject-specific professional development. They explore: The types of professional development approaches that support teachers to make meaningful changes within their practices. The conditions and school cultures that are needed for teachers to meaningfully prosper from professional development. The impact that unintended consequences of system accountability drivers and funding have on teachers’ experiences of professional development. The ways in which the development of curriculum and pedagogy can be integrated with models of professional development, particular in the creative arts.Packed with innovative ideas and practical suggestions and co-written by researchers and practitioners, this book highlights the importance of using research evidence to develop teachers’ practice within the realities of their own classrooms and schools. This will be a key read for teachers, school leaders, teaching assistants and student teachers.

This fascinating and vital book seeks to challenge the effectiveness of current practices in professional development by urging educators to rethink professional learning for teachers and teaching assistants. It importantly brings together ideas about teacher professionalism and how to build creative and trusting cultures in which high expectations are not compromised.Throughout, teachers describe significant professional learning and growth, often through dynamic partnerships with others, that allows them to inspire imaginative possibilities; different and creative ways to ignite hope and opportunity for children. Four key themes guide the reader through the collection of chapters: professional capital, learning communities, teachers as researchers and subject-specific professional development. They explore: The types of professional development approaches that support teachers to make meaningful changes within their practices. The conditions and school cultures that are needed for teachers to meaningfully prosper from professional development. The impact that unintended consequences of system accountability drivers and funding have on teachers’ experiences of professional development. The ways in which the development of curriculum and pedagogy can be integrated with models of professional development, particular in the creative arts.Packed with innovative ideas and practical suggestions and co-written by researchers and practitioners, this book highlights the importance of using research evidence to develop teachers’ practice within the realities of their own classrooms and schools. This will be a key read for teachers, school leaders, teaching assistants and student teachers.

As the world begins to emerge from the COVID-19 pandemic and grapples to find ways to respond to climate change, there is growing recognition of the need to give space and time in primary schools to hear children’s experiences, ideas and perspectives on these matters and to promote their active participation in democratic solutions. This book presents vibrant examples from professional educators and researchers across the globe who are demonstrating how primary schools can nurture the conditions for new democratic education through empowering educators’ and children’s voices and agency. Written as a genuine partnership between research experts and experienced classroom teachers, the book delves into historic and contemporary theories and evidence about the children’s voices movement, and new democratic education, helping to root teachers’ practices to strong educational theoretical concepts. The second section presents a set of diverse and detailed examples drawn from primary classrooms and schools that illustrate how these ideas are taking shape in teaching and learning across the world; chapters will bring to life the principles upon which schools have empowered young voices, sharing examples of success and thriving students. Finally, a set of thought-provoking manifestos will offer new opportunities and fresh theories for educators to explore, with the purpose and intention to take forward in their own primary school contexts. This is a vital resource for any new or experienced teacher or school leader looking to take research-informed and principled approaches to changes in schools so that teaching and learning ignites the social imagination for 21st-century educators and learners.