'Learning teaching' in school

Many practitioners working in the early years and primary age ranges may be heard to argue that ‘you learn to teach by teaching’. This chapter broadly agrees with this view but argues that professional learning is most effective when the practitioner critically questions both public (published) knowledge and the practical wisdom of teachers within a particular setting. The chapter shows you how to maximise your professional learning while teaching in schools. It introduces seven workplace learning ‘tools’, which will enable you to plan, analyse and develop your practice, now and throughout your career. Each of the workplace learning ‘tools’ is a concise introduction to selected key ideas from workplace learning theory. Working through tools one to six will help you to understand the final, seventh tool which offers a metaphor for professional learning as ‘interplay’ between teachers’ practical wisdom (what works in this school) and public knowledge (in the form of published theory, professional guidance and policy). However, each workplace learning tool can be selected and applied independently to a critical incident or issue that you have experienced. The final section of the chapter summarises the characteristics of effective professional development for teachers and challenges you to be proactive in making the most of your workplace learning opportunities.