Teachers, especially newly-qualified ones, definitely need to know some educational theory, otherwise there is a danger that their practice will be little more than trial and error. However, there is very little time while doing the job to be able to afford the luxury of reading widely and deeply, and then figure out what to apply in their classroom, and how. This book makes a good attempt at addressing this issue without dumbing down.

Different aspects of teaching theory are looked at, such as constructivism, the classroom environment and collaboration with others. In each chapter the theory is presented, and the reader is invited to consider how he or she might apply the principles discussed.

The issues are presented in the form of teacher journals, which seems somewhat contrived. Nevertheless, each chapter is well-structured, with an introduction, summary, and plenty of references should the reader wish to delve deeper. Recommended.

This review was first published in Teach Secondary magazine. I was sent a complimentary copy, but this has not influenced my opinions.