Being an inspiring teacher is not something reserved for a few elite teachers. Research from CfBT Education Trust explored the notion of inspiring teaching by looking at what a group of teachers identified by their headteachers as "inspirational" did in the classroom.
The teachers were those whom their headteachers thought most likely to be considered "outstanding" in their practice according to Ofsted. Their characteristics were identified using different methods: a study of their behaviours (through observations), what they thought (through interviews), and how their students thought about them and their lessons (through questionnaires). The research was commissioned by CfBT Education Trust as part of a collaborative professional development initiative involving the academies within the CfBT Schools Trust.
According to the teachers themselves, key attributes of highly effective teaching were more attitudinal rather than related to technical skill. They included an enthusiasm for teaching, positive relationships with children and high levels of motivation and commitment.
The attributes of teaching considered most important by the inspiring teachers themselves were closely linked to the quality of relationships and the need for an enthusiastic, energetic professional persona. The school leaders interviewed agreed with this emphasis on the importance of the social and emotional features of the work of great teachers.
Teachers' self-perceptions were confirmed by observation. The researchers noted a marked tendency towards some certain behaviours related to establishing a positive classroom environment. The teachers were a mix of primary and secondary practitioners but almost all of them demonstrated the following traits to a high degree:
- Genuine warmth and empathy towards all students in the classroom.
- Respect for the students in both his/her behaviour and use of language.
- Praising children for effort towards realising their potential.
- Seeking and honouring student choice and input.
- Making clear that all students know that he/she expects their best efforts in the classroom.
In addition, the researchers found that these teachers had finely tuned technical skills in classroom management. While the teachers themselves had described their practice in largely social-emotional terms, the observers were struck by their high levels of classroom craft. The key areas where teachers demonstrated high levels of pedagogical skills included:
- Managing behaviour, space, time and resources efficiently and effectively.
- Implementing clear instruction, including explicit and high expectations and objectives for learning.
- Skilful use of questioning and feedback to make lessons highly interactive and extend learning.
Several key themes emerged from observations of teachers – the most frequently noted aspect of their practice included evidence and examples of lesson structure and activities. This covered elements such as timing and transitions, making connections, clarification, student choice and input, and variety and use of technology.
One particularly interesting area of the findings was in the field of differentiation. The researchers were surprised that the teachers in the study made relatively little use of formal differentiation by task. Regardless of the context – mixed ability or ability settings – the teachers typically created an inclusive set of activities for all pupils.
The researchers noted that formal types of differentiation (explicitly different activities or versions of a task) were not very common in most of the observed lessons. Instead differentiation was provided by the skilful use of questioning to ascertain individual misconceptions and the one-to-one and group level interaction between the teacher and pupils when activities were taking place.
Following the current orthodoxy, all lessons included a clear objective, but teachers typically went beyond simply stating the objective. Instead they sought ways of enabling pupils to engage and internalise the objective.
Techniques included pupils defining key words in the objective statement, explaining the relevance or importance of the objective, connecting it to skills, strategies and content covered in previous lessons, or using it to ensure smooth transitions between activities. As an example of the above, the start of a female key stage 1 teacher's lesson was described as follows.
Pupils are asked to gather on the carpet with the teacher. Showing them a small handbag with a seashell image on it, the teacher explains that she found the bag but doesn't know to whom it belongs. She asks the pupils to get into "talking triads" to discuss whether they think they should open the bag or not, and why. They take turns expressing their opinions in small groups and then volunteer to share their ideas with the class. The class comes to the consensus that the bag must be opened to identify its owner, and the teacher calls on volunteers to pull items out of the bag. Small bottles labelled as "seaweed-scented conditioner" and "leg-growing potion" provoke eager guesses: "It's a mermaid!" Pupils are animated and excited, and all appear extremely engaged. This is followed by the main content of the lesson – creating and describing a character (using images as well as words).
All of the teachers located the lesson within a larger framework of learning, typically linking the lesson content or lesson objectives to broader learning goals. Most frequently, teachers made connections between the lesson content and upcoming formal assessment, often framing this by explaining how the task at hand related to assessment standards and performance.
Some teachers also encouraged interactive group work and task-focused communication. Pupils were encouraged to communicate with their peers about the activity or task at hand, working together collaboratively, such as in the following example from a key stage 2 teacher.
Pupils work on their calculations at their tables, discussing and comparing with their neighbours. Several are arguing (academically) about how they arrived at particular solutions. One of the pupils can be heard reminding another to check the units he has used for his calculations.
There was frequent evidence of variety in tasks and activities. It was common for this variety to involve working with different partners during the lesson, switching from whole-class discussions to group or individual activities or vice-versa, and alternating between spoken and written tasks.
Despite the variety, however, the supportive presence of the teacher remained a constant. This was not delivered via a "one-size-fits-all approach", with the inspiring teacher instead alternating the level of support they gave pupils depending on individual needs and subject confidence. One such example was seen in a key stage 2 lesson.
Pupils are seated at several large tables working on their maths investigation packets. After checking that everyone seems to be on track with locating appropriate resources and getting started, the teacher seats herself at a table on the far right of the room and discusses the activity with two girls. She looks around frequently to monitor the class, and occasionally gets up to respond to check the progress of other pupils, but repeatedly returns to work more closely with the pupils at that far right table. She can be heard asking them to explain their reasoning out loud to her before writing it down, and then to read out their responses once written.
Students' ratings of schools, classrooms, their own involvement, and particularly teachers, were generally very favourable overall, with girls giving slightly but significantly more positive ratings than boys. Students' overall ratings indicate that they strongly believe their teachers:
- Have high expectations for students and positive relationships with them.
- Create a positive, supportive and reassuring classroom climate.
- Provide clear instructional goals and well-structured lessons.
- Are approachable, fair and helpful.
- Transmit their enjoyment of learning to students.
- Promote positive learning experiences, attitudes, engagement and motivation.
Additionally, students' written comments showed that they valued:
- Group work and collaboration.
- Varied lesson activities, group arrangements and topics.
- A range of resources, from handouts to ICT.
- A prompt start and appropriate lesson pace.
- A strong focus on learning and progress.
- Lessons attuned to student interest and enjoyment.
- Clarity about what to do and how to improve their work.
- Interactive teaching approaches and individual support.
- Positive relationships with their teachers.
- Teachers who show consistent and effective classroom management, ensuring other students' positive behaviour.
- Lessons that are fun.
- Teachers who are kind, fair and have a sense of humour.
- Being known and valued as individuals.
Based on this study it seems that inspiring teachers show a high degree of engagement with their students, they are effective, organised and knowledgeable practitioners who exhibit a continued passion for teaching and for promoting the wellbeing of students. They are highly professional, confident and reflective practitioners.
Despite external challenges, nearly all want to continue in their teaching careers, they genuinely like students, they enjoy teaching, and they show resilience in the stressful and fast-changing education environment. Their classes revealed a strong emphasis on making learning enjoyable and engaging, activating students' own motivation, and providing classroom experiences that were typically varied, imaginative and fun.
- Tony McAleavy is director research and development at the CfBT Education Trust.
Further information
For more examples of inspiring teaching, see the summary and full reports which are available to download for free at http://bit.ly/1vP79A2