Teach to the Top: Aiming High for Every Learner

by Megan Mansworth

Teach to the Top is a research-informed guide to aspirational teaching, focusing on how embedding higher-level knowledge in the classroom empowers students to succeed and to enjoy learning.

Questioning existing orthodoxies around ability, Teach to the Top sets out a vision for an education system in which pupils of all attainment levels are enabled to make fantastic progress by being exposed to sophisticated concepts, and afforded opportunities to think deeply and grapple with stimulating ideas. Making a convincing case for the centrality of subject knowledge, the book also shows how affording teachers the professional autonomy to participate in continual development of their own knowledge benefits both teachers and students. As well as engaging critically with a wealth of educational research, Teach to the Top outlines a plethora of research-informed strategies for teaching to the top.

Topics include embedding advanced knowledge in curriculum planning, approaches to challenging classroom talk, the fundamental importance of increasing learners' confidence, the dangers of differentiation and grade-focused feedback, and the value of an adaptable approach to planning. Both thoughtful and practical, Teach to the Top develops a persuasive justification for the entitlement of every child to higher-level knowledge, alongside providing teachers with a range of practical suggestions and questions for reflection to enable the application of this philosophy to their own classrooms.

136 pages, Paperback

Published October 20, 2021

Reviews

[Boo de Bruin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've struggled to finish many teaching books lately, finding them too dry or too impractical or just frankly not very interesting. This is the first education book I've actually finished this year, largely because it was well-written, detailed enough to be interesting, but concise enough to hold my attention and felt sufficiently grounded in recent classroom experience to be actually useful even when it challenged my experiences or prior thoughts on the topic.

I'm rounding up to 5/5 despite it not being nearly as enjoyable a read as my fiction 5/5s just because of how much better it was than other education books I've tried to read this year!

(I bought this from the John Catt bookshop using my TeacherTapp voucher for answering questions)

[Kat Thorne · Rating 5 out of 5]

An inspiring, research informed book that advocates teaching all students at the highest level. Some interesting ideas and strategies that I can hopefully build into my teaching and share with others. A clear and accessible read that has certainly got me thinking.

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of practical tips but much of it is fairly self explanatory or referencing previous research I have already come across.

Brilliant for ECTs I should imagine - or those teaching higher sets for the first time..

[Mel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good book, allows for adapting high expectations with scaffolding for those that need it. Promotes a sense of belonging and belief.