How to Teach

by Beadle

Fluent, accessible and at times laugh out loud hilarious, How to Teach is the ultimate, (and ultimately irreverent) look at what you should be doing in your classroom if you want to be the best teacher you can possibly be. Phil Beadle, star of UK Channel 4's Unteachables and Can't Read Can't Write, and former Secondary School Teacher of the Year and Guardian Education Columnist, outlines everything a newly qualified teacher needs to know in order to be an immediate success in the classroom. The book includes a substantial section on every new teacher's biggest concern: behavior management, as well as giving tips on various teaching methods; lesson planning; assessment; ways of organizing the classroom; and how to motivate students to get the absolute best out of them.

Genres: Teaching, Education, Nonfiction

256 pages, Paperback

First published June 7, 2010

Reviews

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Phil Beadle is one amazing man. He is well known for his books on teaching, and his documentaries in which he transforms the lives of pupils through his teaching skills.
I started this book when I first began my teacher training - I stopped reading when the workload got too much - I left the profession after 3 months, feeling overwhelmed. I have just picked up and completed this book and I feel if I had read it sooner, I may have been able to keep going. By sooner, I mean that if I had read the entirety of this book prior to entering my classroom in September, I would have been so much more prepared than I was.
What irks me is that the 2 chapters of most relevance to me and the areas I struggled in where at the end of the book!
Beadle has a distinctive honest and humorous style which highlights the pitfalls as well as the highs of teaching and the obvious mistakes that every new teacher makes. He picks out the idealism many enter the profession with, and while not extinguishing it, advises how and why certain things are not to be - at least not in your first year.
It is a great read - a must for trainee teachers.
It has inspired me to work on my teaching skills and prepare to go back to the profession when I feel comfortable and confident again.
He also passes on his obvious love and passion for teaching.
Inspiring indeed.

[Sam · Rating 3 out of 5]

I've recently begun my NQT year and found this book really inspiring. Phil Beadle tells it pretty much how it is. He makes you feel less inadequate about being a mere human and not having the time to be your very best for every lesson. At times this year the thought has crossed my mind that perhaps I'm just not cut out for teaching but this book makes you realise that it's completely normal to feel like that; especially in your first year teaching.

I read this book on and off due to simply not having the time to read it in one go. I'm an FE teacher and some of the advice is clearly aimed at secondary and peripherally primary however it does have some application with a little creativity. I don't agree with some of his opinions as naturally everyone has their own philosophy on teaching but Phil Beadle makes no bones about what he thinks and about what he is expected to think in relation to senior management and Ofsted standards. He outlines some clear techniques to help you improve as a professional and I've found myself implementing them. They work because he's an experienced teacher using them everyday himself; he's not some educational boffin who spends minimal time in a classroom.

I found this book beyond useful and when I return to class after the Christmas holidays I intend to experiment with the many techniques he's been generous enough to share.

[Alexandru · Rating 3 out of 5]

A funny and easy book to read, although not useful to me, because the book is speaking about teaching kids and I am teaching young students (18+) so the majority of advices were not applicable for me. As well the author is using his British experience, which is not always relevant having in mind the differences between cultures. Another thing is the fact that the author describes what worked for him and his students, which is interring to read, but again kids are very different - some prefer group learning, some - a more individual approach, same applies to study aids - some prefer presentations and some video material and some prefer to play. But a fun book overall.

[Fiona H. · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very easy-to-read and entertaining yet helpful book. For me the first few chapters contained the most useful ideas. I am not in the UK teaching system and found some of the later information and ideas not quite relevant to my situation. Having said this, I borrowed this book from the library but would find this a very useful book to own and would refer back to it.

[Harriet Murray · Rating 4 out of 5]

I read this in little chunks over my PGCE year and have absolutely loved it. I laughed out loud on most pages and loved the honest advice. I like to think I'll use this as a Bible as I go into my first year of teaching in September. Would thoroughly recommend for trainees or NQTs!

[нєνєℓ ¢ανα · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quite entertaining and hilarious, this manual (it's that way to me) is so refreshing and inspiring alike. A real plethora of ideas and insights which can help anyone's plan in the schedule of the classroom dynamics and action. It is very fine to me!

[Irina P · Rating 5 out of 5]

As it was said in the intro, this book is a Bible for teachers and I totally agree. Both beginners and veteran teachers can find something useful to polish their teaching and reflect on the classroom practices. Relevant for school teachers.

[Lauren Lee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Witty, refreshing, and practical. I'm off to buy a physical copy...

[Alexandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Helpful, you get real ideas that actually work.

[Jen · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is practical and refreshing but that probably comes from being written by someone who's still a classroom teacher rather than a consultant sitting in an office preparing powerpoints.
Very witty and informative and useful to classroom practice. My copy is now scribbled all over and covered in post-it notes.

[Ross McGill · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fantastic. Beadle is a God.

[Ming · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent. I'm not even a teacher, but I felt I learnt loads just by reading this book. If all teachers took these lessons to heart, we'd have a much better world.

[Aainaa Idris · Rating 5 out of 5]

excellent book highly recommend it for new and the not so new teachers!

[Rob Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

Funny but not always on point. Lots of good ideas.

[Kayleigh · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read. Very useful and incredibly entertaining.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

Useful - only had time to read part of this, would have liked to read the rest!