Before the summer, I asked on Twitter for advice on making a department handbook. The overwhelming response? Don’t. No-one will read it, it’s oppressive and not useful, it’s a bureaucratic tick-box exercise.

Much as I sympathised with such views, having new teachers join the department, and tending to spend much of my time (literally) running around the corridors of the school, I felt these teachers needed something to refer to when I (or a seasoned teacher) could not be found.

Brimming with hubris, I decided to open the handbook with “Teaching and Learning”, and proceeded to randomly write down ideas I had for what I think makes great teaching. It’s by no means an exhaustive, or even logical, list, but I’d be interested in the thoughts of others. I have pasted below exactly from the handbook, word for word.

Relationships

• Like your students and tell them
• Value what they say in class – ensure everyone is listening and taking note when anyone is speaking
• Call home positively for as many students as you can. Do this early on and save yourself many negative calls later
• Be there for your students emotionally, but remember you’re their teacher – refer on any pastoral issues promptly
• Ask students to reflect on their learning and be honest with you about what they need more of. Be responsive to their needs

Mindset

• Believe in the unlimited potential of all your students to succeed. Share this belief with them
• Challenge your students to do better, even when they have “achieved” their “target” grade
• Remind students who aren’t there that they aren’t there yet – further effort will not be in vain

Goals

• Set clear goals for each lesson, each week, each term and unit of work. Share these goals with students

Feedback

• Ensure written feedback is timely
• Allow students time to ask you questions about your feedback
• Give students time to respond and correct errors

Questioning

• Challenge student answers – get them to develop their ideas further
• Never accept “I don’t know” – always ask another student to help out so they can repeat the answer
• At the same time, ensure all your students know “I don’t know” is fine to admit, as long as they show themselves ready to learn after saying this
• Bounce questions to other students to answer
• Practice hands down questioning regularly so all students are listening and ready
• Aim to speak to each student at least once in each class

Pratice

• Independent practice using key skills should be built into every lesson
• Students should be supported by teachers during independent practice (e.g. circulating and making verbal corrections/suggestions for improvement as students write)
• Bear in mind you might need to explicitly teach skills you take for granted – e.g. taking notes, the right place for a comma, what a verb is

Behaviour management

• Expect 100% compliance with 100% of your instructions 100% of the time
• Phrase instructions positively
•  Talk about choices
• Never allow students to “earn off” a sanction
• Have a no excuses culture – one high standard for all
• Have high expectations of behaviour – silence means silence; group discussion of the task means no off-task chat
• Have clear and unchanging policies for all misdemeanours, no matter how minor, that you apply equally to all students (remember that it is not the severity of the sanction that is important but the certainty of the sanction)
• Give specific praise – verbally and written
• Narrate positive behaviour you wish to see in all your students
• Avoid singling out students for chastising publicly, at least the first time you note off-task behaviour

Share and celebrate success

• In class, verbally and frequently
• Copy great work and share with the class
•  Ensure students buy into learning as a desirable success to aim for
•  Share success stories (students who have made incredible progress through hard work)

Knowledge

• Have deep knowledge of the material you are teaching which goes beyond what students “need to know”
• Use material throughout the curriculum to challenge students and empower them to find their place in any walk of life they choose

Discussion

• Engage students in debate/discussion – allow them to reason through answers and ideas themselves. Challenge them to uphold their thinking. Ensure it is ok to change your mind with new evidence
• Encourage structured and purposeful student talk

Differentiation

• Know where your students are, using recent data, marking and assessment for learning in lessons
• Plan the next step your students need
• Teach to the top, support at the bottom
• Tell your Teaching Assistant (if you have one) what they can do to most help your students

CPD

• Be aware of your strengths and areas for development as a teacher
• Share good practice (e.g. during department meetings)
•  Go and see teachers who do something you’d like to do
•  Raise development needs with your line manager so the department CPD can be appropriate

Assessment

• Mark student books regularly (at least every 2 weeks)
• Level or grade student work once a half term. Remember that levels/grades are not as important as developmental feedback, but these levels/grades will help you to complete Assessment Point 1, 2 and 3
•  After assessments, spend time exploring what students need to do next time to improve

Homework

• Set students homework which builds on their learning in class
• Homework should be reasonable
• Be aware that computer access is an issue for some students
• Be aware that some students will thrive on “homework extensions”
• Build in spelling and grammar to your homework routine
• Set homework on the same day/s every week
• Ensure students write homework in their planners 

Communication with parents

•  This can form the key to excellent student progress
• Try to ensure your first contact with parents is positive
•  Don’t be afraid to call a meeting with a parent; ask your line manager to attend as well if there are pressing issues you need to discuss in person prior to parents’ evening