Year One: Lighting the path on your first year in teaching

‘Some books are sure to become instant classics. Year one falls into that category: easy to read, accessible, covering both the basics and the more complex and challenging. It provides a compendium of professional advice, combines wisdom from across the sector, all crafted carefully by David and Michael to produce a highly useful guide which is also beautiful to navigate. This book is mentor, cheerleader, professional friend, coach and tutor, a superb literary warm welcome to the profession for early career teachers.’

-Emma Turner, Author and Research and CPD Lead

Michael Chiles and David Goodwin, have teamed up with a host of guest authors and experts in education, to present Year One: Lighting the path on your first year in teaching, published by John Catt Educational, a comprehensive guide for all newly qualified teachers as they begin their career journey. The book summarises a range of essential techniques and is a key resource for practitioners training to teach across all subjects.

Michael and David provide clear guidance on key practical pedagogy, from establishing routines, understanding curriculum and building relationships, to supporting teachers in preparing for their first interview. Each technique, supported by research-based evidence and expertly illustrated, unlocks the complexity of the classroom and supports practitioners entering the profession.

The eight standards of the Early Careers Framework (ECF) are mapped out clearly across the chapters, in an easy to reference index at the beginning of the book. The entire ECF and Teacher Standards make up Appendices A and B at the end.

The guide is divided into six chapters which explore:

1. Effective classroom systems, from consistent expectations to establishing routines to create safe, caring, and productive learning environments.
2. Subject knowledge and how students learn, across English, maths, science, music, physical education, design and technology, and computer science – guiding students through archaic plays by Shakespeare, delving into the common misconceptions in maths and how and why they arise, and preparing to sing.
3. Pedagogical principles, including discussion on Cognitive Load Theory (CLT), crafting explanations and creating opportunities for metacognition.
4. Curriculum and assessment, from knowledge to formative assessment, resource development, ‘teaching to the top’, guided feedback and home learning.
5. Pastoral care, safeguarding, speaking to parents, PSHE and enrichment.
6. Professional development, providing advice on preparing for interviews and writing personal statements, professional learning and accessing the expertise of colleagues. Along with an in-depth look at the ECF induction, training and support, and balancing workload and engaging with research to become an evidence-based, reflective practitioner.

Commenting on the book, David and Michael said,

‘We are delighted with the publication and reception of Year One. We aimed to create a book of best bets and the things we wished we had known when embarking on our careers. It was important to us to create something that doesn’t overwhelm the reader and can be referred back to whenever the reader desires. We believe we have achieved this and Year One proves to be a valuable resource for ECTs.’