Celebrating Teachers (Making a difference)

Celebrating Teachers: Making a difference, written by Gary Toward and Chris Henley, is a feel-good celebration of all that is great about teachers and teaching - and an exploration of the difference teachers make and how they do it.

Forewords by Ben Bailey Smith (aka Doc Brown) and Sir Anthony Seldon.

Gary Toward and Chris Henley believe that teaching is the best and most important profession. Now, you might argue that it would be medicine that should take that accolade - as medics save lives and mend people. But teachers create lives and 'make' people. They, in fact, create medics!

This book celebrates the superhero of the classroom: the teacher.

Teachers make a difference, and often that difference is life-changing. In this book, Gary and Chris look at some of the many cases where such a difference has been made and examine exactly what it was that made such an impact on the life of the young person - and they also highlight the key approaches that teachers might want to try out in their own classroom, with their own pupils.

The authors link the real-life case study stories to what educational research and cognitive science tell us, and point the way for all teachers to adopt, adapt and develop these effective strategies and approaches in their own practice.

And, in sharing these inspiring stories, Gary and Chris hope to offer an antidote to the negativity that too often circulates in the media around education and the teaching profession.

An uplifting and insightful read for all teachers and educators.

A feel-good celebration of all that is great about teachers and teaching - and an exploration of the difference teachers make and how they do it.

Delivered in their trademark style, Gary Toward and Chris Henley's Celebrating Teachers is full of enthusiasm, fun and practical ideas to take away and put into practice. This fabulous collection of memories and stories is a celebration of the impact that great teachers have and an insight into the secrets behind their success. The book is a fitting tribute to the art of relationship building, excellent teaching and effective classroom practice - and a great toolkit of ideas and strategies guaranteed to inspire and motivate.

Paul Matthias

Chris Henley talks about 'boomerang lessons' - i.e. those lessons that pupils desperately want to return to. I would describe Celebrating Teachers as a boomerang book which is essential reading for teachers, at any stage of their career, and a good read for everyone else too. I read the book with a smile on my face, knowing that the teachers chosen are just the tip of the iceberg - there are so many other wonderful teachers, all of whom work tirelessly for their pupils. This book leaves you inspired to be a better teacher, and the checklist at the end offers an excellent summary of all the traits that help you to do just that. An uplifting and, at times, emotional read.

Pippa Procter

Having met the authors and read their previous books, it was with great excitement that I opened their latest work: Celebrating Teachers. From the outset, I was inspired - and immediately I thought of ways in which I could use this book with the staff in our school. The book shares a series of powerful testimonies from those who have been inspired by teachers who went the extra mile and tapped into the infinite potential of children's minds. It shares timely reminders of the importance of humour, finding time for pupils and building relationships. Add to these the key ingredients of calmness, a variety of teaching styles and techniques and thinking outside the box with unfamiliar or less exciting content to be covered. I also love the notion of 'boomerang lessons' - those lessons that pupils want to come back to. The authors are non-judgemental and provide encouragement for the reader to reflect on their own individual style and techniques. Many of the argume