Creating Positive Classrooms

Mike Ollerton taught for 25 years in schools and 10 years in teacher training. He is now a freelance consultant based in the UK.

This Classmate looks at the ways in which teachers can change and improve their teaching techniques by looking at a variety of innovative and fun ideas

1. What makes teaching difficult and what makes teaching fantastic- why have you got into teaching? what do you think now? What are your aspirations for the future?2. Beliefs and Values- What beliefs and values do you take into the classroom? What impact does this have on your teaching and students' learning.3. What influence can a teacher have?- What are the different responsibilities that teachers have and what are they capable of impacting on?4. The games people play- looking at the Parent, Adult, Child (PAC) relationship and its implications5. The case against school uniform- What happens when we try to put kids into uniform6. On not caring if students do know that my middle name is Herbert- What personal details might a you be content to share with students and what would feel uncomfortable or unprofessional?7. Exploring teaching strategies- Looking at the vast range of strategies that you can use from the old to the new8. Sharing ideas with colleagues- Other teachers are your own best resource, how to share expertise within and across subject areas9. What place do policies have in school?-Exploring the difference between lists and vision and how the latter is more important than the former10. What can we do less of in order to spend more time on the important things?- Suppose every teacher in the land refused to do any work after 5pm. Would this improve the education of our children or strongly undermine it?11. Closing down the school timetable for a week.- From kite-making to learning to play Bridge. What kind of activities might a school contemplate doing as an alternative to the normal timetable?