Creating a Positive Learning Environment: The Savvy Teacher

Pre-service and graduate teachers need a book which is simple in construct, is memorable for practice, and which is easily accessible for when they face a challenging behaviour or situation in their teaching.

There is no single answer nor one right way to manage student behaviour or a class situation. Instead, there are a range of effective and skilful ways of enabling students to respond cooperatively, take responsibility and learn to manage their own behaviour.

This book is made up of two parts. Part A clearly outlines the practical strategies, skills and techniques that every graduate teacher needs to know, understand and be able to apply, in order to skilfully manage their students, their classes and collegial relationships within the school community. The ultimate goal for teachers is not only to learn to manage the behaviour they meet on a daily basis, but also to enable their students to learn to manage themselves, their own behaviour, relationships and their learning.

Part B presents common questions that graduate teachers ask throughout their first year of teaching. This section allows readers to dip in and read a suggested solution to a problem that they are facing, with cross references to Part A, which will expand on the theory, relevant strategies, skills, and techniques.