Essential Guides for Early Career Teachers: Understanding and Developing Positive Behaviour in Schools

1. Behaviour matter

2. Understanding how your behaviours influence the behaviour of others

3. Whole class systems, structures and routines

4. Behaviour management as part of the classroom environment

5. Understanding individuals

6. Behaviour management in a wider school context

7. Working with parents and carers to support positive

Biography

Patrick Garton is founder and Director of Oxfordshire Teacher Training, an Ofsted–rated Outstanding SCITT provider that works with primary, special, nursery and secondary schools across Oxfordshire. He also has lead roles within the Oxfordshire Teaching Schools Alliance and the River Learning Trust. Prior to this he held a number of teaching and leadership roles in primary and secondary schools, predominantly in London and Oxford. He is a trustee and trainer for NASBTT and a passionate advocate of high quality and coherently focused initial teacher training and early career development which prepares teachers for long and rewarding careers. He has always maintained a regular teaching timetable to ensure that everything he does has relevance to the world of the classroom.

Emma Hollis has a passion for teacher education. After gaining a first class degree in psychology and training as a primary teacher, she became head of initial teacher education for a SCITT provider. She sees teacher education as a continuum and, whilst her heart will always be very close to the initial stages of a teacher’s development, she is also dedicated to ensuring teachers are given access to high quality professional development throughout their careers.  Emma took up the role of Executive Director Designate of NASBTT in April 2017 and has been in the post of Executive Director since September 2017.

The book is an excellent resource both for early career teachers and those who support them. As the author says, behaviour is so often the area that new teachers worry about the most and sadly can be a reason why some leave the profession.

This book is an excellent combination of really practical, actionable advice and the broader theoretical frameworks and perspectives that underpin why it is likely to work. The focus on helping teachers to understand their own behaviour and triggers and responses to situations is particularly welcome as this so often unlocks the best, most productive way forward in both the short and longer term

Professor Samantha Twiselton, Sheffield Hallam University

If only this essential guide had been available when I was an Early Career Teacher, it would have prevented me from falling into the many pit-falls I found myself in.

Patrick offers a wealth of practical advice and guidance for developing positive behaviour in both primary and secondary schools. His experience of working with colleagues at all ages and stages of their career has been collated in this easy-to-read guidebook bursting with ideas and advice.

Tracey Smith, University of Buckingham

This is a gem of a book. It demystifies behaviour management in the classroom through a series of reading, reflection and practical tasks, supplemented with case studies, which walk the reader through the theory and practice of positive behaviour management in a way which is entirely accessible and engaging. An essential read for any early career teacher. We will be ordering copies straight away!

Rachael Warwick, Executive Headteacher, Ridgeway Education Trust and ASCL President 2020-21

When I say that this book's best feature is it brevity, I mean that as a true compliment. Early career teachers are bombarded with recommended reading, and Patrick Garton engagingly cuts to the chase. As one of the lead authors of the 'Teachers' Standards' I applaud the way this text places centre-stage teachers' focus on developing students' positive attitudes to learning. Without those, the teacher is lost. 

Winningly for the busy reader, Garton includes real stories by teachers and leaders which give a truth to this book about life in contemporary classrooms. I warmly recommend this title - and the wider Essential Guides series - to trainee teachers and those new to the profession. Experienced colleagues might find a few refresher tips too.

Roy Blatchford CBE, Deputy Chair of the Teachers Standards Review (2011