What They Didn’t Teach Me on My PGCE: and other routes into teaching (Sarah Mullin)

Teaching is not just any job; it is more a vocation or way of life. Therefore, like all vocations, while you can learn a lot from your academic study you need to spend time harnessing your art in the community over time. In the case of teachers this is in the classroom and school community. This is why this book is so valuable as it gives insight from those living and working in classrooms and school communities across the country, something which cannot be gained from a PGCE (or other routes into teaching). It will be relevant no matter where you trained or practice.I loved that it was focused on the practical and while touching on the academic sought to place this in a very real-life context. It is an amazingly easy and enjoyable read full of both poignant and humorous insights. On first reading I went through the chapters in chronological order which was really useful given I was in my NQT year, however, I now (having finished the book) find myself dipping in and out as I need a bit of guidance or reassurance on particular areas of practice.I really value the insight from experienced teachers and Sarah has done a great job in selecting relevant and varied contributions, which help to “make sense” of teaching. It reminds us of the importance of relationships, of continual learning and of our commitment to the children and young people at the heart of everything we do.It is “real” which is rare and valuable in today’s society and is a book that is always in my school bag and am sure will be useful not just now at the start of my teaching career but throughout.

I am a teacher with twenty years experience. This book has something to offer anyone involved in education. It does not matter whether you are preparing to become a teacher, an experienced teacher or someone interested in teaching, everyone can benefit from reading this book. It is packed with little tips and pieces of advice. Some of the anecdotes will make you laugh out loud! It is written in plain accessible language, anyone can pick it up and take something from it. The book has over two hundred contributors and it is lovely to dip in and out from its pages. I enjoyed reading it and two of my colleagues have already bought a copy on my recommendation. A great gift for a friend considering teaching as a profession or for an established teacher that is looking for a book offering a myriad of different perspectives. Several schools have already added it to their Continuous Professional Development library. The popularity of the book thus far is a testament to its quality.

I read a lot of educational books but this is one of my favourites. It's very accessible when you have a busy life, as you can dip in and out of the short extracts. As you can see, mine is full of little markers, as each paragraph covers useful tipsfor different aspects of our work. The fab contributions from real educators, are insightful, interesting and uplifting. Some are just funny! What I really love about this book and Sarah Mullin's work on Twitter, is that she provides a platform, and is an advocate for voices that may not otherwise be heard; regular teachers and colleagues, from a wide and diverse educational landscape, sharing their tips and stories. I did my teacher training over 20 years ago and I still learned from the gems in this book.

This book is a MUST buy and I wish I knew about it earlier! Having always struggled with academia based around teaching and applying it to practice, this books makes it so much easier due to the anecdotal feature! The fact you have compiled this into a book is the stuff dreams are made for a teacher like me. So for a PGCE student who struggled, an NQT who had to adapt a lot and a growing in confidence in RQT a massive thank you from the bottom of my heart. It fills me with hope and joy that experienced educators once had similar experiences that I have now. I wish you even more success with this book and hope many more love it as much as I am!

This is a must read for anyone starting out in their teaching career. Each contributor provided a different insight into the profession - ranging from teaching and learning, well-being, employment and leadership. The book is easy to read - with small concise chapters with a clear contents page, enabling you to 'dip in and out' as you wish. It taught me your PGCE provides you with a framework which you need to keep developing during your NQT year (and beyond). It demonstrates the importance of continually engaging with educational research to ensure this - providing hints and tips for CPD via social media/organisations. Overall, this book is a fantastic insight into the world of teaching and has made me very excited to enter the profession.

Wonderfully rich with content. However, the title is misleading as the PGCE and other pathways are only starting points to a very long journey which is cumulative.

Ask any teacher and they'll tell you that they REALLY learned to teach in their first job...or maybe even afterwards! Sarah Mullin has captured a diverse range of authors from all walks and aspects of Teacher Education today and in so doing created a compendium of useful tips.Teaching isn't a job....it's so much more, and thus teachers need to be so much more equipped - and with information which enables them to both hit the ground running and also to reflect as they progress through their careers.With humour, kindness and humility this book becomes a user manual for teacher life - to be treasured and dipped in and out of. I'll be buying copies for my NQTs every year. Thank you Sarah (and all the authors!)

I can’t recommend this book enough! This book would be amazing whether you have worked in a school or not. It is broken down into chapters based on different aspects of school life. Each chapter has invaluable advice, tips and reassuring messages from lots of different people involved in education. I have read this book a couple of times in the last few months before starting my PGCE, it is very uplifting and inspiring. I find even just reading a couple of pages every now & then reassures me... I am on the right path & teaching is something I can do & I will be amazing at!

A book fully packed with short chapters ( couple of pages ) written by teachers which give many hints and insights into teaching.