Confronting the ‘Teaching Delusion’ to Make Schools Better

Schools are full of great teachers, but is great teaching happening in every classroom in every school? Bruce Robertson, author of The Teaching Delusion, focuses on this question.

In this interview with Bruce Robertson, author of The Teaching Delusion: Why Teaching In Our Schools Isn’t Good Enough (And How We Can Make It Better) (John Catt Educational), hear about the importance of high-quality professional learning in bringing empowerment to both teachers and school leadership. Robertson poses the question, “Schools are full of great teachers, but is great teaching happening in every classroom in every school?” 

Teachers can be subject to poor advice by school leaders, and feedback is often dependent on the makeup, opinions, and personality of the person observing. This phenomenon can, unfortunately, produce widely different analyses. “Not all advice is good advice,” Robertson states, and the culprit may very well reside in poor leadership and certain misunderstandings of pedagogical knowledge.

As you listen to the interview, think through the following questions, and consider improvements in communication between leadership and teachers that could lead to better results in the classroom:

• When you think about teacher and school empowerment, how do you define them, and do you see a difference between the two?

• Are you receiving the professional knowledge and understanding to guide your development as a teacher? What areas of focus do you feel would best augment your professional growth?

• What areas of professional development do you feel would bring more enjoyment to your teaching experience? Do you believe empowerment plays a vital role?

• As an educator, how do you see the relationship between the following leading to better student outcomes: pedagogical subject knowledge, teacher-student relationships, direct interactive instruction, and formative assessment?

Learn more about Bruce Robertson’s book, The Teaching Delusion, and more great John Catt Educational publications, by visiting us.johncattbookshop.com

About Bruce Robertson

Bruce Robertson is a senior leader of teaching and learning in the Scottish Borders. The focus of his work is on teacher and school empowerment, which he believes can be achieved through high-quality professional learning.

Bruce has been teaching chemistry in state comprehensive schools in the southeast of Scotland since 2003. He has seven years as a deputy headteacher in two secondary schools, through which he has built an excellent reputation. His leadership of teaching and learning improvement in Eyemouth High School led to the school being awarded the General Teaching Council for Scotland Excellence in Professional Learning Award in June 2019.

In recent years, Bruce has been in high demand as a consultant and conference presenter. He works closely with primary and secondary schools, keeping teaching and learning improvement at the center of everything he does. Teachers and school leaders are consistent in their praise for Bruce’s passion, clarity, and inspirational messages.

Follow Bruce Robertson on Twitter @TTDelusion