Reading government-issued teaching standards cannot make you a good teacher any more than a book about driving a car can make you a good driver.
Teachers play a crucial role in every society. Although some individuals possess innate qualities that suit them to teaching, great teachers are not born — they are made through structured training and professional development.
Teaching is a profession for a reason. Teachers must learn how to teach effectively and also become subject specialists in their chosen field.
In a new book by Professor Barnaby Lenon CBE, Dean of Education at the University of Buckingham, and Tracey Smith, the authors draw on rigorous research to analyse what it means to become a great teacher in the 21st century. The book translates complex teaching requirements into clear, practical guidance, enabling beginner teachers to meet internationally recognised training standards such as International Qualified Teacher Status (iQTS).
This article is the first in a two-part series and focuses on three core principles: Hard Work, High Expectations and Direct Instruction.
Making Teacher Training Work
Hard Work · High Expectations · Direct Instruction
Hard Work
Many pupils, and some teachers, do not truly understand what hard work means.
At secondary level, it is almost impossible for pupils to succeed without sustained effort. Teachers therefore need to explain why hard work is worthwhile — because effort leads to good results, and good results often lead to better opportunities later in life.
Teachers should also emphasise that most successful people, including athletes and musicians, achieve success through long-term dedication. At GCSE level, research shows that results often correlate more strongly with effort than with ability.
Crucially, teachers must define what hard work looks like in practice. For example:
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Memorising thirty verbs requires structured revision and the ability to write them out from memory;
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Effective GCSE revision over the Easter holidays involves revisiting every subject systematically, dedicating at least five hours per day.
Pupils need regular experiences that show how effort produces results. They can succeed — if they try.
High Expectations
High expectations of pupils rest on two foundations.
The first is a demanding curriculum. High-performing schools often introduce challenging content earlier, emphasise knowledge-rich curricula, and produce their own resources to raise academic standards.
The second is the belief that all pupils can achieve a good standard. Evidence from high value-added schools shows that pupils from disadvantaged backgrounds can thrive when expectations are high.
True high expectations are demonstrated in practice. When pupils fall short in assessments, committed teachers require retakes, provide targeted reteaching, and persist until pupils reach the expected standard. This is the step that often makes the difference between success and failure.
Direct Instruction
Direct instruction is a teacher-led approach in which knowledge is clearly presented and carefully guided. It does not mean passive lecturing. Effective direct instruction includes questioning, interaction, high-quality resources and engaging lesson design.
Compared with discovery learning or purely project-based approaches, direct instruction is both more efficient and more effective at raising attainment, particularly for weaker pupils.
About the Authors
Professor Barnaby Lenon CBE
Professor Lenon has taught in and led some of the UK’s leading schools, including Eton, Harrow and Highgate. He later helped establish the London Academy of Excellence in East London, one of the most successful state sixth form academies in the country. He is now Dean of Education at the University of Buckingham, where he focuses on the development of high-quality teacher training.
Tracey Smith
Tracey Smith has taught in a range of primary schools in Oxfordshire and served as Headteacher and Executive Headteacher across several schools. She later became Head of Primary Teacher Training at the University of Buckingham and continues to work in teacher training and supervision, drawing on extensive leadership and classroom experience.
Interested in internationally recognised teacher training?
The University of Buckingham’s Faculty of Education supports over 1,300 teachers and school leaders worldwide each year and is consistently recognised for teaching quality, student support and sustained investment in learning resources.
Buckingham International School of Education (BISE) is the exclusive Asia partner of the University of Buckingham’s Faculty of Education. Through BISE, teachers can study for qualifications such as PGCE and International Qualified Teacher Status (iQTS), as well as a range of Master’s programmes — all delivered online, part-time, and designed to fit around full-time teaching.
Visit www.bise.org to learn more.