ABSTRACT
An effective teacher is one who can integrate theory with practice, use evidence to underpin their professional judgement and use structured reflection to improve practice. An effective teacher is also comfortable in the presence of young people and is interested in them as individuals as well as learners. Every teacher is an individual and brings something of their own unique personality to the job and their interactions with pupils. Theoretical inputs and evidence to underpin practice can come from a range of sources including tutors and teachers, lectures and print- and web-based resources. Theory also arises from practice, the better to inform and develop practice. Everyone who teaches has a theory of how to teach effectively and of how pupils learn. The theory may be implicit in what the teacher does and teachers may not be able to tell you what their theory is.
