Theorising Teaching in Secondary Classrooms：Understanding our practice from a sociocultural perspective

Theorising Teaching in Secondary Classrooms is for all teachers who wish to fully understand and improve upon their own practice. It encourages you to reflect on and conceptualise your teaching, and helps you understand how your practice is connected to the social, cultural, political and institutional contexts in which you teach.

Considering the latest international research literature and extensively illustrated with quotes from real beginning and experiences secondary school teachers talking about their teaching, it explores nine fundamental aspects of teaching that make up the sociocultural ‘jigsaw’. Key issues considered include:



the relationship between teacher and student


classroom management


teaching and communication for learning


formative assessment


teaching in diverse classrooms


ethics in the school.

Theorising Teaching in Secondary Classrooms both challenges and supports you as you explore and endeavour to makes sense of the many facets of professional practice. It is highly valuable reading for all those engaged in initial teacher education, professional development and Masters degrees .

Beverley Bell is Associate Professor in the Department of Professional Studies in Education at the University of Waikato, New Zealand.

Preface 1. Theorising Teaching as a Sociocultural Practice 2. Teaching as a Relational Practice 3. Teaching as Social Practice 4. Teaching as a Cultural Practice 5. Teaching as an Emotion Practice 6. Teaching as a Caring Practice 7. Teaching as an Ethical Practice 8. Teaching as an Embodied Practice 9. Teaching as a Spatial Practice 10. Teaching as a Political Practice 11. Rebuilding the Bigger Picture